New-York tribune., 1876-08-11
LETTER FROM BISHOP wHurpLE.

HIS FAITH IN TIE PEACE Policy NOT CHANGED
BROKEN FAITH THE CAUSE or HoN1Hirii.N-
TIE NEW SYSTEM WITH Ts FAILlNGN. TAR
BETTER THAN THE OLD.
WAsnINGroN, Aug. 1o.-Tho following letter has
been sent to the President:
WA>nINGToS D. C.. July 81 1876.
To His Ercelcncy he Pres,dcut of hc Jn.i'd states:
You are aware Of my deep interest In thewciarc Of IA"
indians. and am sure will ponder this c'icr We have
entered upon another Indian WAY. winch fear VIII be
one OF the most remarkable In our history do not fu
the few thousand, o; hostile Indians. but 10 fear That
eternal law OF 3 righteous God, Whatsoever man
soweth that shall hc also reap" nation
which sows broken faith. injustice. aud wrong
will rcap A harvest Of blood. Thousands cry
for determination There Is one who cNiernuua'cS,
ana people who have more Than hhi mn
lion OF soldiers graves within their borden outi 1"
know that God blind. yield 10 no n tn ~ my
syInpaihy tor the brave of the h'rdct "Lo az"
always the fr,f victims OF savage hate Evcry gcncIoa,
feeling of my heart gor, out FOR the brave soldiers wHo
without one thought OF sll 10 DE ard yet can hni
feel that for every life icst such Wal iLr nation 7
guilty which for 100 yeas hos persisted III i'"'l
which always ends III massacre aUd war Every Ir'hd
OF the Iunan you deep debt oi gratitude Ion "'"
Orabiy trying 10 give IL better policy.
The so-callcd peace policy was commenced "han "o
wetc at war The Indian tribe, either openly hos
tile or suilcn and turbulent The new policy We MAJ
vicious success do honestly believe tHI II la, done
more for the civilization Of the indians tban all when
the Government has done before. It's only weakness Vs."
that the syslCm wl- not reformed Tue now Work "i'
fecred l,y an tine faults and traditions o; the old policy
TIE nation lett 100000 living within ouf own boz
der without vcsgc Of government, without personal
ri ss of property without tho slightest protection oi
rcrson, properly. or life. We persisted III ir!Ih& 'Hg'
Acathcn tribe, that they were independent nations W.
sen out the best and brayc-t OF cur officers, some Who
h1d grown grdy in the service Of TIE country men
whose slightest word was as good thlI! BOND We
sent them because the Indians youid not DOUBT 'He"'
Iie.s honor. They mIica treaty. "nd ihey pc's''h'
nations faith that white man should enter int t"fil-
tory. do discuss ~ wisdom. The Executive and
senate ratified IT, By TIE Constitution of the United
states these treaties the supreme law OF the land
and ~ binding upon the individual and state who com
pose the nation. The Constitution vests the power oi
msLiue treaties ~ the senate and EEccur" 1hctrr'F
was 80 made and it in all OF It's provisions tie MI
IrcIuc law OF tine lJnd
II var question for the 'eaie and Executive 10 de
eide whether they should Should not make such a
treaty but when once maic !t solemn compact,
to the tuHlErnt whcI the nation. hy 10 0wu Or-nic
law, was pledged. violation OF its PLAIN provisions
| act OF deliberate TclIuy ln Tie words Il Cen
! Sherman lsce report. civilization made III own com
pact win the weaker party 10 yolted but not by
! the savage" It was done by civilized nation. Taa
treaty W3s approved by the whole nation; the people
and pres approved IL, because it ended shameful war
when had cost as F30O0000 aud the lyc 0f ten shit"
men fer every indi3u slain 1hc whole world knew thdt
VIC violated that treaty, and TIE of thc failure OF
the negotiations o! last yoar was, that
,ioneis dad have authority from Congress to offer the
Indians more han CnciEiId OF Tie they a..
| ready receiving under tie oll treaty.
| The pcace policy hes never been understood by t.c
/, people They suppose 1t Wa, some vague plan TO give
immunity 70 savagcs who commit crimes. when the first
thing nich the trends Of the Indians ask is law
| punish crime YOn did all that you had The power 10
dO and that 70 provide for honest men to l the
agencies You said to all tho religion, leaders OF the
coaD,ry. Who had executive committees to manage then
missionary and charitable work. III you vii nominate
70 iuc a for this indian agency, and your church
wl be responsible for ms fidelity, will appoint him"
You provided FOR ths honest purchase o Indian supplies
IhrIC have been mistakes. In few instances dishonest
/ and incapable have been appointed, but not one
vhcr, tn.rc were a score under the Old system. You
l,5i, m vain for ihe shameless robberes which were
common when Indian agent was appointed rs a re
ward for political service, and fortune was made IN
four years upon 1900 year There are no records
fe, senator Dooittles rcpor OF blankets made out Of
shOdy aHd glue; ia list brogas WIN paper so.cS no
:e spades made OF sheet iron There are no tales
Of Indians FED npon the soup made ont Of the cntras
and diseased Of dead cattle; no stories Of Chris
tian women picking the dung Of cavalry horses TO
get hali gstcd Kernels OF grain 20 save their children
from death The peace policy did not fail II was sue
~ until our faith broken. 1t difficult to find
the men fitted for this work who would go to distant
agency upon salary Of 800 year. but many Of the
best men In the land have ths work and been
war,led by leading many OF the Indians to Christian
| civilization.
have feared TO have the Indian Bureau changed to
the War Department because 10 would bc condemns
tion of the peace policy. IL was makeshif; nothing
was reforined it the old system in another office.