The Russellville Democrat., 1879-11-06
Facts Versus Sentimentality.

The notion very generally held Y regard to the Indians is that they are the real owners ot this continent, and the people who now occupy, pos. sess and rule it, are trespassers on the domain of the red men. A vast deal of sentimental bosh has been written in accordance with ab. surd theories, and, to great extent it has controlled our relations and dealings with the Aborigines. It is high time to have done with such nonsense.
 The settlement of this land by Flu. ropeans was AS inevitable result Of it's discovery as heat is product q combustion, and when that settle. n.ent began the decadenee of barbar ism was as snre to begin and go on before the progress of civilization as water is to flow along an inclined plane. Civilization demanded the soil for agricultural uses, and that i'm peratlve demand compelled the red men either to change their mode of life, by learning to till the soil and ceasing their dependence on hunting, or to gradually fade out of existence as the frontier line moved across tue country, leaving at it's rear fields, towns and cities on the sites of wig wams and hunting grounds. WhcS the first European immigrants came here, it was their policy to make terms with the Indians, for they were at their mercy, but it was absurd for the Government, after its organization, to recognize tribes Of Indi ians as distinct nations, and en- ter into solemn treaties with them -treaties that were fore ordained to be broken by the government, be- cause they set apart and dedicated to rowing tribes and bands of red men vast tracts of country that must in few years be occupied by the whites. Wars and complications in numerable have resulted from thls preposterous business of making compacts impossible to be maintain. ed and We are still going on Tn the old way, as if experience had,taught us no lesson.
 We owe the Indians nothing ex. cept what the rich and powerful owe to the poor and weak. We are not responsible for the events that have made this country the home of 50,000,000 intelligent and prosper ous people, the leading nation of tho glope; instead of a wilderness, inhab tied by scattered tribes of savages, They have no claim to the 'owner. ship of the soil because they were not strong enough to hold 1t. t was taken from them by the opeT' ation of natural causes, and not by any fault that we are bound to atone for. Harsh as these facts may seem they are undeniable, and it is time to substitute them for the sentimental' ity that has too long dictated our h. dian policy.
 The Indians must become ot the American people, must take up farms, learn to support themselves obey the laws and give up the notion that anybody else is bound to take care and provide for them. Because they are ignorant and poor we shoulV try to teach them thearts ofcivlllzeo life, and help them towards sell maintenance but they should Dc made to feel and know that.they can have no future unless they make lt' that they will not be treated as chlI, dren, but will be held. as capable ol earning their subsistence, and ths' when they murder the border settlers they must suffer death for theil crimes. All this can be done, for lt has already been accomplished Witn many thousand Indians who are ln' dustIious, intelligent and prosperous,
 Our Indian policy is great wrong to the red men as to the whites, ahg the interests of all demand raoicS' reformation of the entire system; The Indians must learn to work ana obey the laws. IT they will not uy to profit by the instructions gwen them, their departure for the happy hunting grounds must only DC question of time.-W ashlngton Ios..
 M~ Madison Dtspensary'