Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-02-18
For THE OXFORD DENoCRA
What wa be the Result 4?

|
We regret 10 learn that the jin, COM
mltee, appointed BY Congress at It's last
session, on the transfer of the Indian Bu-
reau TO the War Department has been
unable to agree, " hich we fear will great
ly hinder any concurrent action being
taken on the question at this session, ye!
we hope for better results. Both he i'm
portance OF the question and the pressing
need OF its early discussion and solution,
seem to demand immediate attention.
The great end to be attained is the tue
solution OF the "Indian problem" and
not SO much whether the affairs of the
Bureau shall be administered by this or
that Department. The excuse we hear
made tor the little attention that is paid
to the welfare OF our aborigiuies, that the
Indian race is last dying out and there
fore our treatment OF them will at the
most only put of their final determination
for few decades, is not only unjust but
erroneous. The Department OF the In
terror have been abe, by the aid OF returns
from more than fifty agencies, and from
nearly one hundred tribes, and parts Of
tribes, from the Ireqnois OF New-York TO
the nomads Of Arizona, Colorado and
Dakota, to decide tha, for three years.
(lS74. 1875, l876) the increase of the
Indian population By births averaged
80 60 per thousand; while the decrease
By deaths averaged but 20.72 per thous-
and; leaving an average excess oil births
over deaths for these three years OF 1888
per thousand. The true and permanen,
solution OF the Indian problem" seems
30 US, 10 be in civilzing, educating and
chris,ianizing them. and in this connec-
tion we refer with great pleasure to the
efforts OF Gen. Armstrong in his school
at Hampton, Va.
The experiment of educating few
Of the race having been tried with sue
cess, Gen. Armstrong visited Washington
last summer. and solicited Government
aid for the extension OF the work. Capt.
Pratt of the u. 5. A. WAS detailed to 20
West and collect fifty girls and boys for
the Hampton school. lie had little diff
Guilty in obtaining his recruits, and found
some Indians who were even quite eager
TO send their children. he arrived at the
Hampton school on the 5th of November
last. with iortJ nine Indians, these being
from the upper Missouri and the land OF
the Dakotas. And we think in the end
this would prove 10 be not only the most
just but also the cheapest way OF dealing
with them; As il is said 10 cost the Gov
ernment $4,000 TO kill an Indian, and
less than 5000 year to educate him.
While we have no sympathy with those
who raise the complaint that our fathers
began the foundation OF our Republic by
outrageous treatment Of the rcd man, and
their rights in the territory yet We be-
| speak for the Indian full discussion OF
his cause. W hich shall rise above party ana
the interests OF this or that faction and
shall be inspired by that broad and phil
an,hropic sentiment which shall move us
TO do justly 10y him who roamed through
! these forests, IRON the Atlantic TO even
beyond The Mississippi. before our fore
fathers set ioot on this soil Neither do
We uphold the Indian in the outrages he
has committed on our people; but, when
we consider bis savage nature and the
many proyocations We have given him to
fight; when we know he has been the tool
in the hands OF designing men who ought
10 have known better than to further in
cite rebellion in the breasts OF q tribe a.
ready savage by nature even more. when
weknow they have been robbed and cheat
ed until lorbearauce had almost ceased
10 be- a virtue, we can but look with lem
iencT on many OF their acts. And We can
but teel that a nation which has liberated
tour million oil slaves; which has settled
by arbitration questions which have in
ages past uncrowned princes apd caused
the lall Of nations; which has passed
through civil war Of unprecedented
magnitude and yet brought itself by in
dustry and prudence back to stable and
world acknowledged currency within four
teen years alterit its close; which has grown
to be one OF The greatest commercial ma
.ions on the earth, in it's short duration Of
a hundred years. canno. prove incapable
of dealing justly with nor recreant in its
duty towards these aborigines.
SCHUYLKILL.