The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-23


walton, and the alternative of thwarting the
enterprise of thousands of our citizens. much
less destroying their material, and
butcheripg chem to enforce the sanctity
of territory that the government had
itself invaded IN nero wantonness,
would have been desperate. 1t is
doubtful even If public sentiment would
ever have approved the course Of the
administration had 1t folded its hands and
allowed the emigrants to procsed into the
Back Hills at their own risk. As the
throng OF adventures increased, the
troops would have been compelled by
public opinion TO guard them in their law
less expedition. This fact seems to be
recognized at last, and the administration,
aware that it is powerless TO prevent the
breach of the treaty of 1869, and convinced
that the United States soldiers
will, in time, take their stand
to protect the current OF emigration
to the Black Hills rather than to resist it,
has hit upon an expedient to give way to
the popular passion for goldseeking, and at
the same time preserve some show OF de-
cency in dealing with the Indians. After
bringing about great wrong by sheer folly
or by malicious design, an effort Is now to be
made to keep up appearances Of good faith.
The wretched farce which has been played
with Indians from the landing on Plymouth
Rock to the present day, is TO be re-enacted.
The Sioux chiefs are to be
brought to Washington, to be bribed
or bullied out of the reservation
guaranteed to them by treaty stipulation.
This is the peace policy with a vengeance.
This is civilization and christianization after
bought states for bottle OF whisky, and
territories for a pair OF breeches in
the same fashion. They also marked
out for their own reservation lands solemnly
secured to the savage and bargained for
them after they had proceeded to occupy
them. The enemies of the Indian need not
have been alarmed at the preaching OF the
new and noble craftsmanship of love and
brotherhood which Grant was to inaugur-
ate. In its practical application it
seems to have worked exactly as the old law
of conquest and extermination did. Its
meaning seems to be that wherever nature
has set the red man in happy home, given
him hills and streams and fair pasture
lands, with rich minerals for bar
bario ornaments, and fish and
game in abundsnce-then from that home
he shall be driven to make room for
more aggressive race and higher civilizl-
ton. Nay, more, wherever by accident the
have assigned the subject race to
such a home, and pledged the national
faith to make it secure against inva-
sion, il appears that the possession
is to be taken away when its true value is
discovered. The peace policy like the war
policy, evidently contemplates allowing no
Indian q resting place on the continent,
which white man esteems worth taking
away from him. Indeed it is questionable
if even the barren tracts of the far West
will in the end be left to him. The Sentinel
has more than once declared its sense OF the
wrong which the aboriginal race is suffering
at our hands, and it's conviction that some
duty lies upon civilized man to save, rather
than exterminate the barbarian, but il
respects the men who openly profess
the doctrine OF the survival of the fittest
and believe that the rapid destruction of the
Indians is the truest wisdom. The policy is
brutal bet the bold maintenance of il is
For the hypocrites who profess
|, rInination we have nothing but contempt.