The Penn's Grove record., 1884-10-25
LETTER.
Washington, D. C., Oct. %, "a


Washington, d. G., Oct. %, -.
A strong pressure will be brought 10
bear upon the approaching session of
Congress to do something toward the
amelioration Of the present condition
of our Indians. What a terrible story
comes to us Of the furnishing Piegans
who are being decimated by disease
brought Un for want of proper food
And tie stories are true, because they
come from official sources dispatched
by the Government for the express pur
pose OF investigating them. In. this
Indian business we have held a most
unhappy position from the time that
we have undertaken an Indian policy.
The solution of the aboriginal problem
has been tried by every President from
Washington to Arthur, and Mr.. jeff
erson whose Quaker policy was first
inaugurated made a more dismal fail
ure of it than Grant did a half a CEN
fury after. I'VE should govern them
by love and Kindness" said Mr.. Jen-
erson, and 80 he sincerely endeavored
to do, but the contractor was abroad
in the land AS lie has eyer been since,
and the Indian Bible of Eliot has been
transformed into a euchre-deck, and
the principal English that the Indian
first acquaints himself with is that
used for the choicest of profanity.
Through the maintenance Of an army
of school teachers may be cheaper than
that of soldiers, and school books less
expensive than cannon, there is still a
sentiment among a large portion of the
American people that civilization has
got to he crammed down the throat of
the rad man, as turkeys are stuffed for
Christmas.
From official data furnished by the
directors OF the mint, we find that the
whole circulation Of money in the
country on October 1st was 81, sos ,422,
054, or thirty-three dollars per capita,
were it not for the fact that more than
one quarter of this vast sum is lying
idle in the Treasury vault OF the
$4,000, 900 in gold and silver coin in
existence here, 1886, 900, 600 OF nearly
one half lies rusting in rotten canvas
bags, not only earning nothing but de
priying the business interests Of the
country of the means to contribute to
the prosperity of the people. And the
useless taxation OF the people continues
On. ms cad then, of having thirty
three dollars per capita of circulation,
We only have a little more than twen-
ty-four per capita, which is less than
that of France, Germany, England, or
wen Italy with all her paupers. What
kind OF craftsmanship is it that thus
boards up in the Government Golfers
the money that is absolutely robbed
from the people in the way Of taxation, |
when there is nc earthly occasion for
it? Another beautiful illustration OF
cur monetary system is the fact Of our
coming GOO, 00a silver dollars per
month under the requirements Of the
law, when we have 142, 900 900 OF these
same dollars locked up, and all the
available space in the rs asury vaults
filed up with them!
In the quiet of a sabbath afternoon
l visited the dark and bloody ground
at Bladensburg, which is about II TWEEN
ty minutes horseback ride from the
capitol. In the memorable epoch OF
duelling, when every mans wounded
honor carried its appeasement in a vi
cions-IoOking h~orse-pistOl, this spot was
the chosen field for both civilians and
knights OF war. 1t was here that the
Youthful Decatur went to his doom by
the unerring aim Of Barron. 1t was
here that Cilley, a member OF Congress
from Maine. bit the dust when Graves,
OF Kentucky, got in his work first. 1t
was here that Clay received the fire OF
Randolph after delivering his own,
ar each, finding the other unhurt,
fell upon each others necks and wept.
1t was here that Thomas IL. Benton,
Henry A. Wise, and "a score OF othfr
Congressman have met aud settled
their differences eilhei by the code or
by compro 2isrs and mutual conces-
sions. The place il peculiarly adapted
by nature for the purpose TO which
these sensitive public man put it, for
it was at that time surrounded by n
dsnse forest of trees, at IA suitable dis
lance fr IN the road to avoid scrutiny
from neddlesome passers-by, The
spot is broad plat Of ground just east
Of the Baltimore turnpike, aud by the
side Of d sluggish little stream that
has its source a. a spring near the vii
lage OF Bladensburg. There Is IA will
low tree planted AT the exact spot
where Galley fell, which has
grown to large proportions, and the
t. additions of the spot are suggestive of
the difference in the intensity of regard
for ones honor then and now.
DON PEDRO.