National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-30
Secretary Teller.

The Secretary of the Interior fulfills
the prediction made by THE NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN, at the time he entered upon
the duties of his present position, viz:
That he would have no ether Indian
"policy," so-called, than such u conduct
of Indian affairs us his practical expert
ence and strong common sense, applied
to current circumstances, should dictate
from time to time. No established
church or churches among them, no in
dividual titles to land to be grabbed by
cunning land-sharks, moro schools, less
beads, and no guns-these form the
foundation of the proposed treatment of
the Indian by the new Secretary. The
testimony of either of the several
churches as to the morality and gen.
eral characteristics of one of its
members proposed as an Indian agent
would be of great assistance to the
Secretary in judging of the fitness of ap-
plicants, but the churches will not eXer-
else any portion of the appointing power.
The Secretary is wise in opposing the
comforting of title to land upon individ-
ual Indians, who would fall an easy prey
to philanthropists who desire to de-
velop" large tracts. He knows the In.
dams habit of mind as to land, which is
of the communistic order. Herbert
Spencer himself could not more pas
sonately claim commonalty in land
than do our vermillion brothers. The
general education of the young the abo-
lition of gifts of barbarous gewgaws, and
the quiet disarming of the aborigines are
all the plain dictates of common sense.
A New York paper recently moaned be-
cause Secretary Teller was going to take
the guns away from the poor dear red
man. The editor would not have COM
planned at disarming of the white set
tiers, or dsbandment Of the Army, but
the pruning of the privileges of the In
dian stirred his deepest emotions, and we
can imagine him anxiously inquiring,
as the Indians attorney: "Why does
the white man follow my track?"
The sentimental Indian of Feni-
more Cooper has passed away. We are
no longer theorizing about him. He
is very ugly and troublesome fact, and
we rejoice that the governments contact
with him will be regulated by man
who prefers dull civilization to romantic
barbarism, and who does not consider
the Western white men, women, and chill
dren as the poor relations of the human
family. We can be humane toward tn o
noble savage without sharing histhirst for
the blood of the pioneers of civilization.
A STORY concerning Stephen A. Doug
lass second wife is going the rounds
which is interesting and doubtless true.
1t was not necessary, however, for the
narrator to first say that the incident re-
lated had been enormously credited to
the wife of Senator Bingham, and then
to affect or admit an ignorance rs to
whether there ever had been Senator
Bingham. Kinsley S. Bingham, for
mer Senator from the State Of Michigan,
was a member of the United States
House of Representatives from 1Sl7 to
1851 was elected governor of that State
in 1854 as Republican, and again in 1856,
and was chosen United States Senator
for the full term Of six years from March
4, 1859, to succeed Charles f. Stuart.
He died October ., 1861, He was a sterling
patriot and an able man, and was, rs the
above dates show, one of the earliest o
the viotors over the pro-slayery De
| mocracy.