The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-05-10
DONAIDsONvILE LA, SATURDAY,


wondered at that they should distrust
everybody; that they should regard
the white race as their natural enemies;
that they should become rapacious,
furious, and relentless.
The evil which lies at the founda-
ton of all our dealings with the In
dians hitherto has been lack of mutual
good faith. This is one of the giant
stames of our American history. Who
will forget the long series of COM
plants uttered by the Indian orators
from the beginning, with pathos
and eloquence peculiar to themselves,
and which no classical refinement of
the schools can ever initiate.
Who can forget the violation Of the
most sacred obligations known to
human honor, by our people in Penn
sylvania during the colonial period,
when they came down to old Lancaster,
entered the gates of a prison where
Indian children were confined, and,
before the eyes of their fathers and
mothers, dashed out their brains
against the prison wallsq Who can
forget the act of treachery perpetrated
by the very officers Of our army upon
the Seminole chiefs in Florida during
the administration of jackson, when
remorselessly violating the sacred flag
of truce, and all the plighted troth OF
the nation, they seized them in the
very council to which they had called
them, and made them prisoners for
life. So Osceola died, captive, after
long years of misery-died Of a broken
heart.
The news of the fall of Candy and
the peace commissioners is more than
embittered by the remembrance of
these things.
The present Administration, taking
into the account all such consilera-
tions, has attempted what has never
been done before, to inaugurate Il gen.
eral Indian policy upon the principles
of peace, friendship, and good faith.
Its object is to do all that a wise, just,
and paternal Christian government
can do to preserve the remnants of Il
race that is fast fading from the earth
to civilize and Christianize them to
elevate them, and confer upon them
all the blessings which belong to the
most favored communities of men.
For the first time in the history Of the
it has undertaken to
inspire the Indians with confidence in
its good and wise intentions to bcget
in them !. spirit of good will; to re-
pair as far as possible the wrongs of
the past, and to show the red men
that our object is not injustice and
but brotherhood, amity,
and concord. a.-=z ..--s> z--
1t is difficult task. The lowest
passions, the most sordid vices of hui
man nature on both sides are against
it. All the rough, savage seltishness
of the reckless and remorseless life of
the border is against it. All the fierce
avarice everywhere, that has so long
preyed upon and plundercd the In
dian heritage, is against it.
Approaching the manifold obstacles
and possible dangers Of this undertake
ing, the Administration has appealed
to the highest moral sympathy of the
nation. It has called to its aid the
Christian sentiment of the country. 1t
has commissioned the best men which
our times can furnish to conduct its
negotiations with the Indian tribes.
1t has assigned the work of enforcing
its policy to some OF the bravest,
wisest, noblest officers and portions
of our army. 1t has designed by all
possible means, both material and
moral, to conciliate the red men. 1t
has been laboring to have them see
and understand what will be for their
highest interest. 1t has been exercis-
ing all patience and all diligence to
effect this object. Its purpose is to
collect the scattered and rowing bands
upon suitable reservations, where
they shall live in an orderly, peaceful,
and prosperous manner - shall be
supplied-shall be thor
oughly protected in all their rights,
and shall in return fulfil all their just
obligations.
Thus the Administration is engaged
over a vast and distant field of opera
tions. The possibilities of casualties
and sad occurrences of miscarriage
of sudden outbreaks; of direful Gala
mites; of costly :sffirays; Of the loss
Of our truest, best, and bravest citi-
zens are almost countless.
And now VIC have one elimination
in this Modoc war. These savages,
but 60 or 20 warriors, besides
their women and children, having
passed through the usual vicissitudes
Of disappointment, of tllwarted pur-
poses, oflong delays of justice; having
some of them for Il time tried submis-
sion to the ways of the white man
having made few futile efforts at the
cultivation Of the soil, but being per-
petually harrassed by hostile, neigh
boring tribes; having been annoyed,
deceived, and then inflamed by the
reckless white gamblers and specu-
lators always hanging around them;
and having ut last been driven off
from their chosen haunts and habita-
tions: at length cast off all restraint
and declared a bitter and relentless
war, in which their hand is against
every mans hand, and in which they