New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-21

has this Government unconsciousy 70 ITSELF oeeoIne
possessed OF all the vast region between the Aiio'
ghany Mountains and the eastern porier OF t h
Great PaH and io t iaSeed for the ac%us
on OF All that remains MAY pa 5set t hs
although for q century we have been engaged III CRY
ing on wars and making treaties Win inmns utmost
contiuuay and that history is fun OF horrd arocl
ties an nasscres in which Indians were the offenders,
and although we have stood ashHSt at nrse noriTa so
chronic, yet nowhere In any treaty with In
thee practices, nor an intimntIon thst we
object 10 a IN which the rules OF civilized warfare
are thus sloeknsiy violated. Nor do | IeineM-
Der any ociaf act word the part Of the Govern
meut directed against H. Knowing Tor all these years
that such the customs Of Indian warfare ana having
permitted them to he continued MP To this dag without
fcmonstrance far know or have heard, 1t appears
horr fitd AZ this late day as almost entirely to lose
sympathy for the ndian lie knows no better ana mas
been taught better by those who shuddtr at ms out
RACES and 1t is very certain tat The example OF the
whites with whom lie has been brought INTO hostile rcla-
lions has tended to confirm ana not TO cure ies5 pFc
tees But to proceed ,-,, c...-. -.,.,..
the Creeks ChOciaws, ClC kasaws ana ChetQhets-lhe
details of dispOssessOn and the treatment o. inc IlabS
were somewhat different, and IN the results VIII DC
found important facts bearing upon me discussion OF
future methods. IL does not appear tat tus cihsc III
perence or by any purpose TO make the history Of these
Indians humane than that OF the tribes north OF
Tenn, but rather to the fact that The Indians were
within the limits OF organized states Which asscrteh
and, 10 an extent exercised uilsulcion over mem ne
and urgent and the action OF the state Government
sion than mad been actually required before. An
cfensiye reon of wild lands west OF the state Of
Kansas was Selected for The occupation of these tribes
aud they were at removed 10 1t with more or less
bloodshcd aud difficulty. but without undergone
tho intermediate stages which had marked the
retreat of the more Northern tribes. The result
is that the tribes thus removed ar once ana Ia Il
body TO tis region. remote from settlements, ard not
possessed mineral resources, have not ioSt II hy
have not gained, in population but remain SubsiahlHy
| what they were They were from the beginning par
tally civilized that is they lived Ia villages aud eutl
waited the soil They do so sun ana lnuch III th5 sie
manner and until recently have not been pressed upon
| by white emigration.
| The movement upon their lands has, however now
begun and of necessity. lead to the same results
rs are familiar to the experience OF the Northern Indians
Every proposition 10 bulld railroads ahd some are
already buU through the Indian Territory, and for the
establishment of Territorial Government, mas out one
object and eans TO Dut one result VIZ H5 f Us s
sion OF the Indian ana the Occupation Oh 1'S ldu t
by white That this result can be reachcd by the
same process without reproduction, In gtca er or less
degree, OF the bOls, irouoes, anI Siiii S' - 80
OF our Indian history Is not to DC believed IL is GER
tainty the future ana, We are 10 40 any th
prevent another stain upon our history We must act
vigorously and al once.
NO SYSTEMATIC EFFORT 10 CIVILIzE OR CHRIS
TAME THE INDIAN.
Up TO a recent period no systematic nor official effort
was made to civze or christianze the Indian. 1t is
true that many Of the religious denominations sent mis-
sonares TO the Indian tribes living on reservations,
who no doubt, did all in their power in this direction,
but beng without official status aid they were unable
TO do the work which many OF them devoted them
selves with rare sincerity and self-dcnal. Through
the Indian agents greater or less tnoIt was naue'
or seemed be made to teach the Indian IN udmen-
neither systematic nor energetic aud htte indeed
anything, accomplished that IN any respect Dehe-
hted the Indian. Within the past ten years however.
another class OF Indian agents lreey seeetcu ~ r.
ligous denominations, has replaced the agents
later agents far superior TO their predecessors,
and perhaps with few exceptions have addressed them
Indian. Unfortunately, they are men unacquainted
with the Indians or Indian character and are equally
ignorant of the character and habits Of the frontier
whites, and therefore, wholly incompetent to deal win
either. OF the country and its capacities they
litf1 ny OF
in general, inexperienced IN almost every
kind OF occupation to which the dhaaH can io De
and yet they expected TO manage large business al
fairs involving the actual existence OF thousands OF hu
man beings. know OF no occupation requiring more
thorough acquaintance with business methods greater
knowledge OF men, and power influence and control
them than the supply management and control OF Indian
tribes. The man whose life has been devoted to
religious duties as Clergyman cannot OF necessity
have had training and experience TO conduct large
business operations carried with business sharp
and interruptions. nor to be the best Judge OF thOe VINO
the dutes OF religious Instructor and 6nsl
e6eSy GT qT e 70 b SSe T H TG
so far, have completely Illustrated the lncOn-
anio sn. has been very nelcehtiy done and badly
as 1t has been done 1t has been at the
mcnl. 1t is not too much TO say that what We have
gained in moral character by the recent changes in
the expense OF practical and business capacity
Whether these opinions be accepted or not, 1t GER
tain that the physical condition Of the Indian Is IA bad
if not worse to-day, than have ever knownit ltisa
fact notorious as to require only inc statement OF "
times, and that for considerable periods during each
wear they condition OF want ana suffering reyOt
ing to humanity. 1t also true that III many cases the
articles of food to be daily issued 10 them are seced
III detail in the treaties hui only In part are furnished
and at times furnished at ALL In short IL is the fact
that thousands OF Indians placed reservations by the
actual use OF superior force, arg slowly starved by
some persons well known facts are attributed to
| usuflclency OF appropriations; by Others. to ms
! use Of tne money and bad administration; by
still others, fraud on the part Of those charged
with the expenditures and issues or e., OF thGir
nations but the Indian Is the victim whatever be the
cause. and expect hm slowly to star9e and TO see his
wife aud children suffer III NE manner without o5nR
patience and helping himself is to expect What no white
man would think Of submitting to- or would e expected
| a. submit 10. The Indian around him herds
Of cattle stOrehouses OF agents and traders, mum
appropriations made for his tribc large amounts ex-
pended for schools and school teachcrs farms and farm
ing implements, practical farmers, mechanics and en-
ploy6s OF various descriptions, whilst he himself Is des,
tUe very food necessary to keep body aud soul
togeher-abundance of which is guaranteed to him by
solemn treaty. Why should he be conontt lie Is sent
out from time TO time with his tribe TO hun and ON game
| TO make up the deficiencies OF food he ought to
receive from his agent. But whatever game was once
| to be foupd now remote from his agency and Is
already that 1t is impossible to depend upon It
even for temporary support Al game r wnEn
disappearing, and the Indian must soon ma ma
means of subsistence for their own benefit without sup
plying him with Others theirs should be the anty 10 sed
for the practical sense OF people VINO III view OF TINS re-
becoming day aborer on fan, win the lie OF nak
ing the whole Indian an agricultural people Nhat
would be- thought Of the same attempt upon lne We
people OF this any other country The idea of such
people DO that all Indians are alike, and that
| an indian s the same wherever he Is found.
presume there cannot be found greater dvershes In
the white all these matters than actually exist
among the Indians, and the attempt to make all whito
exactly alike and to compel them to precisely the
same pursuit. is not absurd, impractcaDle and in
furious to all interests than Is the same at
tempt with Indians. The nOmadic races
might probably be occupied without overthrow
ing every habit and inclination OF their lives and with
out violent abrupt change In herdng cattle, which
they could drive from one pasture ana water 10 another
on the Great Plains This pursuit would be more nearly
IN the direction Of their usual habits than any farm
labor las the advantage that II might be success
ul whilst the latter be. have myself, with
restricted means can command from the sale OF
] Ll- LL - - III