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

DR.. Ste,ca1t's Speech in Opposition to the
Transfer to the War Department.
+ Dr.. ]. II. 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 poteh-
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, hardly dare to hope, for it's history is
ehat while 1t disappears in one form it reappears
In another. am opposed to all violent expe-
rlments in national affairs. Even in the direc-
ton thai we know to be right it is safest and
best to proceed with moderation and caution.
for the progress of nations is marked by long
periods only, and appeal to the understand
ing OF an 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? l am sorry to be-
leve 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
time. 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 apologist for the frauds, the crimes,
the outrages that may have been perpetrated by
some of the agents and officers of the tieparf
ment Of the interior in times past. They are
known, as are those who did the wrong, and the
.lnfamy attached to them is no pleasing induce
ment for Others to pattern after They must
stand as black record against them that can
not be wiped out. 'r+ 5 .'#6
would for the good name of humanity, for
pleasing compliment to my countrymen as
tribute to that branch of the government con-
tanning great numbers of gallant and honest
men, would gladly declare, we,e 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 by the mill
tary agents OF the government, and the great
est frauds ever perpetrated against the Indians
have been carried through while they were un-
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 f.
wise or prudent to act upon the idea that it is
indeed altogether a safe policy to totally disre-
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 long time distin-
gulshed residents of this capital An Indian
was once chief of the office of Indian affairs.
There are thousands of Indians who are now
citizens and voters in this republic, and MANY
other thousands who are anxiously desiring to
become citizens ct an early day. And now, be-
cause there are a few thousand turbule mt In
dams, and because there have been thieving
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 natural hatred of
the soldier, who has been made the instrument
of their ubjugation, under the military con-
troll exclusively, in utter and total disregard
OF the almost unanimous protest of these In
dians? l cannot 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 acd in
the name of outraged humanity I protest
against it. Their blood is already upon our
hands 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.