National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-15
THE INDIAN QUESTION.

THE INDIAN QUESTION.
What shall be done with the Indians is
a question that should take hold of all the
better impulses of our national action and
find just and humane solution. We con-
tess that from our earliest reading and con-
sideration of the history of the aborignes of
this country, and of their treatment by the
whites, we have regarded them in the light
Of savages, treacherous, barbarous, and in
human savages, who have been guilty of
blood-chlling atrocities aud yet they were
where the Creator had placed them, and their
fathers before them. to the remotest genera
tions, and were the aboriginal possessors of
all this vast domain, now recognized as the
United States of America. The whites
came among them with the arts, exccllen-
ces, and intirmities of civilization, and the
contest for supremacy on this continent en-
sued and has continued until but u feeble
handful of the original possessors of this soil
now remain to tell the tale of their history
which points to final determination.
While we have been led to consider the
Indian as II savage barbarian, we confess TO
n sympathy for the race which, in view of
the treachery, deceptions, and gross
wrongs that have been practiced upon
them in the name of civilization, and we
have often regarded them in the light of
history as more sinned against than sim
ming" Our faith has no doubt been as
often broken with them as theirs has been
with us. The greed of civilization which
has pursued them unrelentingly, until they
have been dspossessed of their lands-have
been driven from their hunting-grounds,
step by step, and excepting the few which
have yielded to the influences of civilization
or have been swept from the face of the
earth by some Of its more balelul influences
are now clinginS to the last hope that
stands between them and total extermina-
tion, on the Western slope that descends to
the Pacific Ocean, toward which they have
been pushed by the stern and unyielding
hand of civilization since its first advent
upon the continent.
The question now remains, who or what
department of this Government shall have
the charge of this remnant of the native
residents of this continent? Shall it be the
War or the Interior? Both experiments
have been tried, and neither has been found
to work to perfect satisfaction. The War
Department is thought to wear too stern q
| front for this service, while the Interior
Department has perhaps been more deli
cate in its policies, but far less honest to-
ward these wards. 1t is alleged, and we
think without serious denial, that the REM
nant of the Indian tribes who have been
despoiled of their domain, and are now
living under the immunites of that civil
ization which is practiced toward them by
the Government, are constantly deceived
deudcd, and wronged by its agents, who
are sent into the West, where these tribes
now reside, 10 watch over and protect Their
interests. Dishonest and wicked men have
been intrusted with these duties, whose
greed Of gain has overcome their humane
promptings, and great wrong to the Indian
has been committed. Exasperated by thi,
treatment, the Indian has sought to re,
dress his wrongs by resisting the authority
of the Government. This is the present mt
titude Of the Indian question, and now it i:
for Congress TO decide whether the charg,
of the Indian shall continue with the In
terror or be transferred to the War Depart.
ment. Until quite recently we have beel
impressed with the belief that no serious
mistake could be made and no increased
wrong would be wrought against the Indinr
by u change. IL may not be possible t,
secure the Indians against the dishonesty
OF Government agents and traders, who ar,
incident to their management, but they cal
be protected against such atrocities as hay,
recently marked their treatment at For
Robinson under the auspices of the army
They were held there as prisoners unit
some disposition of them should be pro
vided for. 1t was proposed to rcmov,
them to Fort Leavenworth, and thi
proposition was sternly resisted b,
the Indians. The prisoners consisted
of men, women, and children, the latte
to the number of about fifty. The policy
pursued by the officer in command to force
a submission to the purpose Of the Govern
ment was to withhold food for twenty-lou
hOUIs from Wll luNlstllll nlltlgi uutl itiHo u
withdraw their fuel and expose them alill,
to starvation aud freezing. 1t was from
this terribly inhuman and barbarous treat
} ment that the Indians escaped when the,
broke away from Fort Robinson. They, m
doubt, pursued the first law of nature il
their escape, for it was an attempt to escap
lingering death from starvation and cold
They did escape from their prison and wer
; pursued by the troops, and men, women
and children were iudiscriminately slaugl
+ tered-an act which would have brough
the blush of shame to any cheek save tina
which approves starvation and freezing a
the agencies of enforcing Government
policy. And here we desire TO say if tn
treatment of the CheYennes is q sample Q
the war policy of dealing with the Indial
remnant, we want no more of it, for it
an outrage upon humanity and a shame t
the nation.
10 ABOLISH THE ORDNANCE CORPS.
OF the many astonishing things to b
found in the pending army bill, perhaps tn
/ most astounding is the section abOlshn
the Ordnance Corps. If there is any on