Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-03

propose 10 consider tile luulAn tucStio
from religious standpoint.
Within the limits of a single discourse,
VIII, of course, be impossible 10 review tn
long line of history that records the relation
of the two race. and unfold the policy of tn
Government and the people on the one hanC
and the effect of that policy upon the chsracte
and destiny OF the Indian race on the other.
can only consider few principles of genera
application, and in the light of those prr
| cipes show the cause of our disastrous fail
| ures.
FUNDAMENTAL FACTS.
The fact that our Indian policy has proved
failure admits of no debate. There is but on
sentiment among intelligent men on this sub
iect. 1t will be admitted that money enOugl
has been expended in the Indian service with
in the last fifty years 10 place every Indiai
family in the United States on an equal foot
ing financially with the best class of American
farmers, to have given liberal education Il
every Indian child, and TO keep in effectua
operation all the institutions OF the best rlra
society.
l make the above statements without fear o
| contradiction. And vet with all the untold
millions expended, ostensibly TO bless the In
| dian race, the race has been growing less in
numbers, and a. rule been making no head
| way toward a better condition. To this. as TO
| all general rules, there are exceptions, and as
| proceed the exceptions will he noticed, and
| will form an important factor in my argu-
! ment
Regarded purely a- a financial question this
| becomes a matter Of towering Importance. But
| the financial consideration j. not the chef con-
| sderatlon. II the money expended had accom-
| plished the mission whereunto the people ap-
propriated II : if the Indian race had been re-
claimed from their barbarism. and been eleva-
ted TO the enjoyment of peaceful, civilized life,
| nobody would regret the cost of the service.
| but every man would rejoice in ii as sn object
worthy OF achievement Ut whatever cost.
But with the exception of here and there a
| tribe that has happened 10 fall under influences
wisely directed, and that has felt the effect Of
long, continued. faithful Christian teaching. the
Indian is an Indian still, unregenerated in
moral character, unchanged in his habits of
life and in all RESPECTS untitled TO he an element
in free civilized society.
The Indian arryice has cost untold millions
of nyhey aud has produced no corresponding
good results. The people have become dis
cOuragcd. They have lost faith in the possibil-
ity of The work undertaken. The prevailing
public sentiment in and out of Congress. in
and out of the church. is that the Indian is u
hopeless subject that he is doomed to eXter-
mination, and that the sooner he is out of his
misery and out Of the way the better.
pray YOU, my friends, TO look nj this ques-
ton n Christian men, and in the lack Of facts
and principles seek to lind the true difficulty of
this grave and difficult subject.
In our great country, peopled by 10000 600 of
enlightened freeman. is an element not one
fourth of = million strong, vet strong enough
10 keep standing army in constant requisition,
10 keep our whole frontier in perpetual con-
sternatlun, 10 eXterminate whole battalions of
soldiers, scarcely leaving man 10 tell the tale
of butchery; 10 lay waste whole sections of
country, destroy the homes Of settlers rayish
mothers and sisters, aud carry them into cap
tiylty in all the horrors OF savage cruelty. and
from year to year compel the Government 10
exhaust iIs treasury 10 defend the country
against these iudi-cribabe calamities. The sub
that TpuplCs man. nnrEaf
every mans Svmpathies, and should command
the united wisdom Of the church, the Govern
ment aud the people to devise 4 remedy.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS.
Two questions confront H. IN looking at this
evil: First. rs cause; second, the remedy.
What is the reason We cannot govern the In
dian tribes. and be al peace with thOm: Why
are we perpetually at war with them: And
when they are whipped why wont they STAY
whipped Why are the lives and property Of
our unprotected ironticrsmen always in dam
ger; Why are rapine and carnage the rule,
and peace and safety the exception;
EVERYBODY has an answer ready 10 these
questions. The Indian i . savage. He i to-
tally dspraved. He hes no moral character. |
He has no discrimination between individuals |
of the white race. An arrow thrown into his |
camp is all arrow from the white race, and in |
return the whole race become the target of his |
arrows. Like = swram Of bees or 4 ferocious |
beast. he retaiatcs injuries upon the one near |
est 10 him. If an emigrant upon the plains |
trespass upon an Indian md escapes unhurt, |
the Indian VIII take nc pains TO pursue the |
offender Ii is ~ injury from the white race |
and lny white mans scalp will make atone
ment. The next day another emigrant, ignorant |
Of the hole slaiT and entirely innocent.is way-
iafd' me .s~iii ~ cHpturod- and III. ike Of Ii
with il DESTROYED. This becomes a
Of war. But who began this war |
The day before white man entered that In
dams cabin and violated his rights without |
atonement. To-day a white mans scalp has |
paid the forfeit. This is Indian law and in his |
against executing II. As general rule
what we call unproVOked barbarity" on the |
part Of Indians begins in some such way. The
white man is commonly the first aggressor and
and the vengeance falls on innocent parties. |
To prevent that, two things are necessary: |
First, avoid eXasperating the Indian. Treat
him as You would treat u dangerous combus- /
tible. ANY fool can fire magazine, but the |
lives OF good men must pay the forfeit. Sec
ond, if We have an explosive element in our
midst, safety requires not only that we avoid the
match but that we mitigate its explosive power.
have no sympathy with the sickly sentiment
alism that PIRATES about the virtues of the noble
red man. Indians in their original character
are totally deprayed. 1t is their want Of moral
character that gives Us all our trouble with |
them. We don't fear their filth, their rude
manners OF their destitution. We don't call
them savages because they dress in skins, live |
in huts or eat unsayOry food. The term savage
refers TO their moral deprayity, and it is this
hat must be abated. You say THAT he is a
hopeless subject he can't be tanned he is in our
way; he can do neither himself nor the world
INV good. We can't be perpetually annoyed
With him. He must be got out Of our way. The
wo races can't sub,ist together. The law of
ature and Providence written IN all history is
hat the fittest must prevail And thus we
eason until we reach the climax of the argu-
nent in the policy Of eXterminatlon.
rHE POLICY OF TURNING The INDIAN. OVER
10 TIE WAR DEPARTMENT.
A strong party have for long time urged
he measure Of turning the whole business
'yer TO the war department, in which event |
he Indians would be left TO learn their lessons
Il industry, Of virtue, and Of Christian ciyiiza-
ion from the sOldiery. This measure has often |
'I.sed the lower House Of Congress, and but |
or the emphatic remonstrance Of Christian
men all over the Nation, would have passed
he Senate and have become y law. The meas
Ire means determination. Ii means an end of
III attempts at civilization and the destruction | ,
4 the race soon u possible. We don't like |
o confess II openly; but we know that such il
he motive Of the measure. But this whole \
easoning contradicts every Christian senti-
nent and every humane instinct Of our nature.
borrower, exterminatOn Is game at which
wo parties can play And the savage, with
ut conscience, Ignoring all rules OF warfare,
Die 10 penetrate all mOrasses, scale the loft |
est mountains, hide in inaccessible creyices
nd subsist on roots beneath his feet, where
White men would starve, has all the advantage
tht WoTk Cl tNtermlnaiIOn. Gen. Custer |
roclHimed II a. his policy ito have one Indian !
var, and then have no more Indians" lie had
ne Indian war aud instead OF no more In
liana, there were ny more " hile men in his
amp. The doctrine Of cXtermiuatiOu recoiled
pon him 'ei aud one lone private remained 10
ell the tale Of his suicidal folly. The proud |
rnaDt chiettan went in at dawn To exteTmin-
te al army oi savage braves, but tue shadow,
4 sunset Tell on scene Of carnage aud heup
American army. |
The indians are with us-Wh4t sbal Ne do
he trouble with them is the want of moral
haracter. And the only question 10 be settled
how 10 give them moral character This Is
he que ton oI tiHnItY-the only question
hat Christianity ever asks about mankind II
'as the qu~tiOn thJ- brought jesus from
eayen tp earth. that commissioned His di.-
lple- to go into all thr world and preach the
Ospel 10 every creature; the question that :
ecesstate. all the mis- ionHry enterprises Of
be church universal. W. know how this
uestiOn - ansNC cred ia foreign lands sy I
'hristian appliances how the Sandwich
sland1 have been reclaimed and made :
hristian commonwealth - how IN India !
.hina, Japan, Turkey, Africa. lnl the Island.
the seas, multitude have been guided into ,
be narrow path Ot Christian Virtue, and made ,
rejoice IN the blessing. Oi better humanity. c
ioney enough has been expended in the '
indian service in this country, To- have given c
he blessing, Of Christianity 10 every heather
-ibe under heaven. properly expended. ! !
viii cite here few facts from published /
ircular Of the agent Of the American Mission !
ry Association, Rev. Lewis Grout. For forty /
ears previous TO the peace policy which Gen. }
'rant introduced, the military operations a
gainst the Indians cost the Government Sl2-
W, 900 per annum. For twenty wears preced- !
" the peace policy our military care OF the !
indians IN New Mexico cost the Government Z
l00. 100000. The Indian war in Florida cost /
5 800 lives and $50 0,00O,01, or one " hite man 4
nd $4,000 for every warrior that took the 0
cid. In the Cheyenne war OF lS5i-j it was !
stimated that seine Il or - warriors were J
illed at . cost Of about 3 100000 per warrior /,
is believed that not single Indian warrior
as been killed nv our army at le-, than an
'erage expense Of { l,VJO,uDO. The fuy thou r
md civilized Indians, the Creeks, Cherokee, T
nd ChOctaws in the Indian Territory are self i
Ipporting and cost the Government ROthinV d
lille 10 restrain the ten thousand wild '
paches 10y military force costs the Govern =
ent not less than - ,0JO,O00 per annum. The = =