The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-08-24

dian government, has lately been on visit
to Washington for the purpose of securing
the peaceable return to his reservation in
Montana of Sitting Bull, who took his tribe
across the border last spring and is now en-
camped some distance from Fort Walsh, in
British Columbia. The Canadian authori-
ties, fearing that Sitting Bull, the ''Sioux
Napoleon" as I've has been called, may be-
come turbulent and incite trouble among
other Indian tribes, are very anxious to ges
him ont Of their country. and it is said that
Mr.. Bull has expressed his willingness to
return on fair and honorable terms. Gen.
Terry, of tie army, and Cen. john Mcneil,
of St. Louis, have been appointed com
mission t. go to British Columbia, invite
the renowned Sioux chief to conference,
and if possible relieve Canada of the big
and unruly elephant now on its hands. The
opinion is entertained by some of the Off
GERS of the Indian Bureau at Washington
that the mission will be unsuccessful, but
that question of course remains yet to be
settled. While in Washington Mr.. Mills
explained TO Mr.. Hayes the Canadian sys-
ZEN of dealing with the Indians, and the
President is said to have expressed his in
tention Of adopting similar line Of policy.
What the Canadian meihud Of dealing with
the Indians is in the main we do not pre-
ciseIy know, but its leading and most i'm
pCrtant feature is that the government
takes care that all its agreements with and
promises made to the Indians are faithful
L., II, fl, -, 10 in, c,,irit
The result has been That although there are
ninety thousand Indians in the Western
portion Of the Dominion Of Canada, an In
diau war or outbreak, such as ain ost an
nually takes place in some one of our west
ern territories, is unheard Of i'll that cOun-
tly. 1t has been more than once attempted
to pass bill through Congress transferring
the management Of Indian affairs from the
office which now and heretofore has had it
in charge, and entrust it to the War De-
partment. All efforts thus far to pass
such bin have been successfully resisted
by the 'IuGian Ring as it is called Which
is perhaps the most powerful and unscrupu-
lous combination of thieves and rlunderers
which controls legislation at Washington.
Tie theory upon which the proposed trans
fer is based is that officers of the regular
army, holding their positions for life, would
keep good faith with the Indians in all.
their dealings with them, and not chca: and
rob them, as nearly all the Indian agents, as
we'll as Indian contractors, VIGOROUSLY now
do. The present war with the Nez Perces
Indians had its origin in shameless fraud
and robbery perpetrated by the agents of
the government. The rich lands Of Joseph
and White Bird in Idaho and Oregon were
coveted by ring of land sharks with the
Indian agent at its head, and they must lie
had, it, not by fair means then by foul
James W. Nesmilh, al ex-United States
Senator from Oregon, a gentleman Of high
character, and who has known The Nez
Perces tribe intimately f"r thirty four years,
las recently written a letter on the subject
Of the present outbreak, ali extract from
which we published in our news depart
meut last week.
Gen. Crook, our greatest Indian fighter,
ana the highes' authority the Indian
question, has often declared that the cause
of nearly all our Indian wars can he direct
ly traced tn the fraudulent and dishonest
conduct Of the agents Of the government.
An Indian, though rude and uncultivated,
possesses all .he stronger attributes of hu-
man nature, and will rebel if imposed or
trampled upon. That a different method
of dealing with him may be adopted by the
government is a consummatiun devoutly to
be wished.