The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-02-15
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
Mr.. Herbert welsh in plymouth Church

LHh INDIAN GuESIlON'
MFR. Herbert Welsh in Plymouth Church.
A deeply interested audience gathered in
Plymouth church last evening to hear Mr.
Herbert Welsh of Philadelphia on the "In-
dian Question" After singing by the excel
lent choir Dr. Seward read chapter from the
Scriptures, and Rev. Mr.. Dalton offered
prayer. Mr.. Herbert Welsh was then intro
duced and the following is an abstract of his
address:
| MR.. WEIGHS ADDRESS.
Mr.. Welch's narrative consisted, to a con-
| siderable extent, of q story of his observations
! during a tour among the Indian missionary
stations of the far West. This missionary
| work ne described 90 planting the light of
christianity IN the midst of heather darkness
The reality of the impression which Christian
| ity has made upon the Ineians, who have been
| converted TO IL, is, he said, demonstrated in
their changed appearance and demeanor,
| wherein there is strong contrast when, as it
| oiteh happens, they are seen in the presence
| OF other ludians yet in their native savagery,
ana armed with weapons of warfare There
Can be 10 installing the effect, and the sceptic
would have to admit that Christianity,
whether true or false, as presented in tn mis-
sions, has done it.. The change means civil
lzation. These men and omen were savages;
now they are in their habits, department and
aims like the white men. They cultivate farms
aud have ambition to own the farms they TILL
each man his particular farm. They seek to
De ike the whites in other respects, and the
children especially are earnest in their desire
10 attend school and study the language of the
whites Upon entering one of these mission
school buildings he waited in the reception
room short time till the matron should APP |
pear, and what first caught his attention was |
the sound OF singing from one Of the other
parts OF the building, where the girls we're en- |
gageo In domestic work. They sang such songs |
OF hymns as their white sisters would have |
sung. Ia the schooi-room their answers to
ques ions asked were spoken in perfectly liz
trlhgible English and with a promptness and |
dlrectnesS that showed they we'll apprehended |
the questions, and SO far ss the questions re-
lated 70 their studies, that they had faithfully 1
STUDIED the lessons OF the school. The English
language, IL is to be remembered, was foreign
Tongue TO them, and yet they appeared as well
as, speaking in general. clsss of white boys
and girls anywhere in this land who had
studied the same lessons would have appeared.
These exercises, and Others similar seen and
nearo elsewhere, proved that these people are
lesh ana blood like ourselves and that some
thing better should be their destiny than ex-
termination, which is what the white people
about them too generally think should be their
DOOM Que OF these converted Indiars had
become preacher OF Christ to MS fellow In
reverence and dignity deaconS of the church. |
The great difficulty be overcome in dealing
with the lnoian problem is the bad faith Of
the Officials OF the United States government
III deailng with natives. The speaker related
several instances wherein the specific and I'M
deniaole agreements which had been made on
the part OF The government officials, by treaty,
ana sanctloned at Washington, had either been
wnoily ignored or had oniy with great difficult
ty aud persistent effort on the part OF The
iFlehas OF the Indians been carried in o effect
Such experiences lead the Indians to be dis
trustfui u the whites, aud The warike and
rowing INDIANS, who reiu,e to come into condi-
lions compatible with civilization, upon every
new instance of bad faith taunt their brothers
who have come into relations with the Gov
ernneit, SAYING, "We knew it would be SO,
Tor these white men are all liars" Ons in
stance OF this kind was in the removal of the
sioux lgdlans TO their reservation, wherein it
was agreed by treaty that whenever any Indi-
an should have built upon his plot of ground a
mouse OF given value, and cultivated certain
area ana raised certain quantity of produce,
the farm should be given TO him by deed in |
David Graham, a Sioux Indian,
was the nrst to make application Tor such a
leed. lnere was ho question but that he had
done all aud more tlaD the treaty called for,
yet 1t required persistent piication during a
period OF more than five years to bring IL
about II was finally done. not through any of
Inc depar ments or bureaus agencies, for
they each in turn passed the matter 10 the
next, and finally the white men who had in-
erested thems Ives in the matter we're told by
high government officers that they must 90
Oack 10 the place OF original application aud
Try again whore refusal had once been distluc
y made. The appeal vas then made by these
riends cirecty Ia person to the Secretary of
he Interior, who is a Christian gentleman
md bis mandate at length secured that to
David Graham what the simple reading of the
realty by any man would have shown was at
)Aee his due.
There a public sentiment in the Indian
country which works against the Indian at all
POINTS lie is not citizen and as no rights
before the law. The origin of this adverse
ceiling is In the rapacity of contractors and
pecuiatorS and persons who si TO get the
Indians land away from them for nothing
snen they shall have got it into cultivation. |
The contractors see that il is not for their in-
crest ptcunarily that the Indians shall be-
ome seif-snpporting citizens but rather that
De system OF dependence the Government
the ration system shall b. maintained
tbs East aud throughout the heart OF the
ouniry that shall sustain and compel the ac-
ION OF The authariii4s- nEsA ia.ss,1sl tn TO-
peel to whatever simple Justice to the Indians
emands. 1t IS tor the economic Interest OF
he country, since it costs far less than the
olicy OF war and exterminatlon, that the In-
ian population should become a civilized, in
nsirions and set-suppoi ting population. The
fundamental doctrine or prime pie on when
ur Government rests, that of the equal rights
i men, requires that an equitable policy shall
70 pursued toward them, and the truths aud :
,recepis Of the Christian religion are in unison
With that which political economy aud our po-
itical principles demand at our hands.
At the close of the ADDRESS Bishop Nicely
made some brief but pertinent remarks and
he audience theu dispersed.