The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-16
NATIONAL INDIAN ASSOCIATION
Mrs. Quinton at Congress Square Church
An Auxiliary Association Formed.

The meeting on behalf of the National In
dian Association was held at the Congress
Square church last evening, to listen to Mrs
Amelia s. Quinton of Philadelphia, secretary
of the Association. The meeting was opened
by prayer from Rev. Mr.. Dalton. Rev. Mr..
Blanchard then introduced Rev. DR. Hill,
who said he should be able to say but few
words owing to previous engagement but he
wished to express his interest in the move
mont. If Erasmus Darwin were right in his
assumption that plants were sensitive, he
was right too in asserting it was wrong to cut
the plant. For whatever has the power to feel
pain has claim on our kindness So whatev-
er being has the power to appreciate injustice
has claim to just treatment. Even if it were
established that all the nations were not of
one blood that does not alter the ethical claims
on US; even if the Indian were incapable of at
tanning our civilization, his claim is that he
feels injustice and deprivation Of his rights.
DR.. Hills earliest political remembrance was
under Gen. Jackson's administration, of the
successful effort to take the Cherokees' land
from them. He reioiced that there was SO
much greater interest manifested in this ques-
y
came here to interest Portland people in the
wrong done to the Poncas, and was obliged to
pay the expenses of the hall himself. Another
friend who was sent by the Methodist denomi-
nation testifies thatfrom his two years daily
association with the Indians he could assert
they were capable of high civilization. They
had moral qualities that enabled them to eni-
brace Christianity. Such men should not be
treated as beasts. The duty rests on US as in
dividuals, each guilty to his own con-
science if he neglects to right wrong where
ever it exists.
Mr.. Blanchard introduced Mrs. Quinton in
few eloquent remarks in support of the move
ment, and expressed his own determination
to give it more earnest support in the future.
Mrs. Quinton said this is new yet old topic.
The movement began in Philadelphia from
the interest awakened by home mission work
among Indians. Nearly four years ago an as
sociation was formed at first with associate
committees in other states. The first year they
sent a petition to Congress of 1900 names
The second year the petition went to Congress
with $4,000 names representing all the States
and some territories. The fourth year the as
sociation has permanently organized with
auxiliares in nearly all the leading cities and
twenty states They have sent out million
pages OF information compiled from official
documents, reports, &c. Gen. Harvey says
that from fifty years army service he never
knew the Indians to be first to break treaty
An Olu OuuCi&l repOf6 says. uuu tuaV Inc
removal OF the Indians from the north to
southern reservations results practically in their
determination" and goes on to recommend
that the Indians should be removed forthwith
to the lndiyn territory
With nine years labor among the Modoc
tribe, Immediately following the war of the
Lava BEDS the whole tribe is civilized, holding
lands in seYeralty not from government titles
as they should be. The large majority of the
tribe are members Of some religious denomin-
alton, many of the prominent chiefs and war
riors being preachers. Here would seem to be
| the true way of dealing with the Indian
| problem. The plan of keeping them ON reser-
yations should be only with the ultimate aim
| OF educating them for citizens-when one is
reminded that the Modoc experiment for the
| nine years has cost far inside OF $4,000 and
| that one of thelate Indian wars cost the govern
ment $40 100000, there would seem no ne ces-
sty of argument. 1t is far from the time
when in our early treatries we called
the Indians independent nations to 1871 when
IT was declared a blunder to have treated