Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-27
THE RUTLAND HERALD
SATURDAY, MARCH %, 1873.
The Indian Again.

rally our views on INC lh'u"iA
A lady correspondent, whose commuhi-
cation we publish in another column
calls nc 10 account for the sentiments |
therein avowed, and argues the other |
side" While we cheerfully give place
to the communication, admit that we
have been familiar with the work OF
Bishop Whipple from its commence
ment, and stand ready to accord him the
full need of praise and, not only, to bid
him God speed, but wish him the most
perfect success in his noble and christian
work; yet we can see no reason 10
change our views, as heretofore express
ed. We have no pride of opinion upon
upon this subject. We stand ready to
aid every good and worthy effort, look
ing to the possible educating, ciyilizing
and, if you please, humanizing OF the
Indians. We would be pleased to see
some feasible plan, by which this deslr-
able work could be accomplished. we
should rejoice if the instrumentalitles,
now at work, could achieve this result.
We should rejoice for the sake of hui
manity, christianity and morality. Could
we, as a nation, engage in a more noble
and honorable work? Looking at 1T
in a purely political and financial light,
there Is nothing that could benefit the
whole country so much as the solution
Of this Indian problem, by means OF
schools, missions and farms. In the
seven .years prior to the incoming OF
General Grants administration, there
had been expended ON account of Indian
hostilities on the plains, or for difficult
ties Immediately arising therefrom, over
one hundred and forty million dollars.
We have not the estimates at hand for
the past four years, but presume that,
notwithstanding the peaceful policy OF
the administration, the expenditure has
been, proportionately, as great. So
that, if the Quaker policy-and we use
this expression not as term of re-
reproach, but simply as comprehensive
and fgurative of the blessed policy OF
peace-could be adopted, the saving, in
an economical point Of view would be
immense. This, of itself, if there was
any hopes of its success, would commend
il to the administration and the people.
With reference to the other-the higher
and nobler-reasons for its desired sue
cess, we need say nothing. They carry
their own weight and conviction. We
may be pardoned for saying, that we
have made Indian history and Indian
character something of study. Our
tastes and inclinations, and facts in our
family history has made this something
of favorite study. We have seen and
known something of Indian character,
both of the native and half breed. We
can remember the time when we had q
rose-colored and poetic idea of the noble
red man of the forest We read of
and believed'n the story of his wrongs to
the full extent. Do not misunderstood
us. We believe now that he has been
previously wronged, but we do not think
the wrong is all on one side. And here
word to our correspondent. She will
pardon us, but we had nothing to say in
reference to the ''border trader and
''agent Our proposition was that the
border settler and army officer did not
desire war. We said, eff it is for the
interest of either party to live at peace,
it is that of the army officer and border
settler" We will now say, that we do
not believe the ''border trader" and
''agent" have any particular desire for
an Indian warfare. Why should they
We do not think these traders and agents
are always among the best and purest of
men. We know some of them to be the
vilest and most corrupt of scoundrels.
1t would be very strange if they were
not. With the utmost care and caution,
corrupt men will slip into places of trust
and responsibility. We said before, and
we say now, we must take things as we
find them. If Indian agents are selected
entirely from "Quakers and other chris
tian men,, have we any assurance that
the black sheep will not slip into the
fold? Has our experience with men
been such as to authorize the belief that,
under this policy, the livery of the ser
wants of Christ will not be appropriated
and prostituted for unholy purposes
This, however, is all aside from the
main question. We admit that individual
instances can be found where savages
have become civilized or semi-ciyilized
just as instances can be found, wher
christian men and women have renounc.
ed their kind, and all social and intellect
ual enjoyment, and shut themselves up,
for life, in hermit's cave or anchorite's
cell. But do these exceptions prove
anything? What was the result of DR.
Wheelock's experiment at Moors' Char
ity School and Dartmouth College? VIZ
have not time to refer to the details anC
quote the exact statistics The genera
facts, however are notorious While
there were some good results, they were
soinfinitessimal ashardly to deserve to bt
taken into account. The case of Bran
alone would, if individual instance were
to make the sum of the argument, dc
molish the whole theory OF the benef
al
Unfortunately, we are not compelled t.
rely on such cases. The whole broat
field of American history is covered
with blood-red arguments against the
feasibility of the plan We need mo-
refer to and cite instances. There i.
and, we fear, will continue to be, a fear
full catalogue of Indian murders, out
RACES and depredations. We cannot for
bear referring to a single instance, sug
gested, we must confess, by our CORES
pondents communication In the terri
bic outbreak and massacre in Minnesota
where were the mass Of these civilized
and christianized Indians found? Were
they true to the teachings of humanity
christianity and higher morality
Were they not, rather, found with theil
otfI