New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-17
Managing THE INDIANS.

There are now about three hundred tnOu-
sand Indians in the jurisdiction OF the United
States Seventy thousand of these are III
Alaska, and cut no figure in any discussion of
our governmental Indian policy. According to
official reports, fifty thousand may be classed
as civilized twenty thousand as partially so;
and the remainder-One hundred and sixty
thousand-are, says Col. BOudlnot, as Wild as
when Columbus first planted the cross
and the standard of Spain on the
shores of this continent. There are over
fifty thousand who are officially classed as
wild Indians "-Apaches, Cheyennes, Sioux,
Arapahoes, &c. Those who have been gath
cred Oh reservations where they have been
taught the arts of peace far outnumber the
rowing, marauding bands, who seldom or never
report themselves to any Indian Agency or
missionary. But the self-supporting and semi
civilized communities were established long
ago. The so-caled Peace Policy of the Gov
eminent was authorized by Act of Congress,
April 10, 1869. This fact should be kept In
mind through any discussion of our manage
ment of Indian affairs.
The Quaker Policy was readily adopted by
the President, if not originally suggested by
him. He early recommended Congress to au-
thorize the placing of all Indians on large
reserv atoms, inducing them to take up lands
in severalty; and he urged that they should,
rs soon as possible, set up territorial govern
ments for their own protection. These hui
name views again and again urged on
the attention of Congress. A Board of Com
missiOners composed of able and public-spir-
tied citizens was formed under the Act of
April 10, 1862 and the experiment of making
the management of Indian affairs missionary
work was tried. A few agencies were at first
given to members of the Society of Friends
the President being attracted to that body of
religiOnists by reading of the superior success
which the Quakers had in managing Indians
during the time of William Penn. All other
agencies not so disposed of were given to
officers OF the Army. Other religious societies
were, after a while, asked to nominate agents
to serve in the work of civilizing the Indians
and the President, in 1870. informed Con-
gress that he was confident that this
policy would, in few years, bring
all the Indians upon reservations
where they would live in houses, have churches
and schools, and pursue self-supporting avo-
cations. Liberal appropriations were asked
for aud obtained; and territorial governments
for the Indians were consistently recommended
by the President, who urged that all Indians
west Of the missouri River and south of the
British Possessions might eventually be gath
cred into one State of their own government
But complications arose. The appointment
of military men to Indian agencies was re-
sisted by civilian politicians in and out of
Congress. They saw their hopes of gain were
gone. There was much digniied and high
toned pickering between the Departments of
War and Interior. Some of Ethe religious
societies who had responded to the Presidents
invitation to name agents were obliged to
contribute to the support of their missionaries
The Act of March 3, 1871, further complicated
affairs by forbidding the recognition of
tribal organizations by treaty. In Ari-
zona, where few thousand Apaches
have managed to keep an entire Territory
from settlement and development, the policy
of the Government alternated between peace
and war 80 rapidly that the officers at detached
military posts were much of the time unable
to say whether they were under the command
of Gen. Crook OF Mr.. Vincent Colyer. On
several occasions armed expeditions against
predatory Indians were countermanded
by the Peace Agent under authority of
tho President. Right in the midst of
tho success of the experiment" so fire.
quently alluded to in Executive messages
on the subject, whole camp of Pie
gans, numbering 173 persons, was extermi-
mated by United States troops. Gen. Crook,
who is Endorsed by Gen. Sherman as "our
"best Indian officer began his Arizona cam
paign in the Summer following the Piegan
affair. He was followed by Vincent Colyer's
truce and the Wickenburg massacre occurred
in the ensuing Autumn. 1t is not too much to
say that if Gen. Crook, who is humane as
,veu "a firm had boen let alone be would