, 1877-07-28
nur Indian Policy.

EDITOR STATESMAN - nc VityVf's'''
the 18th contains an article in which the
writer advocates = a continuance OF the
treaty -reserJ alto 0e-Pohcy system system
Although the 'iy ADMITS 'i-''
this system,
hand III hanf y.
dians and
treaties and
from defects Of GU
lated, cresting irritat.
and wsEsn the part OF Ia
he advocates the continuance
TEN He places the ground OF th--
cacy anon that of expedlency not eth
In o5her words, he thinks 1t besttor US to
make treaties ard agreements whieh We
cannot fulfill, 10 be replaced by more
treaties from time to time, TO alnuse,
pacify and deceive the Indians, uhtii 'iie
march OF civilization shan destroy tHehi
body and soul.
s nerson who can advocate such q coc-
trine and call on Christian people u
sustain him. does well TO dIsciaim 0is-
cussion of ethical subjects Inc reason
that he advocates this system OF destruc-
ton by deception and bad falth ne tens
us. is that it Is better than direct Wsr oi
determination, which IS the only othef ai-
tentative That this system OF destruc-
ticn by deceit and bad 1aIth IS more oeiie-
fetal to the whites than the system OF III
rect war. By such an argument as tins'
the writer could prove that II world be q
good system to arm Christian missionaries
with bibles, the virus OF snlAt1 poA,
measles and other polsons, ana NhHe
teaching christianity 10 save the SOUS OF
III. Indians, he snould distribute the
nelson's to destroy tner bodies onch
a system would etfectually destroy then
inst as soon as they had heard the Sospei
and before they We're converted, anu
would be less destructive 10 the whites
than war. Is it not possible that person
who uses such arguments may Ii-;iAe d HIS
take Indeed, IL seems 10 ne thlE INC
treaty peace system Is not SO ellecdVe III
producing the result which the writer dc
slres as the direct poisoning syst~m ABOVE
suggested. While on the score OF morals
one IS about as good as the ott-r IN a
direct war OF exterInInauOn many HFes ol
white men would be destroyed, and much
money expended, Yet not So many lIVNs OF
so mnch money as under the treaty sys-
TEN.
Under the treaty system We have ire
ulent wars, and al the commencement Ol
each war many men, women and cil41ieh
are taken BY surprise and Killed, before any
Indians suffer death, In direct ana COLI
tnuous war such murders would not oc-
cnr In a war OF short duration less
whites are killed than III prolonged war;
aad vet under the treaty system 1iie acea-
al time of the many wars Wtuld equal thit
of one great war. Then the expense oi
keeping up the Indian department, ahd
! the Indians, under th5 treaty system Is
immense, and this would be saved 10y .
| sIngle war Of determination.
But are We reduced To the terrible al
tentative Of adopting the gentleman the
ory of murder by deceit ANA maud aho
/ force, or murdor, direct, lorclDl1 and
| bloody! The genti- man has referred u
! the british as successful III almost entire
| lv avoiding murderer expense We should
| infer from what he wrIJes that he nlaSine'
that the British rule by temporary oruef'
| or agreements, and tilelr treatment only
| $50 go, e5--."-a'' -aXs"lIIlVs
skill of the British. he admits that lht
British system has been proven ny eXpef'
ience to he less expensive rs one Is 70 :
! hundred than OURS. 1Ee BRUSH do Eol
govern Indians 5y special diplomacy, e1'
! ecutIve agreements. o. treaties they lrea'
the Indians simply rs brush su0IeeIs
equal before the law with ths whi-e su0-
ieets. When Al Indian commits crI2t
he is punished as white man WouId bt
punished. Under their system, ii All In
/ dian commits 2 murder, war Is not madt
on the trlbe. and the murder Is not Con
doned by tr-aty or agreement, but tht
murderer is hanged
/ Does it not seem less probable that,
when the Indians understand that mur-
derers ". surely be hanged they wl!l
commit less murders than when they un-
! derstand that murder Is an honorable act
of war which Will be condoned by treaty
When the tribal customs and laws and
ehieftainship are recognized and cherished
by the national government, does 1t moi
| tend TO continue the tribal authority
among the Indians, thus making them
continue as nation Of savages, and mur-
delers, while if the government extends
its own laws to all the Indians, irrespect-
i've of tribal authority or custom, does It
not as certainly destroy them!
Under the British system the Indian is
not deprived of his liberty to roam and
travel where ne chooses, so he does not
trespass upon private rights. BY this
method he either assinniates with the
whites as the country settles up, or goes
10 the frontier where he has more room
The progress from the savage's hunting
habit to civilization is slow. Under the
reservation system The liberty is violently,
forcibly and suddenly destroyed by plac-
ing him on a reservation which to him be
comes a prison. Is it any wonder that he
does not fight under the former, and does
fight under the latter system! Add 10
this, the irritation by violating treaties,
wrongs committed by agents, and the
cause Of wars IS not mysterious. | can
see no reason why we should continue our
treaty system exterminating Indians sure
ly, but slowly, while 1t produces murder
and destruction Of the whites and vast
expenditure Of money, and involves the
nation IN bad faith, fraud and wrong, when
there is plain and just way by which it
can be avoided LEX.
Low RATES OF INTEREST. The capital