New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-31

THE APPEAL TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBIC.
The Board of Indian Commissioners have
appealcd "to the Christian Public" They feel
moved they say, by the present agitation upon
Indian affairs, to present an address to the
Christian communons of the land, nine of
whose missionary organizations they regard as
their particular constituencies and they ask
careful and prayerfu attention" to the
" statements and appeals they make. An
address to the Christian Public from the repre-
sentatves of so many Christian communlons
upon subject Of 80 much Importance not only
to the Government and to the Indians, but to
the cause of honesty and morality. and
a subject, too, upon which these gentlemen
ought to be thoroughly informed does demand
careful attention. 1t should receive it not
only from the Christian Public, very large
majority of whom will learn for the first time
from this address that they arc the "particu-
"lar constituencies of the gentlemen com
posing the Board, but from all citizens who
are interested-and who is not Fin honest
government and upright administration. 1t Is
the appeal of Board of Commissioners who
feel in some degree responsible for the
conduct of Indian ailairs, and who are scan
daized by the reports so widely circulated
and generally credited of mismanagcmcnt,
fraud, and theft in the department under their
supervision. 1t did not need so solemn an
appeal for careful and praycrful attention,
nor did it need to be addressed exclusively to
the Christian Public whom the Commissioners
regard as their particular constituencies The
whole Public has an interest i'll the matter
not less than the particular constituencies; its
attention will be careful and its judgment
impartial.
The object of this address-if we have sue
ceeded in our efforts to extract IL from the
exuberance of language i'll which it is envel-
oped-is TO enlist the Christian Public in
support of what is called " the present policy
"ef the Government toward the Indians"
which we are told is eminently humane and
"Christian and being such, should command
"the aid and support of all religious bodies
"and all Christian men," 1t is briefly defined
as policy that proposes the government OF
1.-The Indians by moral and religious means"
and we are told that despite the assaults
"upon it, it has been emnently sue
"cessful y and that the Indians are TAX
ling on the dress, manners, habits, and
" occupations Of civilized hfe," statement
which would be more valuable if the manners.
habits. ard occupations of civilized life which
they are taking on were little more accurately
defined. The manners, habits, and Occupa-
tons of civilized life are unfortunately not all
of the most elevated character, and we are
credibly informed that the Indians, so far as
heard from, are not taking Oh the best This,
however, is not the fault Of the Commission,
many of the members of which are undoubi-
eddy quite earnest and sincere in their desire
to civilize and chrstianizc this degraded race
as well as to do justice and deal honestly with
them and with the Government. The address
proceeds to say that every member of the Board
and nearly all tie eighty Indian agents are
appointed on the nomination of the various
missionary societies or religious bodies which