The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-09
OUR INDIAN POLICY.
BY JANE c. SwISSHoLM.
from TIE ". Y. Tribune.

THE INDIAN AS A FARMER.
In the Spring of 1857 there were thous-
ands of dollars worth of agricultural i'm
plements sent out by the Government for
the use of Indians lying rotting on the
prairies of Minnesota, and, so far as l
could learn, not one red hand on plow.-
Hundreds of acres that had been fenced
and broken for them lay out uninclosed,
reclaimed by nature. Houses that had
been built for them were burned, like the
fences, or were going to pieces. Govern
ment agents had fenced and plowed and
planted for them at enormous cost, while
most of them sat looking on like crows,
and others aided the agents as the best
way to win favor with a power whose re-
wards of merit embrace Spencer rifles,
ammunition, and scalping knives. Then,
to wash away the stain of having done
"squaw's work." they picked out the
seed for present use, or turned in their
ponies to eat the growing crop. These
last are good Indians who condescend to
listen to the peace powwows OF Commis-
sioners, and are even gracious enough to
grunt occasionally by way of answer
These good Indians will listen to any
amount of talk, will act as guides, give
information, get their hair cut, be baptis-
ed, even hoe corn an hour sometimes, If
the inducement is strong enough; but
Western settlers are more afraid of them
than of bad Indians. One old chief who
was especially willing to be civilized, had
had house built and furnished for him,
and had taken possession early in the
Summer. The agent was so proud of his
model Indian that he made quite journey
to visit him late in the Fall and see that
his wants were supplied, but was no little
surprised to see Mr.. Chief quietly smok-
ing in the door of a wigwam, built by his
squaws stones throw from the house.
Agent swore like the army in Flanders
Chief pacitied him by assurance that
"house good in Summer, but never do for
Winter" A number of boys had been
educated by the missionaries. Some had
learned in Eastern colleges to read Latin
and had been lionized by Eastern people,
but failed to pass examination, when they
returned to their tribes, and were asked
by the old warriors to make an arrowhead,
build a canoe, clean gun, ride pony,
shoot a buck, or do anything else which
Indian intelligence could recognize as good
or useful. They were all failures, and the
Il r. Al al IL.
of them vagabonds. Hole-in the Day per-
mitted his son and heir to be taught in a
mission school in st. Paul, where he be-
came good English scholar and dandy.
cottage, which his tribe finally burned, but
in which he lived many years of elegant
leisure, with six wives, who used to raise
a crop of corn and other vegetables, weave
mats, and keep my lord comfortable. He
always had plenty of money given him by
the Government, and when he travelled, he
went in style, would attend church in St.
Paul with the most aristocratic lady on his
arm, sit in the front pew, and dine with
the Governor. On his last visit to Wash
ington he got $4,000 and a seventh wife,
and vas more than ever the pet of the
Government and people, that now propose
to drive the Mormons out of Utah for hav
ing more wives than one.
THE INDIANS AS PoLYGAMoUs AS TIE
MoRMoNs.
Every Indian tribe is an organized band
Inf ,,hin Oh 1,a 10
the absolute slavery of it's women, while
its whole code is as much opposed to
Christianity as any law of Bengal which
Christian people have called upon the
British Government to repeal; yet the
united Christian sentiment of this country
has maintained these cruel heathenisms on
our own soil, and powerful Christian
society, "The Indian Aid Association,
now demands that the Government shall
reccde from every step it has taken toward
breaking up these centers of horrid cruel
ty and heather darkness. How can these
people who send professional missionaries
to all sorts of heather, assume such an at
titude of hostility to those who bear the
burden in the heat of the day in the great
work of ciriizing and Outstanding the
race? How can they grant to every idle,
naked savage privilege, if it be a privil-
eye, which they deny to the Mormon, who,
whatever his faults, does at least make the
wilderness blossom as the rose?
Of course Mrs. Jellaby must have work.
She is active, and never could consent to
| sit still while this world keeps spinning
around as it does; but it is better she
should knit worsted caps for walruses-
| thousands of them may catch cold IN their
head-ihan to continue to patronize MIR.
| Lo. This Government cannot afford to
continue pauperizng that athlete at cost
of from fifty to hundred millions per
| annum and many valuable lives. Some
day your Indian aristocrat must meet the
| dire necessity of work or want, and the
sooner he comes to it the better for all
parties. The way to bring him to this
point is for the Government to pay him
whatever it ewes him, or thinks it does, at
once, in cash or good bonds. Then, hands
| OIL. ana leu Ile CldlcS anu ltTlltOl les dt-
tend to him. No other earthly power will
give him so sure justice so largely temper
ed with mercy. In every one of them many
of the leading citizens are of his blood, and
none would or dare make a law to bear I'M
Justly on him. There is no prejudice
against him as against the negro. Two of
the most elegant aud popular women met
in the West were the daughter and grand
daughter of one who used to leave her hus-
bands house once or twice year during
all her life, and spend days or even weeks
in the woods with only boughs for shell
ter and a blanket for clothing. Her
blood or habits were never counted shame
to them, and all through the massacres
there were Indians and mixed bloods liv-
ing among the whites, and no public senti-
ment that would have tolerated an insult
or indignity to one of them. Left to the
jurisdiction of Safe and Territorial laws,
the Indians would all be citizens in ten or