The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-10-08
OUR INDIAN POLICY.

his MOdOc braves, on FfiuaJ lao', ~
news attention to the consideration o
this subject, which we find thorough
IL discussed in leading article in tn
OVerlond Monthly for September Th'
writer presents his conclusions will
great clearncss Of thought and tore
of argument, and they at least merl
attention, even though they may no
assure conviction. His leading prop
osition at any rate will not be gain
saved: that the past Indian policy O.
tho Government has been tallure-
that after q century of vacillating z
experiment. VIC have succeeded mel
ther in civilizing the Indians by the
arts of peace, nor in conqucrips them
iu honorable war-that we have only
.ongraftcd upon their natural teroclty
Ihc vices Of civilization, which have
swept away whole tribes, and inspired
others with savage vindict!yenes
which has inflicted upon tho defense
less frontiers all the horrors which
attend the massacre Of our noblcst
sons and fairest daughters. These
evils have been in existence rycal's,
but it required somo such event as
tho massacre of General Candy to
awaken public attention to their &C.
rious character and alarming extent
AS o remedy for these evils, the
writer proposes no new specific, but
an application of the same principles
of law and order and responsibility
and education which we apply TO
the rest of our people with such ad-
mirable spccess-in other words, that
ws redueo the Indian tribes from a
condition of sovereign and indcpcn-
dcpt treaty.making nationalitics, to
one of simple equality before the lazy
with all other citizens, allowing them
all their rights, and compelling the
performance of all their duties. 1t is
q singular anomaly that whilst VIC
compel all other men, Jews, Christians
Whites, Blacks, Swedes, Germans,
French, Spanish, Irish, and Chinese,
to pay taxes and 10 submit to our
common law, we exempt the Indians
from the performance Of these duties,
and force the rest Of the community
to pay tribute to them to the amount
of many millions of dollars.
The plea urged in behalf of the
present policy Of the Government, is
that tho Indians were sovereign
people, and were, besides, the original
owners of tho soil that recognizing
them as such, the first colonists, fol-
lowing the example Of William Penn
and others, made treaties with thcm,
purchased thoir lands and guaran-
teeing the enjoyment Of their ancient
customs; and that now every princi.
pie of honor binds US to perform tlcsc
treaty obligations. The writer de-
aies, and We think very justly, that
sovereignty in any proper sense can
belong to q nation Of savagcs-that
it is of divine origin, and inseparable
from . properly constituted society,
one Which can guarantee the inalien-
able rights of life, liberty, and the
pursuit Of happiness. On this point
the Declaration of Independence but
rc-asserts tho teachings Of Scripture,
and declares the proper object for
which sovereign power is delegated
to human organizations. Whsn 4
Government then fails to carry out
the purposes Of its ,rust-the protec-
tion of life, liberty, and the purity of
the f,mily-it renounces any claim to
sovereignty, and should be removed
In like manner we conclude as to the
ownership of tho soil, that a title
can only be maturcd by occupancy
and oultivation-that ownership haG
this iuseparablc condition annexed te
it, that we must improve and cult
yate the soil. The Indian tribes were
the invaders and destroyers of pco
ple moro highly cultivated than them
selves, and have no right OF owner
ship either natural or acquired, ne
moro than the Arabs to tho deser
sands, or the sailors to the ocean wa
tiers. They bave a right Of pro-cmp
ton to as much land as is necessary
for them TO cultivate for the support
of themselves and families, and ne
moro. In like manner we may argue
that the right Of the Indians TO pre-
servo their customs depends upon tho
fact whether these customs are inju
rions to themselves and their neigh
tors-it is y right which cannot pro
4ect the combined Communism, indo
lence, polygamy, and slavery of the
Indian tribes, which arc the natural
results of the present policy Of the
Government in sabsidizing and sup,
porting the Indian tribal system. a