New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-18
a SOLUTION or THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

10 Inc EditOr Of The Trtbune.
SIR: residence of 81 years among the In
dams OF the West, most OF the time conVersnS WIN
them III tier language enables me to say that they
do not universally generally, dread and depre'
cate contact with counrymen Their first conqueros
were tue Spanards who treated them wild beasts or
slaves, and whom they, of course feared and mated.
Then came the French who called them brothers and
treated them equals consequently, they love the
French Just they love each other The British called
them their children and treated them as subjects,
taking their lands when they wanted them, and in re-
turn without any bargain giving them such presents as
they saw m and Furnishing them for crimes against each
other just as If they had been committed against
Englishmen by Englishmen; hence, they honor and
revere the English. We, as nation, have
talked to and made treaties with them, as II
they were independent nations equal to ourselves and
then in many instances acted toward them as II they
were FOOLS and had rights which we were bound to
respect. Often when they have been grossly wronged
and deftauded by the officers OF Government these
officers have seemed think the Indians did not know
IT, thus adding insult to injury Naturally they distrst
the agents OF Government and our people generally
and as they have been severely punished for crimes
against ourselves and not at all for robbing and murder
ing ich other they fear but do not respect U.s. Yet
mistake to suppose that they generally hate the Big
Knives" as they call U.S. dread cOntactlwth us. This
may be- and doubtless is true Of many individuals and
some small tribes who have been greatly injured by our
people or know very little about the Big Knives but
generally they that they cannot live without such
articles as furnished by traders and would pre-
fer to live near and among If they could do so with
any safety Usually they do not avoid u.s. except as they
are driven by our soldiers Much social intercourse with
them has convinced me that greatly have wronged
Them they have far less hatred to our people than the
"Big Knives" have toward them.
The Aborignes of country cannot live in safety
among us, because they are outlaws In most Of the
States and in all the Territories OF our country they have
no protection, either Of person property. They may
murdered manned in broad daylight in the streets.
and In the stores and hotels of cities aud there
is no law OF country to punish the cuprt. Such
cases have occurred repeatedly, and often as the
culprts brought before courts the United states
Judges have decided that when Indian Injuries an
other of the tribe they have authority to inter-
fere-no jurisdiction Most horrd murders OF Indians OF
one tribe by those OF another have been committed in
our white settlements but have heard Of no instance
in which our courts have been asked to interfere Some
one will ask they not liable to be murdered when
remote from settlements as among us Most murders
are committed by under the influence of In
toxcatng drinks, which more easily obtained among
us than far off in the Indian country and. seeing the
security in which we live they less their guard,
and so more easily killed among than
elsewhere. But this is not the point to which I
wish call attention. outlaws In all civilized
munities regarded as nuisance and not without
they are much less dangerous than like number Of
Outlawed Irish or Germans would be.
Many Of the Indians are so ignorant that they do not
know but that Indians Just good as Big Knives"
and If allowed to murder Indians unpublished, will,
when drunk, murder white too. Again, II the In
dian may according to laws be deprived of his life
or limbs with mpuny, the is the to ut least
great degree with his property. Hence tho Abo-
rhymes of our country having no incentive to industry
keep are necessarily poor, and when among us often
beggars. Not considering that our laws have made
them SUCH many OF people hate them on this account
Having made them outlaws, and thus made them
dangerous poor and hateful, we forever driving
them from us, showing them from one reservation to
another-thus inIuring them without benehtinS our
Now these evils must be remeded not by put
ting them reservation, here thero largo or small
good bad but by subectng them to laws just
all other subjected to them. by striking from
all the laws OF the words except Indians not
taxed" whenever they Let Congress do this and
make proper provision for enforcing laws among
them well elsewhere and let the churches Of our
country instruct them in Christianity and letters. Then
instead OF being at present nuisance and reproach
they will be q valuable portion Of our population
inferior to many OF the emgrans We are urgently
inviting from Europe. rs W.
Saint Peter, MINI, March ~, 1872.