The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-23
THE POOR INDIAN.

INTERESTING ADDRESS BY GENERAL ARMSTRONG
ON THE BEST WAY 10 CIvIIIZE THE RED MAN.
A number of the leading merchants and capitalists
OF this city, including Marshall o. Roberts, William
Z. Dodge Smith Ety. Jr.. J. Pierpont Morgan. Cyrus
w. Field. Peter Cooper A. A. Low, Morris X. Jesup.
T. s. Ely, Samuel d. Babcock. William Libby. Edward
Cooper, Samuel J. Tilden. j. D. vernlyea and Others
extended invitation to General S. C. Arnst rong
principal Of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural
College. to address them in regard to his experience
in Indian education. General Armstrong accepted
the invitation, and designated the 22d inst. the
time and the Chamber Of Commerce the place to
comply with their request.
At one o'clock a respectable audience gathered in
the Chamber, among those present being Professor
Roswell D. Hitchcock. Rev. DR.. Henry w. Bellows,
Stewart Brown. William L. Dodge. George W. Lane,
Robert L. Stuart aud others. Mr.. JAMES NJ. Brown
called the meeting to order and nominated Mr.
William T.. Dodge US chairman. which duly rati-
fed. Mr.. Dodge expressed his regret that this very
important meeting did not take place after three
O'Clock, when the business men. who are much in
terested in the Indian question, could be pres
en.. He sad:-"In placing number of
young Indians at Hampton College for ed
ucation by the government all persons inter-
ested in the welfare of the Indians must feel highly
gratifed. About twenty-five years ago few
Indians from Georgia tribe placed at school at
Cornwall, Conn The results of the education these
people received were very plainly visible among
their people. The tribes removed from the Southern
States reservations were Industrious and pros
porous. and their agricultural products were now
Ave times greater than they were ten years ago..
MIR. Dodge then presented General S. G. Arm
strong, who is tall, soldiery looking gentleman
whose mien expressed great irmness.
EFFORTS cIvILIZE
The General entered into his subject with mill
dash uSfuu but little circuinlOcutiOu coming
to the point. He stated that the interest in the sub
ject of Indian education began in Colonial times.
when special provision made ut Roanoke,
Dartmouth, Harvard College and other edu-
cational institutions of learning for this OBJ
the advantages thus afforded them. This. however.
is changed now. Many of the Indians are beginning
to the uselessness OF contending against the
white people, and seem more anxious than to
learn the arts of the whites. Some of the Indians
who sent to St. Augustine. Fla after their cap
ture by General Sheridan We're received at Hampton,
and this lei to the reception OF forty-nine more
Indians forty boys and nine girls, sent from Dakota
Territory under charge OF captain Pratt; There herr,
to support themselves. The first thing done to
them to cut their hair short, cleanse them and
stop their tobacco. While it proved hard task to
wean them from filth and tobacco and induce them
to shear their locks which to them are an emblem
Of manly strength the thing was nevertheless. ac.
complished. They very soon learned the ways OF
the white people, mingling freely with the negro
students and the only conflicts that have occurred
between them was good natured snow -balling
match.
General Armstrong here gave a statistical account
Of the financial system in vogue for the support OF
this enterprise and impressed upon his hearers the
fact that philanthropy could not be better served
than by generously supporting this institution.
Eighteen Florida Indians maintained b. private
contributions, while the government paid $l67
apiece the forty Dakota Indians. The princ
pal work in which the students were trained was
agriculture and after leaving the institution they
were itted to take of themselves.
INDIAN HOLDS HIS OWN.
Rev. DIR. Bellows followed General Armstrong in
ELOQUENT address, III which he stated that there
nothing to show in American history that there
existed more than 400.OO0 Indians this continent
including those OF Alaska 1t "a aliacy to suppose
that the Indians be exterrninated. They mold
their own pretty well. At the tarhcst only about
seven yve thousand Of the entire may be called
savage. He would rather undertake the education of
the Indians than the negroes. They have many
claims to our respect and Kindness and should be
treated men. Whenever found Gods image,
whether cut i'll ivory, III ebony or III coral we should
esteem it.
Professor Hitchcock closed the meeting by perora-
ton, in which he remarked chat where 1OJ civilized
stay and till the soil savage hunts ana
fishes. We have been this continent $50
years face to face with race which we cannot deny
and has mission to fulfil Mr. Gallatin,
in his paper published i'll 1886, could only account
for $50. 600 Indians and II we count thcnl now We
find over 350OJ0. This Is gain and the red men
have held their own better than the Jews, who only
numbered 100000 centuries ago and now, and who
have only Kept their status s through their their
first the vices OF civilization, and this "
the hardest task to take out OF him before he
be made decent man. Congress should place the
Indian on the same footing the Swcde OF other
foreigner who preImpts his 100 OF ground and
lot him know that this possession properly worked.
not only gives him his existence but heirloom to
his family. Then churches, homcsteads and etuca-
tional institutions will spring up among them and
the problem OF Indian civilization will be promptly
solved.
General Armstrong lectures tomorrow morning, at
eleven O'Clock. in thesparors OF the Young Mems
Christian Association the same subject, at which
he will oxhibit magic lanterns showing pictures of
his Indian proteses