, 1877-06-01
INDIANS IN TIE ARMY.

Capt. c. E. 8. AlcDoNALp believes tho Indian
question can bo settled In tho simple and effect
I've way which lle was good enough to point out
somc years ago. Tho Indians have been bully
treated by tho whitcs he thinks, as we'll rs the
whites by tho Indians. They hare been driven
from their lands by Settlers cheated by traders,
shot by tullicrs, and ba4liy ruled ly Govern.
nlcnt; and, although they hive done much TO
deserve punishment, they havo beon provoked
IN nany instances beyond endurance. AZ long
as tho present state Of affairs e1ists, Capt Me-
DONALD las no llopo Of u permanent Improve
mcnt In tho relations between the Indians and
tho Government. Tho nrab1c iands must be
taken up by settlers, and TIC Indians must give
way; thera must always bo crclulols lntlfans to
bu cheated, and lad wl,[to nlcn to cheat thom.
The remedy Is not, capt MCDONALD says,
In chnnetng tho form Of tho Indian
Durcau, or In handing tho Indians ovcr as wards
TO the tender mercics of tho soldiers. He re-
tccts also tho theory of extesmInatioa, half eu-
tcrtalacd on tho frontiers, as too barbarous to
hc thought Of In civilized nation nna age. Ills
plan is. in brief, to 1naku tho Indians take care
Of themselves. They cau Aest accomplish this
purpose, lo says, by being trained Us soldiers
anl regularly Incorporated In tho army. Ills
plan would lo to furin Mt Ir.t IN anxiltary army
corps from the friendly indians, md use them
10 aubjuEake their wilder brethren. II desired,
ho wouf'i undertake In ttma to transform all
the Indians into so1llery, Which should DO as
useful to tho United States Is tho Turcos aro to
France, or tht 9cpoys 10 England; thEs Is ccr-
tainly not promising much.
The cffculnr IN which Capt. MCDONALD
sets forth these ylows bears date San
Francisco, Mny 0, 1877. It Il amusing In
parts for It's granli'oqucncc, a. when he
promises, II permitted, to writa IN gtlttariug
page In tho solid history OF advancement" ind
forecasts tho time III which, "sltting at the
fcet Of tho statue which snrmounts tho Capitol,
tho savage will rccompGnsc the Ctrlsttanh: but
there Is matter In 1t also for respectful conaid
GRAFTON. It has been reported that Gen. 6nHn-
MAN an1 Ltcut-Gcn. SHERIDAN would not
view With dsfavor tho appointment Of SroTrRD
TA.r. to position Ia the nrnly, In recognition
Of Ills services In prevailing upon tho warliko
Sioux to lay down their arms. This statement
Il perhaps extravagant, but Il ia certain
tint srorrsp TAIL Inns been useful
In this connection, and Ills services
havc demonstrated that tho mediation
Of the 1nlllans with cnch other Is often nore ci
fcctual than tho most complete military cxpe-
tlEtinns. An Indian CORDS might 10 formed rs
Capt MCDONALD suggests. For tho present,
llowcvar, It would bo well to mako experiments
Of this uature on smnll scale. As the circular
referred to says, almost rathct.cally. thc Indian
Is "naturally Of naughty uaturc." anl "a
tncnia1 ut present he cannot become" Whether
no can bcco,ne prtvate soldier. and remain ono
In tlmo Of peace, Is still u question that even
Capt. slcDoNA1D's cfoquonco cannot sou1ove
from the regions Of doubt 1t might ho dIscoy-
cred, after tho formation Of few Indian corps.
ftn1C C&n&n