The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-12-02
no comparison to his treasure of a wife
Kansas City No. Journal.
The Friends and the Indians.

During the recent sitting of Baltimore
Yearly Meeting the report of the Society
on Indian affairs were submitted. This
committee is composed of representatives
of all the Yearly meetings, who annually
assemble together at Baltimore to consider
the affairs Of the Nebraska superintendent,
which has been placed in their charge by
the Government. The report for the year
was read by Gerard l.. Reese. 1t stated
that the work at the various agencies, with
out being attended with any peculiarly
striking results, is very prosperous and
highly encouraging. The sum contributed
by the Yearly meetings above named to
the cause was S7,66679. Among other
good purposes consummated is that of
establishing schools for teaching the English
language, one Of which has been organized
at each agency Subjoined to and read with
this report was another from the General
Superintendent, Barclay White, that gave
much entertaining information in relation
to tho subject. Accompanying it was
list Of statistics exhibiting the actual condi-
tions of the Indians of this charge This
was and explained by Samuel NJ. Janney,
of Loudon county, Virginia The Santee
Sioux were represented as the most northern
OF all the tribes, numbering about eight
hundred in population at their reservation.
They have 48l acres of land under cultiva-
ton, producing during the past year 500
bushels Of wheat and 300 of corn, besides
potatoes and other products. The Paw
ness, the tribe especially under the care of
the Baltimore Yearly meeting, number
about 2,2O0. They have boarding school
and day school, the latter having 125
pupils. About 140 of the tribe write
English. They cultivate 600 cares of land,
and during the past year have raised 5000
bushels of wheat and l 900 bushels of corn,
working 1000 horses, and occupying II
large houses. The other tribe are the
Omahas, Winnebagoes, Otoes, Missouris
Iowas, Sacs and Foxes. All of these are
prospering well, and promise to make steady
advances towards civilization. In giving
these facts Friend Janney stated that much
difficulty was had to accomplish reformatory
charges in the habits of the older Indians,
and although they were by no means dis
couraged In their attempts, yet it was to
the rising generation that the proper cultiva-
tion for civilized and Chraistian life was
especially directed, and from them came
the prospect Of improvement. He explained
that the matter of dress was not one of
preference, but of economy, the Indians
refusing to wear the clothes Of the white
man only because they were much more
expensive than their own simple garb.
Edmund P Smith, United States Com
missioner, expressed the pleasure that he
felt at getting away from the busy routine
of Office life, to come among those with
whom he could talk upon subject of COM
mon Importance, but which he feared
scarcely laid close enough to the hearts of
the American people. He said that there
was curious history attached to Indian
affairs, and that as long as he could remem-
Der there had been discussion about their
relation to the Christian community. Per-
viously there had been many obstacles to
be met with in establishing missions among
the tribes Missionaries were imprisoned,
and other serious hindrances given by the
Government Now, the Government is
ahead in it's willingness, while all the
Christian denominations, with the single
exception of the Friends, have Jagged be-
hind, and the work is not commensurate
with the opportunity. He referred to the
fact that in the aggregate ofsixty-fve hun
dred Indians in all the tribes under this
Superintendency not one murder had been
committed by them four years. Education
and civilization are the right to all humanity,
and we are bound by Divine obligations to
recognize and regard this truth by perform
ing our own duty toward the Indian. You
cannot transport civilization in wagons nor
in Government papers, but only by the
means of throwing around these savages
worthy examples, and they will then
adhere to that which is good by natural
instinct