Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-07
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page.
WASHINGTON CITY:
THU RSDAY. .......November z, 1871.
Can the Indians be CiyiIixed-

We have adyeTted to the fact that the Indians
will hereafter be held to a stricter accountable
ity, and that any failure on their part to recip-
rocate the SInd intentions of the government
VIII be no longer overlooked or suffered to 20
unpunishei. 1t Is reasonably assumed lat they,
a. well a. the government, have certain obliga-
tons TO fulhi and that The sooner they under
stand their responsibilities the better for both
white and red men. We have also referred to
the former manner Of holding councils with the
lndiaUs-surrounding them with armed troops
aud then cNtCTrEg promises from them which
they never failed 20 break as soon as released
from restraint. All this has been changed nm
der the present policy. Every special commits
sioL6r OF The government to the Indians i. a
Captain John Smith; he Penetrates into the
heart of the red mans country unaccompanied
even By a COrpOTal's guard. and boldly con-
iroIting thcIa in their native wilds wins a
peaceful victory by moral suasiOn alone.
In his late expedition 70 the upper Missouri,
Gen. COwGn, Assistant Secretlry of the Inte-
riOr, acting in the capacity Of a special COM
missioner, left forts, aud even the habitations
OF white men, five hundred miles in the rear,
entered The wilderness, and calling the hostile
braves from the war path and the chase, held a
grand council, and fearlessly told them the in
tentiOnS of the government. For thirty-hye
TO five hundred savages, all armed to the teeth,
and yet they respected him, and said they knew
be was ''big chief because he did not bring
any soldiers 20 enforce his demands. General
Walker, Gen. Howard and other special COM
missioneTs pursued the same course, and, as Is
known, with salutary results.
The wisdom of bringing the principal sachems
to Washington TO make known their grievances
and hear the wishes of the government has been
fully demonstrated. Red Cloud, Spotted Tail,
Medicine Bear, and other influential chiefs who
have been here, have returned well pleased
with their visit and strengthened in their deter
minationto keep their young men from the war
path. In ali the councils with the Indians the
officers of the government are expected to
maintain an infeNible attitude. They first
listen to grievances and then inform the Indians
what the government is willing to do towards
righting their wrongs; what compensation they
will receive for good behavior; and, finally,
plainly tell them that any who deviates from the
course marked out for them by the government
will be summarily punished.
No iHcOnsiderable WORK has been done during
the past four years by the agents Of the govern
ment and the board OF Indian commissioners
in the direction of civilizing the Indian aud
teaching him the arts of peace. In a late COM
'nunicatiOn to the New York TafspsnfsHt, Hon.
James y. Garfield, who has lately returned
from mission to the Indians OF the northwest,
says Of the work OF the commissioners:
"That work consists in breaking I'D lands in
putting IN crops in erecting houses, in building
and maintaining mills, in teaching the simpler
trades; Ia short, in LAYING the foundation among
the Indians OF practical civilized living. If to
this can be added habit OF owning property in
seveTalty; of having small farms, well titled
and stocked with their own cattle and horses:
and n above all. their reservations shall be
al VrsrafN 10
Croachments of the whites. there NAV vet he
saved a remnant of this perishing race"