Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-18
The Indian Question.

The Indian question has begun TO be about
as serious as any which this government has
now to consider. 1t has always been one Of
perplsxity and annoyance. We have had
the opinion for some time that the govern
ment was not serious enough in its consider
alton. We are sorry to believe, that as a
government, and a guardian Of tho Indians,
we have not kept our faith good otherwise
we should not be having this perpetual troub-
le. We suppose the Creator made the In
dian the same as lie did the white man, and
that He intended the earth should be his
home and support just the same. But we
have pursued him for years with a relentless
fury, as though God had made a mistake in
making and placing him here.
We know full we'll we have to deal with
an "untutored savage" but we sometimes
think he behaves better for what he knows,
by far, than the white man. 1t is a fact,
that the greater the enlightenment and the
civilization Of a people, the greater their re-
sponsibility. Butwe, as a nation Of cnlighten-
ment,have not always treated the Indian just
exactly as though we were enlightened. The
general theory SEEM to be, that the Indian
must keep his promises at any rate, and we
will keep mrs or not as we please. Neither
Great Britain nor France would ever endure
from us or any other power such an exhibit
ton Of violated faith.
II has already become a standard belief
that our Indian Agents are, and have been
more or less cheats and cut-throats. Treat
les and solemn agreements will be made only
to be violated. We agree to pay them 81
much money, clothing, or provisions annually
Sometimes the Indians get them and some
times they do not. Lawless white bandits
in disguise commit depredations and lay
them to the Indians. The first thing tn,
Indians know, troops are after them, theil
villages destroyed. their tribes scattered and
killed of. We hand over to them an infe.
rior quality of goods, keep them waiting
teasing, and threatening for their annuities
Now is it any wonder there is trouble with
the Indians? If things are in the main about
as we have stated them, and as they ar,
generally understood to be, we should re
gard it as a wonder if they did not max,
trouble, and we repeat, we think they be
have quite as well according to what they
know, as we white men do.
The Boston Trareller says:
"The wards OF the nation, dependent, ig
norant, constantly needing protection agains
the dangers of starvation, cannot be honestl,
dealt with on a footing of equality. So lonj
as it is attempted, we shall have this gros
abuse of the Indians by vicious traders anC
dishonest agents, which has been the stand
ing trouble of years, and we shall have thi
sort of abortive effort at rectl6cation which
we have witnessed just at Washington"
The Boston Daily Advertiser also says
"When the United States guarantees t.
the Indians exclusive and undisturbed posses
sion Of a tract of country forever, it mean
only that they may occupy it until som
white men eovet it. The idea of being bounC
by any promises we may make to the Indian
is voted absurd"
And SO we say, that this Indian question
is beginning to wear a serious aspect, an
unless the government takes more pains, nc
only to protect andguard our own just right!
but also to protect and guard the Indian i
his, we shall have the same troubles to cor
teRd against for a long series of years t
come, and from which will eventually sprin
"a retribution as serious to us as to the In
dian.