The Portland daily press., 1880-12-13
The Indian Question.
The Relations of the United States with
the Indians.

The following Is an abstract of an interest
ing and instructive paper on the relations of
the United States to the Indians, read by Mr..
David G. Haskins, Jr., of Boston, at the meet
ing of the New England Historical and Genea-
logical Society last week:
The story Of the relations of the Govern
ment and people Of the United States with the
Indians is not the proudest chapter in our ma
tional annals; but, however unpleasing, it can
not be ignored. The Indian problem is to-day
living question, perhaps the most important
one before the country; and it cannot be INTEL
ligently considered without an acquaintance
with this little known portion of our history
or the origin and early history of the race L
can to-day say nothing. nor of the dreary Sc
rles OF cruel and treacherous deeds that marked
the early Intercourse between them aud the
white explorers and inhabitants. The subject
OF tins paper is simply the dealings of the
United States Government with the Indians;
the history OF that unfortunate race during tie
last hundred years. AT the outbreak of the
revolutionary war, the Continental Congress
refused to employ Indians, but in 1776 they
Abandoned this honorable position and author
ICED their employment. The larger part of the
Indians, however. topk up the tomahawk for
The English, and massacres and ravages were
committed on both sides. At the Close Of the
war Great Britain abandoned her Indian allies
without a word i'll their favor. but treaties
were made with them by the United States and
tho Cherokees received the right to send del
egate to Congress.
The history of the subsequent relations be-
tween the United States and the Indians
divided itself into three great periods. The
first, extending FROM the Revolution to the
year 1919, Was the period of wide-spreading
Indian Combinations to resist the encroach-
mants OF the whites, and of wars ins gated by
iore'gn agents our froutiers. The second
irom 1919 to 1S48, Was the period during wht
the policy OF removing the Indians tu the west
If the Mississippi was developed and carried
ont. the third, from lS48 t. li,e present tune,
mas been he period of overland travel to the
Pacifc, And vi conflict with the tribes Of the
plains and the Wtsiern coast.
The events OF the first period group them
selves around two OF the most remarkable men
that the Indian race has producsd-Thayeu-
danegea Tor Brant) and Tecurnseh. Tho for
ner was head chief of the Six Nations, and
after the Revolution conceived the patriotic
idea OF uniting all the tribes of the Northwest
INTO grand confed-racy under his dirt ctio,.
The great object Was to prevent the sale of
lands without the assent of the whole BODY
In pursuahc of this Sc eme many tribes met
in council in December, 1856, and prepared AN
address, which they sent to Congress- Insti.
gated aud encouraged by the English, the ln-
dians committed such ravages that In 1870
Generat Harmar was sent Against them with
military force. He Withdrew after two uuspc.
cessful engagements, and the NJ 1t year Geu r
al ST. Clair, in a similar expedition, sustained
the most disastrous defeat ever experienced bv
the United States troops at the hands of the
Indians, who, on this occasion, are belle we'd to
have been commanded by Brant. After un-
successful negotiations, during which Brant
visited Philadelphia aud was induced to under
take peace mission to the hostile tribes, Gen.
eral Wayne fought decisive battle in 1894,
routing the Indians under the guns of an Eng
ling fort, and in 1875 concluded treaty with
the hostile tribes by which large territory
was ceded to the United States This was
Brant last campaign. His efforts to combine
the tribes had failed, and he passed the rest Of
his life quietly among his own tribe in their
Canadian home.
His mantle fell on the shoulders of Tecum-
sch, worthy successor, distinguished for per-
sonai beauty, and for his noble character. He
and his brother, who claimed to be a prophet,
la ored for years to unite the Indians In q
grand confederacy, and 'Tecumseh, with won-
derful energy, traversed the country in every
direction. penetrating even into Florida in the
prosecution of his mission. During his abb
sence, however, his followers were beaten and
dispersed IN battle at the Tippecanoe village
by General Harrison, and his scheme was de-
stroyed.
In the war of 1912, which soon after broke
out ne was made a brigadier general
in battle. The American disasters at the be-
ginning of the war led to rising of the Creeks
in the South, who were conquered by Andrew
jackson. The cession of Florida by Spain to
the United s ates, in 1S4l, terminated the first
period OF this history. and active foreign insti-
CATION of Indian hostilities henceforth ceased
During the next period the Government
adopted and carried out the policy of remov-
lug by means of treaty arrangements the
Eastern indians to countries beyond the Mis-
slssippi. In some cases fraud was resorted to,
and treaties We're made with small, irresponsi-
BILE bands, who assumed to sell the land of
their tribes. The highly civilized Cherokees
IN Georgia were very reluctant to emigrate,
but abandoned by the United States Govern
ment and refused the privilege of maintaining
their rights in the Supreme Court, they were
forced to submit. By the year 1888 over 81 900
Indians had been removed, and comparatively
few were left east Of the Mississippi.
Two Wars were occasloned by the attempt to
carry out this policy-that with Black Hawk
in the North which resulted in q success for
The Government, at n cost of $20O0OOO; and
that with the Seminoles in the South, in
which, after years of fighting and the expendi-
Iure of $10.OO0,0O0 the whole power Of the
dians.
In the third period, the difficulties have
mostly grown out of the emigration across the
continent, leading to collisions with the fierce
tribes of the plains and the Pacific coast, who
had hitherto been undlsturbed by white Gu
eroachments.
The war Of secession brought woe to the civ
ilized tribes OF the Indian Territory, and re-
ports OF national reverses sustained at the
hands OF the Southern rebels were among the
causes that led to the terrible rising ami ma :.
sacreS by the Sioux in Minnesota in 1867 The
building OF the Pacific Railroad excited the
hostility OF the tribes. So difficult was II found
20 tight the Indians that even General Shsr-
man advised negotiating. and peace COM
mission was appointed. which, in connectio
with General Sheridan's vigorous operations
IN the neid, restored comparative tranqu,lli y.
Time fails 70 ennmsrate the wars that have
taken place. The Modoc war and the destruc-
ton OF Clusters command are fresh In the
memory. And still the bloody record goes on.
Five hundred million dollars are estimated to
have been expended on our Indian wars; and
these wars. according to the best Authorit es,
have been almost all caused by the viola ions
of treaties and encroaehments by white men.
Al the last session of Congress nu less than
FIVE bills were before the Senate relating TO
the Indian Territory. Designing capitalists
and railroad men evidently have their eve ou
this tempting region. The Supreme Court, BY
decision some years since has swept away the
whole fabric OF Indian treaties. aud the only
hope OF the Indians now is in the honor aud
good faith OF the United States Congress
What shall be done with the Indian is the
great question of the day. He eau no longer
be removed beyond the limits OF advancing
civilization; he must be civilized, protected,
and brought by prudent and judcious means
to abandon the tribal organization, and to set
tie down 10 farming, stock raising or other
congenial pursuits az citizen OF the Repub-
lie. And to devise and carry out the measures
to effect this will tax the best. statesmanship
Of the land.