, 1876-07-23
THE QUAKER POLICY.
4 QUAKER ANSWERS W. II. EDDY.
III fAe sL1ifns. af Tha Ers.1hunA

| Of July 8 I notice an article written by ". H
! Eddy, under the heading OF Lo, the Poor In
dian" In replying to the above article, dc
| sire to state few facts foryour readers to con
| slider. Having no desire for newspaper con
tgoyersy, shall let the matter rest on it's owl
evidence, and your renders can Judge for them
selves Such facts as l state are founded or
evidences gathered from Government reports
issued from the different Departments and Ger
tilted to be correct, mud from personal obserya
tions made by myself and others whilst among
the Indians.
The peace policy Tor what ". Il. Eddy terms
the insane policy has been In operation about
six years. Take the history Of the six years im-
mediatcly preceding, or Of any six years Pre-.
.yious to this time, and compare the two eras.
We will find that since the Inauguration Of the
peace policy there has been less number Of
persons killed in battle with Indians, or molestr
ed and murdered by Indians along the frontier,
than during any previous period of the same
length. The expenses Of the Indian Depart
mcnt have been correspondingly less also. It
has been truthfully said it would be less expense
to our Government to board the Indians ut any
Of the large hotels OF our Eastern cities than to
carry on war with them 4 corresponding length
Of time The economy of the policy is point
which it is we'll to consider.
The next point it is well for us to examine is
whether the 1ndlans arc alone responsible for
all Of the late troubles. Let Inc stop Mt this
point, md say that regret us much rs any one
can and feel as much horror as any one at the
terrible 1nassacres which have lately occurred in
the Inaian country. Brave Gen. Custer and his
comrades fell, not as q sacrifice to the peace
policy of the Government, but sacrifice to the
folly aud ayarice OF those who have endcavorcd
to force our Government to send troops into
the region Of the Black Hills. Have any Of tho
Indians on the reservations leftto engage In the
war? None, except 1t may be q few strayglers
who we're not content to remain settled any
where. If mistake not, Sitting Bull, the Chief
who seems to be the head Of the Indian forces.
has never entered into any treaty with
our Government at any time for the cession
Of lands Or otherwise. Suppose the,
case vas reversed. Suppose II. q. Eddy was
the posscssor Of the country surrounding the
Black Hills, aud had been reared in the tradi-
tions of the Indians, with the same knowledge
and ideas that the Indian has, are we to suppose
that he would have done differently: Is not
scn41efease one Ut the first principles inherent
in our naturea Aud are they not very few in
number who have attained that point Of Chris
tian growth where they obey the injunction to
"resist not evil but overcome evil with gooda''
the Indians do not feel they arc doing right,
under the circumstances in which they are placed,
and with the knowledge they now have: And
how arc we to teach them better? VIII the
brutal method of hanging 70? Indians for every
ats te mnfdeGed a1omn1s Is tbe :" morz 10 = fgg Ng
never. After all the precious blood
split and treasure spent to recon-
struct the Southern States the labor was still
undoue. The bayonet may conquer, but the
spelling book and school-teachcr have to 70
alter to educate and convince. ssThey that
take the sword shall perish with the sword"
The sword reacts fcarfully on the nation or peo-
pie that use it, as VIC have learned in our own
costly experience. Doubtless some i'll the regu-
lar army would like all Indian war to occur, and
p]oymcnt. Brevcts and promotions come slow
~ in times Of peace, and more rapidly in time
Of war.
There is another view Of the subject, which I
Indians fartlest removed from our frontiers
are the most moral, while those around trad
ing posts, forts, and other places. especial
~ where dctach1ncnts OF regular
troops arc stationed, become corrupted. Why
is it that around these points there arc SO many
illeeitimate caildrens Mayit not be that IN
sending these soldiers among them to preserve
peace, we really send sword OF contention in
the shape of bad men in the rank and file of our
armies! Do you find such state Of affairs on
he reservations where the peace policy is en-
[orccu or carried out? think not.
One more point, and then 7 will close. ". Fl.
Eddy, near the close OF his article, says, S'Let
he good and philanthropic Quakcrs retire from |
he nE10 NQGTc LQErC c1uETlWcuL9 nave proven
nfilc in attempting to royern the enemies OF !
.iyIization. and wien they so retire, let them |
the fact that, however successful |
heY have been in tile tanner pursuits of c,1ltivat-
NO broou-coru and gardcn-secds, the governing |
Il Indian brutes is an employment for which,
or the benefit of humanity. they are not t
Idanted.,, The labors Of the Ouakers |
AVE not proven futile BY any means. Take
he report Of the Commissioner Of Indian Al t
airs. and vou will find there has been a steady |
,ropress IN ciyi1ization.-a civilization not de-
aced bv such practices as he advocates. but one
,ettcr becoming true manhood. Every year
heir crops Of Grain are increased, new houses
milf, more land cultivated, school-houses
rcctcd, and, in fact, advancement in every
crest Before the Quakers went among them
uans H., ~" ,,rn.a1a.t 1'o.'
e..'-a..oo r. th;s ~ o1,an1a3 e,1nnosn ~ !
r + 49, ;o,oront ~ +ha sara ~ oH9frs and
.rot. sirnniv from Hind innnlsc. Besides. the
)ual;crs are not the only sect who have
to carry out the wise policy.
inc fTes,oent' nne Episcopa1lansh, o.
uou ~ s. n.'nup ,,pptob1e ;n!to;,re The MINI
lists, Baptists, Presbytcrians, Uniyersalists,
nd others are successfully engaged in it: Be-
ore he writes again l you'd nave MIN peter
OStcQ rs tO WHO tuc Ruahtie alc. eHoulu