The New York herald., 1876-07-10
CAN. THE INDIANS BE TRUSTED?

CAN. THE INDIANS BE TRUSTED
VIEWS OF CAPTAIN M'DoSALD THE INDIAN
TRAINER
Captain Charles z. s. McDonaa IN conversation
with HERALD reporter yesterday SAID that he arrived
here last sunday from San Francisco with ten Indians
Of The Western tribes, of them being and tour
The tribes represented are the Comanche,
Pawnee, Sioux, Simpson lin the British posscsson),
Modoc, Warm Spring, Queen Charlotte Island, Cape
Flattery and Flathead These people had been under
his for eight months, and the object of
Captain Mcdonald IN presenting these people here 10
show to the and the people OF tho East
that Indians taken promscuousy from the different
be trained easily obey the laws Of civil
lied government. The ages of Captain McDonad's
Indians average twenty years
"Have any of your Indians been engaged in hny of
tho hunting parties from their tribes" asked tho
porter
"Ycs, the Modoc was engaged in the between hs
people and the government troops His brother was
murdered in the wagon that bringing in prsoncra
You remember that the Modocs advised to sur.
render themselves, and while they coming into
camp for that purpose they met by rufians and
nearly all OF them slaughtered"
''what is the average intelligence of these peopoY'
'rhe Modoc is stold Indifferent seeming TO live
within world OF his own; glories in the feeling that
he is great Indian He cannot read or write; but all
the others have taught to and write and to know
tho rudimcnls OF Since they have been taught
TO write they have never missed mail In writing TO
their friends and relatives at home OF course thcy
write 0 the indian agents"
"Do these Indians know anything about the present.
Indian and tho recent ba,tess''
mo, sir; they do not have avoided telling them
because 1t would ntim,date them"
"You say that you have trained them during the last
eight ten months and brought them TO certain
stage of civilization. How do thcy obey your"
.They are friendly and truthful They never dsobcy
order and strictly temperate. II wanted one
to watch for three nights could rely upon any ono Of
them for II"
.'IIow long have you been among the Indinns,''
'About fifteen years; but not continually havo
large estates in California and have mado myself
familiar with all the tribes up to Alaska"
From what you know OF tLem do you think they
would take up farming 4 they were deprived Of their
guns and mmunitiony y'
~ think they would But they believe the art Of
most honorable and iney rush to arms New.
foundand dog does To water II properly organized
and trained TO they would be lar superior to the
Algerines IN their achievements. They look upon me-
chancal labor degrnding; but think II they were
deprived OF arms aud II was made crime TO furnish
them with guns ammunition, the Indians would
quietly and casily become farmers What they can do
with arms my men can show what they can do as
farmers let the government demonstrate.
''what is the Impression your mind relative to
the agents o; the Indian Bureau?N
'rher whole desire Is to keep the Indians In igno-
aud 10 Keep them IN degradatop IN order to hold
their Official positions. and IN many instances they
have been tho creators OF war; In many instances tho
agents have issued supplies to tho Indians and then
swindcd them all back by trading whlskey for those
supplies which were absolutely needed TO keep
starvation from the lodges"
'What Is tho character OF the officers OF the United
States army the frontier posts 7"
"Without exception, as tor as have known them.
they honorable hgh-toned gentlemen incapable Of
doing wrong "
.'Can you say ns much of the troops and tradersr"
"Of course, In such largo body OF men therc Is
along the frontier posts there many rcprcscn.
atvcs OF the criminal classes OF Europe and the East
States | know Of where Indians had been
called together by white men for talk ana thcn, whom
they had assembled the whites drew their revolvers
and murdered all OF them II has become almost second
with the bordermen TO insult. the Indian women,
and have seen. myself Indian women outraeed before
the eyes OF their husbands and the
shot down who dared interfere or complain.
The Modoc, rs sad before, Is dull and stupid. Tho
Comanchc with mo is very apt and bright He
speaks good English, reads well, every way
noble follow. We call him ''Comanchc Frank" The
sioux is puzzle Subtle in thought full OF nervous
cunning aud tricks, he will laugh IN your lace and at
the same moment take every advantage Of You. As
nation they are tho most dangerous OF the Indian
tribes The Pawnccs noble character and great
friends OF the Americans Tho Sioux are theiS
natural enemies only three years ago .
braves attacked and annihilatcd by the Sioux
while in camp at the close OF thoIr hunt and their
women and children murdered. Then the Pawncea
wanted permission and assistance from govern
ment sweep the Sioux from the face OF the earth.
Warm Spring Indians very similar to the Modocs,
stod and stupid. The Flathead Cape Flatery, Smps.
and Queen Charlotte Island Indians brave,
generous intelligent and easily civilized With bus
little trouble they could be made producers for tha
benefit OF Others instead OF being obliged al every
Of their heads 10 Tight for their lives" +"
"Captain what use would you suggest be made OF
the Indians Yn
.The nrst step would be to organize tho fr,ondy
Indians into regiments, on the same principe the
French government with the Agerines and the British
with the Sepoys. The time will come when you must
call the Indians to fight the Indians, and the
rial At hand Is far 10 that found BY the French
In Algeria or tho British In India"
n nj n n n NUN
war p"
"No; do they do Europe II there is trouble
in Ireland the Scotch troops are sent there II tho
trouble Is in Scotland Irish troops Organize
the friendly Indians and then transplant them. They
glory in military duties and achievements Mako
them proud OF their organization and utilize them
where better men can be spared Tor betts
service. Let them be commanded by ofh
dian agents who will drive them TO desperation
Look at these men and the result OF training for fow
months am not speaker, Out am convinced thal
misrcprescnted until they have become maniacal ID
thcr despair wanted TO convince the Eastern people
that the Indian flesh and blood and deserving Of
manly treatment have satisfied the people OF tho
West. could convince the people by mouth
music, so took the Indians taught them myself and
have brought them where every body them
In he handling OF arms they are superb; mnnncs
gentle and respectful and faithful brothers and sstc
could be to me and to each other. stop the vanous
robbcries and unholy murders by white scoundreli
among tho Indians and you will stop Indian wari
without taking their arms from them; but If such
things must so on rhen take away thcir guns The
idea In my mind may not be realized during my life,
but, like rolling ball of snow, gathering iorco and
~olumc with its progress, II Will go on and on until
the nation takes Il up and makes and proves
the American Indians the finest troops in the world,
superior to the Zouaves OF Africa"
cUsTER's RED rIEMES RALLY.
New YoRK, July 8, 1874
To Enron OF THE HERALp-
there be dcsIe ON the of the government