Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-05
The Governments and RecaIcftrant
Indians,

The recent summary punishment of certain
hostile Indians by Gen. Crook, Col. Mckenzie,
and other Ct our military commanders on the
frontiers, seems TO have caused q misapprehen-
sion in the minds Of many as to the policy pur-
sued by the administration in its dealings with
the red men generally; and in the recent yigor-
Ous action Of the War Department In these
particular instances may be found the basis for
the report that the scheme of peace and concil-
istiOn had been abandoned, and that hence
forth the Indians, one and all, must feel the
strong AT ID and retributIve hand of the govern
meLt.
Many people profess TO be unable to reconcile
tie Plan of seourgins hostile ssvages with what
i commonly known as the peace Policy,
The fact Is that but few have anything like a
clear conception of that policy. The popular
idea seems to be that il means that the
indians shalI be fed and clothed by the
government; that they shall have unrestrsined
freedom 70 DO they please, and entire
immunity from punishment for their msdeeds.
Prior 20 1875 the government had never been
especially conscientious IN its dealings with the
Indians. Some of them were fed, 1t is true, but
only a small portion of them ever received all
that had been guaranteed them by treaty stiru-
latioEs in the way of ratons, clothing, land, &C.,
the intentions OF the government being con-
tnually thwarted by dishonest contractors and
thieviDg Intermediates generally, whose In
justice provoked resentment on the part of the
Indians and caused incesssnt war between them
and the troops. Treaties were openly and un-
blushingly broken by officers of the government,
and the Indians as a race became suspicious,
and, If not openly So at least secretly hostile. If
q council was held with them they were sur
rounded by troops with arms in their hands, and,
thus oversved, professed submission and friend
ship they did not teel. Knowing from personal
experience the evil results OF such . system,
General sherman in 1855 or 1859 Off cislly recon
mended that the government adopt policy
which would cOncede that il was Ito put the
case tersely,) cheaper to feed the Indians
than TO fight them, and that its action
toward them thereafter be shaped accordingly.
He believed that if the government would place
all the Indians on reservations, give them
honest agents, feed and clothe them, keep In
violate all treaty obligations, aud, in short, deal
justly with them, they would to a great extent
cease their hostility. AS cOmplemental to this
policy be advocated the most summary punish
raent for all such hostile Indians as would not
comply with these generous terms. This was
the basis OF what is commonly known as the
Peace Policy OF the government, and President
Grant adopted General Sherman's suggestions
for two reasons: 1. Because he believed them
conviction in the religious and philanthropic
community that the government was dealing
uRjustly with the Indians. g Because, with
General sherman, he believed the policy sus-
gested ~ the latter would be much more
economical than the vague and irregular system
then in practice.
But the Indians seeming treachery, as they
thought, refused to be conciliated for some
time, and continued their hostility. Some were
deceived a. 10 the laudable designs OF the gov
eminent by rsscally agents and interpreters,
and many, It is safe to say, living In remote
regions UniDhabIted by whites are yet ignorant
OF The existence of the Peace Policy. BY this
time, however, the great majority of the Indians
within the limits OF the United States know the
desires Of the government and respect them.
But, meanwhile, it has been necessary to Sc
yerely ehastise, in some instances, Indians who |
prefer TO remain incOrrigibly hostile; but such
action ON the part OF the government il
not, as some suppose, q departure from TIE
feace Policy, but Is simply enforcement of |
AZ POhcenen pursue a ''peace policy" towards |
the community generally, but disorderly per-
sons must be arrested and law-breakers pun
lshed IL Is as unfair, therefore, to say that the
indians are hostile because q few Of their num-
Der commit depredations, a. to assert that an
enlightened community is lawless because
J. N luhisnnehs VI sumo OF lS members.
Thu fact Il, that out OF 100000 Indians on the
pIsins, not 5000 are engaged in depredating in
such Wa as to call for the Intervention of the
military. Ihe great body of the Indians then
"a, goo out OF 5O eo0-are on friendly terms with
the government, AM. the prospect is that If the
later keeps faith with then they will remain 90.
Another significant fact may u noted, and that
l., that in the pursuit and chsstisement Of hos.
tile Indians Gen. Crook and other military COM /
manders are assisted by large numbers Ell i
friendly Indians, who not only act % scouts |
ana guides, but fight in the ranks with the white
troops. policy with such results canno. he |
called failure.