The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-03

their own accord, although, no doubt, they
like well enough TO visit the national
capital. The secretary of the interior
not the Indians, moved in this mat
ter, and behind the secretary were various
persons, official and unofficial, from the
states and territories more immediately at
tected by the reports of gold deposits in the
Black Hills. theoretically the Indians are
the rightful pOssessors of that country by
title as perfect as that of Mexico to the terri
tory across the Rio Grande, and we have
made treaties with them upon the theory
that they are
AN INDEPENDENT AND SOVEREIGN PEOPLE,
as much so as the people of Mexico. Fol-
lowing up this theory, there is no more pro-
priety in summoning these chiefs to Wash
ingtOn, and really by force bringing them
therefor they understand that an invita-
ton from the United States is a command
than there would be in snmmoning the
president of Mexico there in a similar way,
and for a similar purpose. In fact, however
this pretense that they are sovereign peo-
pie deceives nobody, its only use, If 1t has
any use whatever. being to keep up the
mopstrous imposition in every way prac-
ticed upon these helpless Indians. All the
talk now going on has little significance ex-
cept TO show that the solemnity of dealing
with these Indians as though they possessed
any rights, as tribes or individuals
however, we are sorry TO say, often
In the ugliest tragedy. The United States
made the trade, or treaty. or whatever the
result of the negotiation Is called, and the
Indian, as matter OF course, is obliged TO
assent to IL; if persuasion or management
does not secure his approval, what pr2cii-
cally amounts to force, or what in law is
known as duress, is ressTted to. They have
just the same freedom of choice, in fact, that
slave has that is, none at all.
THE UNITED STATES ARE THE MASTER,
while the Indian, powerless as an iDde-
pendent power, has not for his defense the
protection of the constitution or the rights
of a citizen. He is not foreigner; he is
not regarded as citizen; be ouly holds that
nondescript relation which, for want of g
better name we suppose, has been called the
"ward of the nation" Unhsppily for
the poor ward, our guardianship
has been one from whose absolute
power there has been no escape, and from
which there has been no appeal, except 10 a
public opinion that has generally slept qui-
city while the Indians were robbed and ex
aspersted to savage violence, and has then
| found a moment o! wakefulness sufficient
to curse the savage who stands in the way
of the march of white civilization. The re-
ports from Washington show. in a sad
way, this melancholy condition of the
Indian. Red Cloud evidently doubts
whether he has any friends. He came think
| ing to appeal directly to the president, and
doubling every one else. He distrusts the
government Interpreters. He complains OF
| bis rations alike at Washington and on the
reservation. He had brought with him,
and seems to listen to the advice of. white
men who have traded and lived among the
Indians. Hesays the secretary and
COMMISSIONER HAVE NOT KEPT THEIR WORD
He is losing what lit faith he ever had in
treaties. He sees his own weak ness, yet he
knows enough of what ought to be his
rights, to make no haste in surrendering
them. Yet he, like all other Indians, is
practically trieudless and helpless. 90 the
frontier, between the settlers and the adj
Yenturers, closing in on them alike from
the West and the East, and with the
treatment they are sure to receive
from the government, the Indians
might as well be between the upper and
neither mill stones. They are sure TO be
ground to powder. The trader is no more
their friend than the agent; they are both
interested IN the Indian to the extent OF
what they can make out of him, and neither
cares for him beyond that. The
difficulty is and has been that the Indian
has always and everywhere been compelled
to surrender every desirable place he
has occupied to the white man. He has not
had the art, the wit, or the power to resis'
these aggressions. II, instead of driving
him before civilization, and keeping him in
contact with only the worst phrases of it, BIZ
bad been left to his possessions, and bis
rights had been protect ted, like white mem,
rights, by statutes and the courts, he NIGH
have been as inoffensive as the Indians il
New York or Canada. 1t is possible.
THE RED MAN WOULD NOT,
even then, have survived; the peaceful in
fiuences of civilization might have proves
too strong for a race which consisted TO
generations of only warriors and hunters
But we might hive escaped the reproacf
which impartial history must now cast upol
us, that we have really destroyed a peopl
powerless to resist US, and whom every sen
timent of humanity and every feeling o
national pride commanded US to protect.