Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-21
THE INDIANS,

Dr.. Ste'cart's Speech, IN Opposition to the
Transfer to the Var Department.
| Dr.. j. H. Stewart, Representative from this
| district, made speech in the House on the Sth
inst, strongly protesting against the transfer
of the Indian bureau to the war department,
| We make the following brief extracts:
The so-called Indian ring came as a legacy
! from the war department; and if the influence
| OF that mysterious and yet wonderfully poten-
tlal body has been exerted to keep the Indian
service under the control of the department of
the interior, am not aware of it. That it has
| received and is receiving less favor than ever
before am confident. That its power is bro
ken, l hardly dare to hope for its history is
that while it disappears in one form it reappears
| IN another. l am opposed to all violent expe-
rlments in national affairs. Even in the drec-
| ton that We know to be right, it is safest and
best to proceed with moderation and caution,
Tor the progress OF nations is marked by long
| periods only, and l appeal to the understa:: d.
ing of all whether at the very best the change
| OF the Indian control to the war department. In
view OF what have shown, can be truthfully
| raised to the dignity of hopeful experiment.
On the contrary, do we not generally feel that
! the proposed transfer is question of more
| than doubtful expediency? i am sorry to be-
| lleVe that there are those who look to this re-
suit as the quickest way of disposing of the
Indian question and the Indians at the same
| tlne. AND there are very many who appear to
think that no possible condition of the Indian
service can be any worse than it is at present
am no apoloyist for the frauds the crimes,
the outrages hat may have been perpetrated by
some OF the agents and officers of the depart
ment of the interior in times past. They are
| known, as are those who did the wrong, and the
lntamy attached to them is no pleasing induce
1nent for Others to pattern after. They must
stand as a black record against them that can
not be wiped out.
would for the good name of humanity, for
pleasing compliment to my countrymen. as a
| tribute to that branch Of the government con-
tanning great numbers Of gallant and honest
men, would gladly declare, we've it true, that
| the Indians were better treated while they were
under the war department. But alas. the record
Will not permit it. 1t is not true but on the
contrary the record shows that the greatest,
most destructive and costly wars have been
caused not by the civil agents but bv the mill
tary agents of the government, and the great
est frauds ever perpetrated against the Indians
| have been carried through while thew were M
der the war department.
have stated that the Indians know what
they wish. Nor can they be induced to state
their wishes as being different from what thew
| really desire. In the examination of this cues
ton OF transfer, while nearly 10000 Indians
opposed the transfer to the war department.,
less than 5000 favored it. Do YOU think il
wise or prudent to act upon the idea that it is
indeed altogether safe policy to totally disrc-
gard the wishes and desires of the Indians +?
You can hardly make greater mistake An
Indian was president of Mexico, and his wife
and daughters were for a long time distiu-
gulshed residents Of this capital An Indian
Was once chief of the office of Indian affairs.
There arc thousands of Indians who are nov
citizens and voters in this republic, and manv
other thousands who are anxiously desiring to
become citizens at an early day. And now. be-
| cause there are few thousand turbrlf Mt In
dams, and because there have been tbievino
agents who have stolen their money and their
goods, and because the Indian ring desires it.
will you place the hundreds of thousands of
| peaceable Indians who have a natural hatred of
the soldier, who has been made the instrument
OF their subjugatioD, under the military con-
troll exclusively in utter and total disregard
OF the almost unanimous protest of these In
dams? l cannon and will not believe that
| this Congress will add this outrage to the al
ready extended catalogue of crimes against
this defenseless people. In their name ard in
the name OF outraged humanity I protest
against it. Their blood is already upon orr
bands and upon the hands of our children. In
Gods name let us consider what we are doing
and add no more to our nations guilt either
by careless or ignorant legislation