Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-03-20
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1873.
INDIAN Policy.

Indians, so faSl as they DeCOIne dC-
quainted Herewith, are ready and viii
ling to submit themselves to the policy |
of the government. Perhaps, this is
putting too broad and too strong con-
struction on his language, which was,
that the Indians were gaining confidence |
In the intention of the government TO |
treat them fairly, which, by the way, Is
a mere expression of opinion, the gist OF |
the matter following in these words
'and in proportion as this feeling is es-
tablished, they submit themselves to its |
requirements. If this will bear any
Interpretation and construction at all, 1t |
must bear one Of two meanings FIRST
that the Indians were ready and Wiling |
to submit themselves to the policy of the |
government in their regard, to that ex-
tent and as speedily as they were made
acquainted Herewith. The second and
only other possible construction to be
placed upon the language is, always pro-
vided, Of course, that the first is not the
true meaning, that if you could only in
still a feeling of confidence and fair
dealing into their minds then they would
submit themselves to the requirements
of the government. We shall refer to
these points again further on, but may
remark, in passing that the Assistant
Secretary is undoubtedly correct The
only Indian difficulty, now on our hands,
we are gravely told, is the affair with
the Modocs. This affair, the dispatch
or the Assistant Secretary goes on
TO tell us, g was the result of bad
management, and in great part the
fault of the Indian Office. The COM
missioner of Indian affairs, without
consulting the secretary of the Interior,
issued an order to the superintendent to
remove the Modocs from their reserva-
tions to new ones, peaceably if possible,
but forcibly if necessary. This order
gave no discretionary power to the SUI
perintendent, and in obeying it literally,
resistance to it on the part of the In
dians was the occasion of the outbreak.
The secretary knew nothing of the or
der, was not consulted upon the stu
alton, and cannot be blamed for it or its
consequences. 1t is all well enough for
tire Secretary and Assistant Secretary to
give us this information. His intention,
too, was, doubtless good. Self-defence,
we are told, is the first law of nature,
and extends, we presume to defending
ones self with the tongue or pen as well
from assaults with similar weapons by
others, as the mistakes and blunders OF
subordinates. What, we may be al
lowed to ask in all seriousness, is the
policy of the government toward the
Indians, 1.-THE wards of the nation?"
Tle President informed us, in his mes
sage at the opening of the last Congress,
that ''the policy which was adopted at
the beginning of this (the) administra-
ton with regard to the management OF
the Indians has been as successful as its
most ardent friends anticipated within
so short time" By referring to this
message, the Presidents first annual and
other messages and other documents at
hand, this policy seems to be twotold.
First to give the management OF reser-
yations into the hands of Quakers and
other Christian men, and seek to human
ize and civilize the Indians and, second,
and as q concomitant of the first, TO
gather these tribes on different reserva-
tions. If this be the policy of the gov
eminent, what was the Commissioner OF
Indian affairs doing, except endeavoring
to carry out this policy? The influence
of these Quakers and other missionaries
of humanity and civilization cannot be
brought to bear on these Indians until
they are gathered on reservations, can
they? If it is the policy of the govern
menl, and it always has been its policy
through all administrations, that reser-
vations shall be set apart for their use,
what advantageth it, either them or the
government, unless the ''wards" occupy
them? 1t is all very well and very
poetical TO talk about humanizing, civil
i1ing and outstanding these Indians.
The story of William Penn and Of the
early events in Pennsylvania is enter
tanning reading, and is an agreeable and
beautiful episode in our early history,
but does it afford any guide or criterion
for the care, control and management of
the Indians on the plains or in the lava
beds of the present day? We must take
the Indians and the Indian question as
we find them, and not as we wish to
find them. We do not take any stock
in the idea that these ''wild men of the
plains" are naturally docile and peace
able, and that the Indian agents, army
officers and border settlers are respo1-
sible for these outrages. We believe
that all history shows that the native of
the American forests is naturally a
savage; that he is treacherous, blood.
thirsty and nomadic in his habits. We
do not believe, and we appeal to history
as the foundation of our belief, that he
Is capable of being educated, civilized,
christianized or permanently converted
from a wandering, unsettled life. He
can, to be sure, be taught some of the
manners, customs and, perhaps, useful
arts and trades of civilized life, but he
soon relapses into semi-barbarism, If not
barbarism. The experiment has been
faithfully and thoroughly tried, time and
time again, and always, or nearly al
ways, with the same result. 1t is no
answer to the general proposition to
point to an occasional exception, if one
can he found. 1t might as well be
argued from the Incident of the chill
dren found among the wolves and par
taking of their habits and peculiarities,
published In another column, that we
were naturally allied to the animal
Exceptional instances, if they prove
anything, our grammars used to tell us,
prove the rule. If it is for the interest
of either party to live at peace, il is that
of the army officer and border settler.
Who ever beard of their going out of