The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-23
REFORM OF THE INDIAN.

There la q well-founded rumor that 1000 OF
Sitting Bulls warriors are preparing for o
raid into the United States, with q view to
giving Gen. Miles battle when he comes
within reach OF them, renewing the war OF
three years ago Sitting Bull himself Is OPP
posed to conflict which ultimately can but
result in the snbjugatlon II not humiliation
Of his tribe, but the younger and more impetu-
GUS chiefs have ruled the council, and per-
suaded him into renewed hostility.
This continued warfare with the Indians OF
the Northwest must, under the present condi-
tion of things. continue until the last OF them
has been exterminated. There can be no other
result than this by the systematic robbery
and inhumanity which have been praettced
upon the savages, who, yindictive to the last
degree, resent In their way the ouurages
heaped upon them. They have been de"
frauded of their lands and cajoled by glowing
promises into going upon reservations. and
there have been starved, maltreated and
goaded to desperation by broken faith and
wholesale robbery Of their stores by so-called
agents until they have been forced to
take to the field as the only way
to obtain their rights and redress their mul-
titudinous wrongs. True, they have commit
ted vast depredations; have made murder
and torture their pastime, and filled the
world with horror by their atrocities; yet
they have had more than cause for hatred
and war, and cannot be blamed for acting In
war according to their savage end cruel in
stincts. So year after year the same history
Is repeated, the border Is lined with the fires
OF the war-dance, the United States Is put to
vast expense, valuable lives arc lost, and the
progress of civilization on the border is
seriously retarded.
Why, instead OF pursuing the insane peace
policy which has already played such havoc
| with the interests Of the country and been
| luminously unsuccessful, not adopt measures
with d view to the civilization and enfran-
| ehisement of the red MANI Why pirate OF
| Great Fathers and make useless treaties and
| endeavor to pacify the savage with gewgaWs
and whimsical ideas2 Why constantly lord
| him by the idea that he is a prisoner within a
| limited reservation, to be shot like dog II he
crosses the line? The Deawares, Grows,
Navajoes, Greek and kindred tribes have
been partially civilized by o different process,
and are to-day peaeeable Industrious and
happy. IL the Indian was paid for his land,
encouraged to till the soil and support him
SELF induced to take an interest In utilization
with the nation by promise Of enfranchise-
ment If he conform to the rules of civiliga-
| tion, he would be found to soon assimilate
with the ideas Of the enlightened world, and
become valuable addition to the country
| Wherever this process has been tried II
has been successful. Whenever the Indian
has been wronged robbed and scourged he
has proven desperate and relentless foe
When he has been treated with kindness, hu.
manity and consideration he has in every
way proven worthy. tits time now that the
Indian policy should be utterly changed, and
it is to be hoped that the change will be radi,
cal, and to a method calculated to make the
Indian citizen useful to himself and valuar
BILE to the community at large.