, 1878-09-19
THE INDIAN QUESTION.

Senator Jno. II. Mitchell, of Ore.
gon, recently addressed very large
audience in New Market Theatre
building, Portland. In the course of
his speech he gave utterance to the
following sentiments upon the great
"Indian Problem" which is taxing
the brains of the most eminent di-
plomatists Of the day:
1.-The recent Indian raids throughought
the settlements of Eastern Oregon and
Idaho, by which so many of our citizens
perished, so mary homes are desolated, SO
much property destroyed, and whereby
panic and CONSERVATION were spread
throughout all our borders, is but another
terrible reminder OF the utter fallacy of the
Democratic party policy in Congress in re-
lation to the reduction OF the army. If
instead Of having as we had before these
Indian raids, but about twenty-five hunu-
red men all told, scattered ut the different
posts west of the Rocky mountains to
PROTECT FROM INVASION AND MASSACRE
All this vast frontier, we had had, as we
should have had, from 10000 to $4,000
men properly distributed, then Indian
wars and Indian raids would have been a
thing of the past, and while this is so
have also become convinced, and | have
studied this question with great deal of
care, that so long us the present small res
ervation system is kept up. that not only
the interests of our people, but OF the In
dians themselves would be subserved by
turning the whole control OF the Indians
over to the Department of War. (Ap-
plause) believe, that if that were done,
there would be less money 60 into the
hands of thieving speculators. | believe
that the Indians themselves would in that
event get more benefit from the appro-
prlations made year BY year, by Congress.
| believe that they would be held in more
complete subsection, and that better pro-
tecLlon would be afforded to people Oh the
frontier. If / had my way about this
whole question I will tell you what
would do: would create tour large In
dian reservations. would have two of
them west OF the Summit of the Rocky
mountains and two of them east of the
summit OF the Rocky mountains. Iwould
have them located at points remote from
the settlements. | would then encourage
all the Indians on present reservations,
who are willing to work and support them
selves from their tribal relations. would
give them lands in severalty and would
issue patents. Then | would gather all
the Indians, paying them well for all their
property in America, on these
-FOUR RESERVATIONS.
| would place over them strong but a
just civil government; [ would provide
them with schools and teachers and preach
ers; | would have them taught in the arts
OF civilization and of peace; | would place
upon every one of these reservations a
strong military force, force sufficient at
all times and under all circumstances to
compel peace and to keep the Indians in
suhjecton; would hold the Indian in
subsection to the law, and if he killed
man would have him arrested, Indicted
anG tried, by the Civil Government, and if
convicted, | would call it murder, and
have him hung, Instead Of having him
pampered and fed by the Government.
And throw open the many reservations
scattered all over this western country to
settlement by the citizens of this country
reservations which have stood and which
are standing today as, obstacles in the
pathway OF civilization and the peace and
prosperity of this whole country.