The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-03


cart-load of affidavits proving that tn
Modocs are the injured party. Instead q
extermlnating them, there will be specia
appropriation for their benefit, and anotbe
SET OF Commissioners appointed who viii
De quito certain that the two who are gon,
teli victims to their own imprudence.
WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS.
This would be wild prediction if th,
nation was not hepelessly insane on thi
Indian question: but that it is SO is mani
lest from General Order No. 3, issued b,
Gen. Sherman, in Washington, on the 14tf
INST, in which he says that Gen. Caub,
had been sent out to remove the Modoc,
Ito reservation, where they could BIZ
maintained and protected by the civil
agents of the Government" Think of a
sane government undertaking to "main.
tam y thousands of abie-bodied men and
women, during the terms of their natural
lives. Must not the great employer OF
IDLE hands vary the standard work of play.
ing poker by more exciting employment .
What government has right to tax its
Industrious citizens to feed such hoard of
ldlers' What but insanity could induce
any set OF men to attempt to civilize or
Chrlstianize set of people by cultivatins
their besetting sin-contempt for honest
industry? How do missionaries and peace
commissioner except to teach the duty
and dignity of labor while excluding from
their systems hunger and cold, the two
great teachers which God has appointed
principal and first assistant in the common
school in which he educates all his Great
ures? The talk about teaching Indians
the "art of agriculture must have origi
mated in lunatic asylum. The squaws
know how to raise corn, beans, and pump
kins, and when the warriors have mastered
this occult science, under their tuition. il
will tie time enough to establish agricultur-
al colleges for their benefit. 1t is not
knowledge, but will that is wanting. and
only stern necessity can supply that. The
only cure for our Indian troubles is to tum-
BILE the Indian Bureau into the Potomac, as
the most verminifested, rotten, old piece of
lumber that ever disgraced Uncle Samueps
housekeeping; put a washstand in its
place, and let the old gentleman try to
clean his hands of the blood of thousands
of his noblest sens and daughters who
have fallen victims to his mistake in rec
ognizing as independent nations every
horde of savages within his borders. He
must stop the treaty business, and when
he buys land, let him pay for it. Instead
OF annuities to foster indleness and crime,
give every Indian family an inalienable
Make them amenable to the
laws of the State or Territory in which
they are found. If they work, protect
them in the enjoyment of the proceeds of
their labor; do not let the idle and vicious
rob the industrious, as they now do. If
they steal, imprison them; if they murder
them, hang them; if they are idle, let them
'tarve and welcome. "He that will not
work shall not eat," is a law we have no
right to abrogate.
BEEF FOR THE INDIANS.
Among the items of news called out by
The Modoc massacre is one stating that
arge bills are in the Treasury awaiting
payment for "beef furnished to the Indi
ans" Can any one give the shadow of a
'eason why the Indians should not furnish
heir own beef and have large surplus for
sale? They occupy some of the finest
grazing lands in this country. Raising
'attle is about the first step from savagery
% civilization. 1t COMFORTS with nomad
life and involves little labor. They do
'aise ponies-why not cattle? The answer
% this question is, that ponies are useful
n war while cattle would be an incum-
FRANCE, and that they prefer stealing to
'aisiug them. This is all plain enough;
'ut when we consider that our Government |
S employing agents to Christianize and |
'ivilize them, what shall! we say of the
policy which thus pays bonus on savage
y? If we bar their way to this first nat
lral step toward civilization by supplying
he wants that lead to it, how shall we hope
o teach them the more advanced arts p
What nonsense it is to talk of civilizing a
PEOPLE while depriving them Of the ordina-
y incentives to labor. 1t is necessity |
which drives the average man to work.
Without work he is a savage; but here we
lave powerful Government, with hun
lreds of Christians agents, engaged in the
1bsurd task of retaining savages by doing
III in its power to stand between them and
dod's law of labor. Our promises of main
enance are the highest premium we can
'ffer to vagrancy and crime. They afford
IN apology for ldleness and unlimited pro-
location to vengeance, for it is next to
impossible that they can be fulfilled. l |
became familiar with one instance of the
difficulties through which Unclo Samuel
maintains his Indians, and, from all have
earned, the case is not an unfair specimen
# this Indian maintenance business
about eight years ago party started from
It. Cloud to pay an annuity to the Red
lake Chippewas. The rendezvous was
ver hundred miles from any road The
nnuity consisted largely of beef, pork,
'eans, flour, and blankets. The time was
AUTUMN. Some unavoidable delay made it
ate Autumn; but the expedition got under
way with wagons, horses, oxen, boats tents,
preacher, and dozen or two of ether
men whose salaries averaged not less than
IS per day. This caravan dragged its
low length along, day after day and week
fter week, creeping through long, dried
prairie grass, opening roads through strips
f timber, circling swamps or wading them,
ording streams. or following their course
Vhen they led in their direction, and 80
making the boats relieve the wagons. One
art of the party would cross lakes with
he freight, while the other went round
nth the animals and wagons. Sometimes
hey came to places where tho water was
ot deep enough for boats, and was too
leep for draught animals, or where the ice
Vas too thin to bear horses and too thick
o break with oar or paddle, and there
eemed to be no way around or too long to
rayerSe Then these renresoptaf;yf. of