, 1879-01-15
HOW TO CIvIL1ZE INDIANS,

Lieut.. E3t1Nn's 1'1hn OF kI0fAl Cn6fcInr.
CHEYENNE AoHscr, u. T., Dec. q, 187s.-
10 he Editor II HE 1Ttw lore Nation: Ths
Indian f. intelligent. aud anenanIe TO reason;
but he has not the capacity, in his present bur-
barnus condition, uf retaining tnn0 a clear re-
rncnbsancc Of the difference between right and
wrong, nor las he the moral stnrnlna 10 act. Al
h. has been convinced 1t Is right that he should,
In opposition 10 bs passions zn,l the t!sne-
t,onorrd customs Of hin ancestors. Heuce acting
alone, unsupported by tho xctual presence Of
physical power, moral auaslon utterly falls to
effect my permanent elevation Of tha condition
Of the Indian. Talk to him liko ~ man and
brother" nu,! he will readily admit the tuaensss
ir,cni. yo:l nnvc show,i ne tho straight road. /
will hcllccforth follow ft"; and elraiRiltway he
goes uIcar,tering along tho crooked psth Ills
ancestors }snyc nadc fnkmotnblc.
What rats he tanef The sBswer Is not dill
cult. Trent him ns yoii would child, thstfy
4n,i firmly, placing in the hand which furnishes
foMt md protection ncinaI. living, ever~prcscnt
hint TITS surplus pon'r. anil t1rcarma, forbid thu,
sale ur t*sl,c tn him uf paints and manYs'o1o.cd
hnnEcts. these scEvc 0nly TO ttlt VI, In hts bar
i,arous heart lonetnEs to Emulate the glorious
tuncstic catttc nut wllftc-tnal's clothing, assist
lin III caring fur unl protecting hs stock. Invest
t.le branch OF th8 HUy2rnment called upon tn
perform, this duty with the necessary, tangible,
end effective power to enforce 0bettcncc to moral
suns!1n.
Cntcr tho mora]-sua.lon policy four hundred
domestic cows were given to the Indiana at this
agency, mud The Indlans ate them up, although
every effort sns n1adc by the agent 10 persuade
them not to ho 10. In October, 1877, four
hundred and turty-nfne COWS aud four bulls
rcre 9iven to The lnd'nns ~ At TIT. agency hs
ny military authorities from tic prtt.ce1s Ut the
sale nf surrendered fnita'' ponies. Hs direction
Of tho tosf-rotnsnaudcr at Cheyenne Agency,
Os families, WIN sgnct ct, agreement to rare for
md protect thu said cows u:l their lnvrrase for
the benefit Of themselves and their families;
further, they ugrced that ther wouid not kilt.
sell. trade, or otherwise ihpnsc uf them, anil
tint t1lcy would submit to 4 retention of their
r1t,uns for such time us the pust-coHra,dcr
SHOULD deem juBt In the event III their violating
anv, Of the foreeoin.:, asrccsnehts: nnsl.
said authority uny violation Of thts nErrcment
tlat might c',tnc to tlIer l;nnsirdCc. All
tlIis was read over to eorh Indian hefotu
he was required to sirn thu same The post
commander tllcn directed the nf!lccr II c1m-
tnat'tl of Indian scouts to kecp q general sn3cr-
vision aver the COWS, Last July th!s oIllscr
lie cows. hul4s aud t'a.vrs anl touna ~ c,ws,
iirr bulls, hnd $50 catves tn The possehslon Ut
the Indians, showing u loss Of lye cows uud a
ratu 1l ;iU calves.
bulls werc turned over tn the l'l1ians at this
Agency In the ra,s,e inn.ucr NJ tile preysnua lat.
This sIork wns n!t, ourchasct! BY lhn military
nut1.orliea UPON tho p oeccns Of knlc u Indian
winter and spFinr. Tae tndians are tux.
tor excellent cart of this atock; cuc,
| Ing them, anil intensely Interested In
their cows nl.tt calves. It,vy hare huIlt warm,
substantial stahica. put up nav for the winter,
! 7M1 In EVERY wny ti0wt MI appreciation, VI tho
| value Of their tlnck. They have t.ecn nss!s1ctl
| Grcn required to do n!l tho wnsk. During tnu
Last su..,,,cs nearly all thu lndIans Ut tnu
| Agency tnaue Mutual attempts to cultivate tho
trou:l aud raise rFous, und built ahont l00 log
ho.ia.t. ltttae-Sthitcnrt, Chief OF the Aln.
! nccunju, tribe, anu "1be Chnr1cr," Chief Of
the 'ssa II this Agency during ths Present win
ter, a:ul charged thu Government " lcss ton
than thu white man i'll! last ypar. Since April
Ut tln present year, wien Git army utltccr took
r!,1rgc nf this Agency, Elx uIl.lIfoDac1 lntatls
have hrcM permanently cnpltrrA abnut
thr san'e w iab*rcrs, the Governt'ent
Ia,uc work 1t paya whI,e ,s,nu sll) month for
,,ping. Two yearh aEn tho Wrlter was irequen,-
| II told by HE Agency officials then in ct,arge
| that Il wunid 10 tmH,astbau ~ get an Indian
u xnrii iur ans prize. and thst he would r'n-
| sitlcT prnu,slton tn 10 40 ~ mortal at1rOnt.
1T Is difficult to understand wtsy tllr Indians
nj thls AEcnrf layc iIlattc much prt'grca* III
tho lust two years. Wills tlsc!r urles, cousins,
| nnsl other rplaltu'ts ut apottcu+Ial nnt! Eed-
Elnud Agency have HIAlu very little Ut hl1se at
nIlt II II dnu to a4:iunl anA active suppnrt VI
n,orat suusfon BY physIc4l lures, combined with
just untt equitable treatment, nnl this brllrya
IL bc tu ;nlv uotfy that will ever satisfactorily
sutyu tito liliian question, / frmAIn, sir, very
respectfully your 0brd!cmt servant.
uEn1tUH l.r X. nnDwH,
eecoua Lieutenant, Eleventh Infantry,