The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-17
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
Extracts from the Reports OF Generals
Pope and sehoneld.
GEN. porE's REPORT.

WASHINGTON, ID. -, Nov. O.-Ihe re-
port Of Breyet Major-G General John Pope,
commanding the Department OF the Mis-
souri,, after reviewing at some length the
campaigns against hostile Indians In the De-
partment during the past year, says:
All bands OF Indians in the Southwest, the
Cheycnnes and Arapahoes, kiowas and CO.
manchcs. are now AZ their respective Agen-
cies, brought there by military force after a
campaign Of eight months OF almost unpre-
cedent hardship and exposure, and after a
heavy expense 10 the Government. They
are brought there, too, entirely subdued,
and in such condition and under such cir
cumstances that there IL not the least dan
ger, in my opinion. of any further trouble
with them, IL only they are treated with COM
mon humanity and dealt with with even ordi-
nary honesty. Unless they are properly fed,
they must either suffer the pangs Of hunger
or starve 10 death. To see that they are so
cared for as the Government as well as hui
manity demands, and as the usual appropri-
ntions of Congress provide for, j. a duty de-
Nosed upon another department OF the Gov
eminent. II honestly performed In the fu
ture, "a | am sorry To believe II has no. been
in the past, further troubles with these In
dians may be considered AT an end.
Referring TO feeding the Indians, he says:
at l. presumed, though without positive
knowledge, that the appropriations made
10y Congress, IL honestly disbursed and ju-
dicou~ly distributed. will be sufficient for
Z
peace of the frontier and honor and good
faith OF the Government. too strongly urge
that this subject be closely looked after,
and that measures more vigorous and eff
Client than those hitherto pursued bea dopted
and enforced without delay. The military
forces have done and are doing well all they
have the right or power to do, and cannot
and ought not To be held in any manner nc
countable for any further ho-iilities with
these Indians due TO bad treatment and want
of food At the Agencies 10 which they have
been forced to return, and where they now
are. III Is with painful reluctance that the
military forces take the feld against Indians
who only leave their rSations because
they are starved there, and who must hunt
food for themselves and their families or see
1 them perish with hunger. II j. revolving
10 any humane man To see such things done,
and far more To be required TO be the active
party 10 commit violence upon forlorn In
dians who, under the pressure OF such ne
cessity, only do what any man would do I'M
der like Circumstances. desire 10 say with
all emphasis, what every army officer on the
| frontier will cOrrOborate that there j. no
, class OF men in this country who are 20 dis
+ inclined TO war With the Indians as the army
stationed among them. The army has
nothing 10 gain by a war With the Indians.
I ON the contrary, IL has every thing 10 lose
\ In such q war il suffers all the hard-hips and
/ priyafions, and. exposed a. II l. 10 the
/ charge OF assassination IL Indians are killed,
/ 20 the charge of inefficieney IL they are not.
\ 10 representation 10y the Agents who fat
ten on the plumber OF the Indians, and mis-
understood by worthy people At a distance
who are deceived by these very Agents and
! their following. the soldier has little TO eX-
/ pect from public feeling. Nevertheless,
! he H. 20 placed under the present ar
I rangements and orders that he has
no power whatever on the Indian
I reservations To redress or prevent wrongs
I .Arfa Id Nd Ia No. asr.a
\ ~. at the demand of the very Agent whose
/ unfair dealing with Indians has brought on
/ the difficulty, he il Obliged 10 pursue and
I force back TO the same deplorable state and
place Indians whom he knew 10 have been
wr0ngcd, and who have only done stlbstan-
\ italy what he would have done himself un-
der like proyocation. such a relation 70 In
dian affairs and Indian Agents j. unjust and
unfair TO the army, and serious injury both
\ TO the interests 81 the Government and the
well being Of the Indians.
All Posts in ths Department require some,
and several Of them quite extensive repairs.
4 He expresses the opinion that the main
4 tenance Of small Posts j. inexpedient. and
says IL l. not necessary for the defensive or
aggressive duty required Of the troops. IL
I greatly increases the expense, and II j. a
positive injury 10 the discipline and efficien
Y - Of the troops themselves.
GIN. sCHoFIELD's REPORT.
A Inc report Oh MAJ lieu. ~. VI. NtnpNelu,
commanding the military division Of the Pa
cihc, after referring TO improvements,
changes. transfers OF troops, ETC., made AZ
I the several posts, says. IL l. with much re-
luctance that have been forced 10 the be-
\ lief that the transfer Of the Indian Bureau
TO the War Department j. necessity OF the
| public service. The events of the past few
years have demonstrated the utter inability
Of q civil department Of the Government TO
maintain the necessary control over the un-
civilized Indians. The effort TO control
them through civil agents while at peace on
| their reservations, and turn them over TO
the army when they leave their reservations
or commit acts OF hostility, has proved, a.
| might have been expected, "a most efficient
mode of producing war. The officers OF the
army are compelled 10 stand idly by. power
less for good, while their promises 10 the
Indians made Mt the termination Of previous
hostilities are being thwarted, and the die
tates OF wisdom, justice, and even common
honesty. disregardcd in the daily treatment
/ OF the helpless savage, who has no possible
means Of redress but e-cape from a reserva-
tiou where his life l. made iEtolerable then
the army l. called upon TO pursue the In
dians, force them back OH their reserya-
tions, and punish them for di-obediencc.
! Thus a war IL inaugurated which could not
have happened II the Indians had been un-
der military control. II il an entire mis-
take To suppose that the proposed transfer
| Of the Indian Bureau necessarily means
departure from the ''peace policy that
policy which H. the dictate alike Of wisdom,
Justice. and humanity, which has been
adopted by the present Executive, and Il
not likely 10 Ice abandoned by any Of his
successors, unless under influences 81 new
surroundings. Military management means
simply more economical, just, uni
form, and consistent execution Of
/ the Executive will. IL means
permanence in the mode OF dealing with
( the Indians through the agency OF life tenure
officers. who have spent most Of their acsivc
lives among the Indians, who know their
character and wants. and who have every
possible mstivc for dealing with them wise
ly and Justly. II means 10 do away with The
constant fluctuations Of policy, the continual
disturbances 81 prc-eXisting arrangements.
Z and frequent disregard Of treaties or prom