, 1876-07-15
The IndIan ouestion.


The defeat Of General Custer brings
the Indian question more prominently
than ever into view. OF late years
We have been content to appropriate
SIX millions or so annually for the sup
port OF these noble red men, aad the
noble whites, who served as almoneIs
of the nation. The people know that
the whites had the first handI!Gg of the
money, and were reasonably certain
that great Zeal Of c found lis way,
on one rretext Snd another, into the
pockets, bat, SO long as the Indians
remained peaceable, 40 very strict &C
coGnt was exacted Of their guardians,
But the breaking out of another In
dian war, and the defeat Of the forces
sent against them, brings into review
our whole Indian policy. The unfor-
tunate results attending the policy We
have hitherto pursared suggests the
pr0prlety of a change.
General Sheridan is reported as say
ing tha: the wac does not originate
with the war department. 1t was un.
tertaken at the specia. request OF the
Indian department. The ostenSibie
object is TO drive the Indians to their
reservations. General Sheridan adds
tba; they will do that now OF exler-
initiate them. No peace can now be
made that does not teach the duty OF
submission. The frs. victory of the
Indians, costly as it is to the whites,
will, in the end, Le more costly TO the
Yictors. The white settlers must be
protected at whatever sacrifice. But,
in entering upon a war Of this nature.
a kind of exterminating raid against a
hunted race, 1t would be q relief TO
know that it was forced upon us. II
the war department had full manage
ment of the Indians, and had found a
war of determination necessary. the
the nation would enter upon it with a
better grace. But the management
of the Indians by the Indian bureau
OF the interior department has been So
shameful that DO confidence is telt in
any results Of It's policy. The Indians
are not so utterly ignorant as not to
know that they have nothing to hope
! for in 4 contest with the whites.
The condemned criminal standing on
the drop" with q rope round his neck
and surrounded by sheriti's posse, Is
not in more helpless condition than
! the Indians, when the government
NOES In force against them. The
pressm rtion Is, therefore, that if Treat
les with The Indians were properly
observed there wocld be no Indian
atrocities that could .,2t 5H published
without resort TO arms. las pre-
sumption IS strengthened by III, ex
perience OF the Canadian government.
They have no Indian difficulties Of any
consequence across the border. The
northern tribes under the control Of
the Canadian government are as war
like as the Sioux, but they are not
driven 10 desperation by the practices
Of dishonest Indian agents. Army
officers who are familiar with the
American practices Of cheating the
Indian, then whipping him into sub
mnsi0n, attribute cur principal hos
rilities to the treachery ani frauds Of
Indian agents. The plain remedy is
TO relieve the interior department rom
any responsibility in this respect, and
10 turn the Indian over to the war de-
parlment. This policy has been urged
so long and earnestly that the lower
house Of Congress inserted clause
III the Indian appropriation bill to
that effect, but the Indian ring was
powerful enough TO defeat the clause
Ia the Senate This is one of the issue
eS between the two houses. Possibly
the prospect OF general Indian war
will call forth from the people an ex-
preston of sentiment that will have
more influence with the Senate than
the Indian rings. 4. Cat.