New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PLEA FOR THE INDIANS.

ApLEA FOR THE INDIANS.
CENTURY OF DIsHoNOR; Sketch OF inc umt lea
states (joyerpments Dealings Win sunny v. uar
dian Tribes by ii. II. pp. 457. New-iorA' n"i-
per & Brothers . ....r;n
Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson has brought toge'hei ~
this volume many instances of gross ln]ustice anu
cruelty practsed toward tie Indians by inc on,'0u
states Government. No effort is made to wrlte
oonnoc,ed history of the policy and practice OF the
Government in its dealings with the tribes Dut
number of striking cases Of breach OF fatn' hea['-
less banishment from homes confirmed 10 inc III
dian. by solemn treaties, and wars wantonH pro
yoked in order to make an excuse for dspossessihV
them of their lands are grouped togetnei' ioi Wv
purpose evidently, of making panorama Vi o"V
rage and oppression which will arouse inc human
itaran instincts of the Nation to the point VI u0
handing that justice shall be done toward our ea'
age wards. Bishop Whpple OF Minnesota "ii'eS
a preface TO the book, and contrasts our ex-
perience with the Indians with that OF our nelsn,
bors in Canada who have no Indian wars ana
succeed in managing the tribes in their country WIN
surprisipgly little expense and trouble. An intro
duction by President Seelyc, of Amherst Coileec
follows and argues that the only solution Oh tne
Indian problem involves the entire change OF ueso
people from a savage to a civilized lie. Oi'ilHa-
tiop President Seclye thinks cannot ne acouiio" "
the INDIAN but must be conferred upon Nun do
Gift II must first be kindled and then kept alive
by genuine Christian influences we must HIS.
he honest toward hm then We must % wso al"
patient recognizing the fact that lie cannot itnine
diately enter upon the condition OF 1ull ctizeneiP
and selfdirection and caring for MIN IKE ch'iu
with wise forethought. The Delawares, Cheyennes
Ncz Perces, Poncas WnnebagOes and Cherokees arc
each made the subject OF chapter deaihhg tneir lis
tory and WRONGS Then follows chapter on MassacIes
of Indians by Whites and "a concluding chapter III
which the author argues that all judlc0us plans TOT
the safety and salvation of the Indians must cnpouy
provisions for their becoming citizens as last as tey
are fit and must protect them till then IN every rBn1
ano partjcuar in which our laws protect other per-
sons who are not citizens. However hard 1t may oe
for good statesmen and good ihen TO agree upon tno
things that ought to he done to settle tue Ihui"n
u,eston, the author thinks there ouSht 10 oe ho
difficulty in their agreeing upon certain thinss tha'
oapnt not to be done and must cease before the
first steps can be taken towardrghtlng the wrohes'
curing the ills and wipiug out the disgrace OF the
present condition of our Indians. Cheating robblug
breaking promises and refusing them the rrotecuon
of the law must cease. Then true STATES
marship. philanthropy and Christianity can
slowly and surely do the rest. lhe DOM
concludes with valuable appendix, GIVING among
other matters a clear account of the number, ioca
tion and condition of all the Indian tribes III the
United States copied from the report OF Francs n
Walker. Commissioner U
1t might, perhaps he said OF the book
that it is one-Sided that 1t conveys the 'mpIes-
sion that tie Government has invariably dealt
harshly and uniustly with the Indians; whereas. III
fact, it has in many instances behaved with
great generosity, and is now feeding cloth
ing and paving annuIties to thousands of lazy
eavages who will not work for living; that
it has often had to choose between breaking nnwise
treaties and blocking the civilization of CONT
nent; that if the treaties with the Indians had
been strictly observed all the country west OF the
Alleghanies would to-day be q bowling wilderness;
that the Indian as q rule is an ugly and vicious
creature, who only behaves himself when he is
afraid to rob and scalp his white neighbors. This
and much more might be said, but why say it'll II
said it would not excuse the folly and injustice that
has in many Instances characterized our dealings
as a nation with the aboriginal tribes. Nor is it
worth while to argue that the Indian problem is
vastly more difficult of just aud practical solution
than Eastern writers, who look at 1t from dis
lance through humanitarian telescopes, imagine.
Less force and more Kindness less shoot
ing and moro teaching will PROFESSIONALLY advance
the time of its settlement. This is the lesson " H.
H." wishes to incucate and If she succeeds III Doug
il by holding up the public eye series OF startling
pictures of Indian wrongs, drawn from century vi
American history, we ought not to find fault with
her method while admlring, we must. her motive.
FRAUDS EXPOSED; OR, How THE PEOPLE ARE DE
CEIyEp AND ROBBED YOUTH CORRUPTED. by
ANTHONY COMsIOCk SVO, PIP oIO. NeW-1 OK: j.
Howard Bowl
There could be no better evidence of the restless
activity of Mr.. Comstock than this bulky volume.
He has shown zeal in the prosecution OF his work
as agent of the Society for the Suppression of Vice
that has caused even his friends to wonder
sometimes if he were not pressing forward
too RAPIDLY. He is slow coach. lie
tells us in his preface that the book was written
piecemcal in odd moments snatcled from sleep and
dining railway travel. His book deals with pain
ful subject. 1t has been written evidently with q
view 10 wide and general circulation. for it is to be
sold by subscription. Many persons who agree upon
the wisdom of the authors detective policy will
rerbaps question the utility of laying many de-
fails of the work before the public. moral cancer
does not make an attractive spectacle 1t would be
fortunate if doctors could to wise agree
nept as to the best course OF treatment. Mr.
Constock evidently believes that society must see
before it will believe, anG he writes with the conf
dence and boldness of an enthusiast. Nothing IS
surer than that the book will provoke his old enc
mics to renewed attacks upon his methods. He is
ready for them however fer he challenges them IN
language occasionally moro fOrcbe than elegan t.,
lie writes avowedly in self-dcfence but also to
arouse an enlightened public sentiment to sus am
the enforcement of laws"