Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-30
Ex-Secretary Scburz In Boston.

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The ex-secretary OF the interior depart
ment was the recipient of very handsome
testimonial at the hands Of his Boston
friends and admirers on Tuesday evening,
the 22d instant Two hundred and forty
guests, all that the spacious dining-rooms OF
the Hotel Vendome could accommodate, sat
down to an elegant dinner given in Mr.
Schurz's honor. No worthier subject for
such an honor is now living. Arriving on
our shores a stranger to our language and
institutions, he interpreted and mastered
the full significance of each with clearness
that has never been surpassed by the most
brilliant native-born son OF Columbia. His
loyalty to his adopted country has been as
conspicuous as his clear conceptions OF the
principles that underlie our form of govern
ment. At the outset an ardent anti-slavery
man, an earnest and skillful advocate of an
ideal freedom, his influence over his coun-
trymen, as well as native-born Americans,
was supreme and has had manifest effect
in turning to the ranks of the Republican
party the great majority Of the Germans in
America. The record of Mr.. Schurz in the
field as commander in our army, in con-
gress as a legislator, binding up and hus-
banding the results of the late civil war, be
fore the people as the originator and advo.
cate of new departure in the matter of
the civil service of the nation, and in the
cabinet practically applying those princi-
pies and giving the first tangible solution to
the vexed question of the Indian policy of
the government,-ha been too conspicuous
and is too wildly remembered to require any
elaboration for even casual reader of
American history during the last quarter of
century.
The significance of last weeks demonstra-
ton in Boston grows out of the fact that
coterie of Boston philanthropists, discerning
the wrong done the Ponca Indians after Sec
manded, from a partial knowledge of the
circumstances, that a course OF remedial &C.
ton should be pursued by the interior de-
partment which was at variance with the
NiVWo VI bnC stClcbhils Hdb OiuClhl, lTOu
his full knowledge of all the inner circum-
stances, and from his well.known fidelity
and devotion to every precept of liberty and
humanity, might naturally be supposed to
have more correct ideas as to the true method
OF procedure in the work of reparation to
the outraged Poncas. Notwithstanding the
plain fact that he has conceived and pract-
cally applied, so far as he could in four years
time, a scheme of "read justment" of the
Indians relation to civilization, scheme
that embodies the moral and material eleva-
ton of the Indian, his education, his division
into families, owning land in severalty in
stead of by tribes, his adaptation to agricul-
ture and to industrial pursuits, in Short
qualifying him for the duties and RESPONSE
bilities of citizenship in the full significance
of that term,-he has been bitterly assaied
his acts and motives impeached, and such
gross and brutal purpose and deeds charged
upon him that, instead of genuine human
reeking with the red mans blood, has seemed
to be at the head of Indian affairs during
the past four years. The natural effect of
this most unfortunate course of few self
willed and superserviceable friends of the
Indians has been to draw the public atten-
ton more sharply both to the real scope of
Secretary Schurz's Indian management and
to the general subject of the governments
Indian rnIiov The l..
night, though confined to Boston, the head
quarters and practically the territorial area
of Mr.. Schurz's condemnation, was in fact
representative affair, with large constit-
uency all over this country. Mr.. Schurz,
individually, has been the gamer from these
unwarrantable assaults. The awakened
conscience Of the nation on the general sub
ject of ga century of dishonor" to the Indi-
ans, which has been one of the results of
this Ponca agitation, will not sleep again till
the new Indian policy has been put on an
enduring basis.
The company was made up of represent
atives from every class of Boston society.
The speaking, especially by Mr.. Schurz, was
exceptionally good. The general principles
OF craftsmanship as well as the management
OF the Indian department were ably dis
cussed. President Eliot of Harvard College
and Hon. Edward L. Prince were among the
speakers, and letters of endorsement were
read from Hayes, from ex-Sec-
retaries Evarts, Sherman and Devens, from
George William Curtis and others. Mr.. |
Schurz spent several days in Boston and
was the recipient of many minor honors and
courtesies. The worthy Teuton should now
be able to await with complacency the fire
OF bis critics which will be launched upon
his devoted head when the rest of Boston |
dimes Hoar and Dawaa