Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-03
present rate OF salsries-ot not NOR e
than $50, 600 year.
THE INDIANS

tnan SOU, UUU year.
THE INDIANS.
The annual reports OF the secretary oil
the interior and OF the commissioner OF
Indian affairs present an elaborate &C
count OF the present condition Of the
Indian tribes, aud OF that branch OF the
public service which ministers 70 their
interests. While the conduct OF the
Indians, generally, has been orderly,
and their relations with their neighbors
friendly ami peaceful. two local disturb
snces have occurred which were de-
plorabls in their character, but remain
ed, happily, confined to a comparatively
small number of Indians. The discon-
tent among the Blnnocks, which led
tlrst to some acts OF violence on the part
OF some members of the tribe and finally
TO the outbreak, appears TO have been
caused by an insuficlency OF food on the
reservation, and this insufiiciency TO
have been owing to the inadequacy OF
the appropriations made by Congress to
the wants of the Indians, at time when
the Indians were prevented from sup
plying the deficiency by hunting,
After an ardent pursuit 10y the troops OF
the United States, and several engage
ments. the hostile Indians were reduced
& subsection. and the larger part OF
them surrendered themselves as prison
ere. In this connection | desire 10 call
attention 10 the recommendation made
by the secretary Of the interior, that Il
sufficient fund be placed at the disposal
Of the executive, to be used, with proper
accountability, at discretion, IN sudden
emergencies OF the In iian service.
The other case Of disturbance was that
Of band Of northern Cley ennes who
suddenly left their reservation IN the
Indian Territory and marched rapidly
through the States OF Kansas and Ne
brasks in the direction OF their old hunt
ing grounds, committing murders and
other crimes On their way. From docu-
ments accompanying the report OF the
secretary Of the interior, II appears that
this disorderly band was as fully sup
piled with the necessaries OF life as
the four thousand seven hundred other
Indians who remained quietly on the
reservation, and that the disturbance
was caused by men Of n restless and mis-
chieyous disposition among the Indians
themselves. Almost the whole OF this
band have surrendered 10 the military
authorrles, and it is a gratifying fact
that. when some Of them bad taken
refuge in the camp Of the. Red Cloud
Sioux, with whom they hid been III
friendly relations, the Sioux held them
"a prisoners and readily gave them up
10 the officers Of the United States, thus
giving new proof OF the loyal spirit
which. alarming rumors to the contrary
notwithstanding, they have uniformly
shown ever since the wishes they eI-
pressed at The council Of September,
1877, had been compiled with.
Both the secretary Of the interior and
the secretary OF war mite in the recon-
incubation that provision be made by
Congress for the organization Of a corps
Of mounted iisn au1jliaries, TO be
under the control OF the army, and to be
used for the purpose OF keeping the
Indians on their reservations and pre-
venting or depressing disturbance on
their part. / eorGes Is coucur IN this
recommendation. II IS believed that
the organization OF such body OF Indian
cavalry, receiving q moderate pay :iom
the government, wOuid considerably
weaken the restless element among the
Indians by Withdrawing from II a mum
Der Of Young men aud wing them con
genial employment under the govern
ment-it being matter OF experience
| that Indians IN our service almost with
out exception are faithful IN the per
formsuce Of the duties assigned TO them.
Such an org ln.zltion would materially
aid the srmy in the accomplishment oil
A task for which its numerical strength
is sometimes found insufficient.
But while the employ OF force
for the prevention or repression OF In
dian troubles is OF occasional necessity,
and wise preparation should be made tc
that end, greater reliance must be
placed on humane and civdlz!ng agen
| cies for the ultimate solution OF what II
called the Indian problem. 1t may b'
very difficult and require much patient
effort 10 curb the unrJ'y spirit OF the
savage Indian to the restraints Of civ
iized life, but experience shows that i
is not impossible. Many Of the tribes
which are now quiet and orderly anc
selfsuppOrtirg we're once as savage rs
sny that at present roam over the plains
or IN the mountains . the far West
ana were then Considered inaccesslbl,
to civilized influences. 1t may be impos
sible to rails them fully up 20 the leve
of the white population Of the United
States; but we should not forget that
they are the aborigiues Of the country
and called the soil their own on which
our people have grown rich, powerful
and happy. We owe it to them as O
moral duty to help them in attaining al
least that degree of civilization which
they may be sble 10 resch. 10 is not only
our duty-it is also our interest TO do so.
Indians who have become aRriculturists
or herdsmen, and lei an interest IN pro.
perty. vi thencefcltl cease to be a war
Ike and disturbing clement. Ii is also
a we'll fact that indians
are apt 10 be peaceable and quiet when
their children are at school, and 1 am
grasifsd 10 know, from tho expressions
Of Indians themselves and from many
coucurrirg reports, that there is q
stesdIy.iGcreasing desire, even among
Indians belonging TO comparatively
wild tribes, 10 have their children edu
Gated. invite attention to the reports
Of the secretary Of the interior and the
commissioner Of Indian affairs, touching
the experiment recently ineugurated, N
taking fifty Indian children, boys and
girls, from different tribes, to the
Hampton Normal Agricultural institute,
in Virginia. where they arc 10 receive
an elementary English education and
training in agriculture aud other useful
work, e be returned to their tribea,
after ths completed course, as interpre
ters, instructors AID examples,
/: IS reported that the off