The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-17

holds the impudent rascals who discom-
fitted them in higher esteem than before.
The truth is that the logic is all on Sit
ting Bulls side. The commissioners in
vited him to come back to the agencies
and renew his friendly relations with the
Government of the United States, giving
up only his arms and ponies, and receiv-
ing some nice cows and blankets in re-
turn. One savage, we are told, actually
had the audacity to wink when this fiat
tering proposition was made. Sitting
Bull impolitely suggested that he had
heard that sort of thing before, and that
Yankees were given to lies. The Crow
put the whole thing in a nutshell. "Six-
ty-four years ago." he said, eve shook
hands with the soldiers, and ever since
have been running from one place to an
other to keep out of their way" Now
that he was over the line, the "Great
Mothers" people let him alone, and he
preferred to stay there. Sitting Bull
elaborated the same idea: "I did not
give you the country, but you followed
me from one place to another, so l had
to leave and come over to this country
The part of the country you gave me you
ran me out Of have now come here tC
stay with these people, and I intend to
stay here" Sitting Bull and The Grow
may be very reprehensible fellows, but
| they understand the Indian question very
clearly. They understand the folly and
the futility of treaties with the United
States, and they also understand that
INDIANS and white men and half breeds
can live side by side in Canada without
any treaty, and yet without quarreling
They would be fools to come back if they
are not compelled to, and we should be
very foolish indeed to wish them back as
long as the Canadian Government will
let them stay where they are.
Why is it that the Canadian Govern
ment and its officials are respected by
Indians of every tribe, while our Govern
ment is laughed at and its officials are
hated, if not despised? Or how is il
that the Canadian Government can lool
with indifference upon the incursion of {
band of warlike savages who have sue
cessfully defied the authority of the
United States? 1t is not because of it,
superior military power. The whole
force of mounted police is but few hun
dred men, and Sitting Bull and his tribe
could use them up without difficulty.
is not because the treaties are more lib
eral, for they do not make Indian treat
les across the line. 1t is simply because
the Canadian Government has, for gener
ations back, dealt justly and sensibl,
with the Indians; treating them as i
treated any other inhabitants with vaga
bondish instincts; encouraging them t.
behave we'll and furnishing them prompt,
when they misbehave, and compellin!
both the Indians and the white settler
to respect each others rights. To b
sure, there has been no such conflict be
tween civilization and barbarism mort
of the line as in our Western territory
but our conflict would have been al
easier and less bloody one if we ha
started right; and it would still los
many of its terrors if we could put ouI
selves right now. There is none of thi
treaty nonsense in Canada; no bargain
with tribes to leave them in one plac
and then shortly moving them off t
another The Canadian Government
knows the Indians simply as SO many il
and protected as long as they c6a al2R
themselves peaceably and lawfully, an
to be punished promptly when they in
; terfere with anybody else. The Indian
understand this and like it, and tn
white people live with them side by sid
and experience no trouble from them
There is no "problem" and no "policy
in this, "humane" or otherwise; it i
simply common sense; and if Gen. TER
and his fellow commissioners only brin
back little of this common sens
with them, their mission will not hav
been in vain.-PhiIadelphia Times.