Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-17


capital stock, is meeting with considerable
favor. Another suggestion is that the
National banks of the country collectively
undertake the guaranty of the bank notes
of each. Some plan must be devised,
sooner or later, in order that the
extinction of the national debt
many not prove the death-blow of
our popular national banking system
Injustice to the Indian.
Those who heard the remarks of Rev.
Mr.. Shelton, secretary of the Indian de-
partment of the American Missionary AS
citation, in this city last sunday evening,
must have been impressed with the fact
that the Indians OF this country have been
most shamefully wrOnged, both by the
government and by the people. The
| speaker made the assertion that there
never had been treaty made by the gov
eminent with an Indian tribe in the
! West which had been lived up to by the
| former for six months. This is pretty
sweeping statement, but we have no
| doubt that it is true and certainly the
gentleman who made it could have no OBJ
| iect in eNaggerating facts. He simply
]
what he had been told by members of the
Indian commission. He said that the In
dians had come to the point where they
could put no further trust in the word of
Il white man. After the most shameless
disregard of treaty after treaty, with the
government owing the tribes millions of
dollar.on forfeited agreements in the past,
/ is it any wonder that the Indians refuse
/ to take any stock il the professions OF the
white man ?
1t would be les than human. uu,,.r
such circumstances. for the Indian nor 90
seek redress in the only way Omen Z, him.
suppose the condition, reversed. me
( American people pcnned un III "A western
reserve and the Indian uuiinu h,lIinr
control of the country. Cl1,vulu.. a series
of eXasperating Violations of treaty ;,-..c..
ment and repudiatiug all past liabilities for
Sequestrated territory. 1hp lut.lu begins
to invade even the lanG If refuge Of Tin"
white man-the sole territory left which
he can call his own. suppose that some
ten million acres of land ia tni, re,rrva-
ton had been taken pos-cssiOu of by the
conuuering race. who proceed to disre-
regard all the rights of ownership
Of the occupants and stake out
the land for cattle ranches and wheat
farms. And then suppose that the wrong
ed American people should rise in indig
nation. and fight for their rights-would
it be called an American Outrage: IA dis
graceful and bloody revolt of the white
tribes ? Or would it not rather he called
patriotism and devotion to the rights of
man and the principles of human liberty :
The colonies had not half the Just provo
cation to revolt against the tyranny of
Great Britain which the Indians of the
West now have to revolt against the
tyranny and injustice of the American
government
The present policy of the government
toward the Indians seems to be one of eX-
termination-no direct and immediate.
but by slow degrees. The plan of herdiug
the tribes upon reservations can have no
other meaning than this. 1t is like confin-
ing cattle in shambles until it is their turn
to he slaughtered The government by
, this system provides only for the tempo
rary existence of the race. While they
are being eXterminated. the government
gives the Indians the liberty of so many
acres of land, provided they do not mis-
, takenly consider it their own, and ere ready
to surrender such portions of it as they NAV
be occupying to the first white land-grab-
Der who comes along with title deed in
= the muzzle of his rifle Not only is thi,
f an unjust and unchristian policy. but it is
also unsuccessful Statistics show that
instead of decreasing, the number of In
dams in this country i, increasing every
year. The race refuses to he aunihilatcd
! What ought the government to do. then.
! as il matter of policy, if not as "A matter OF
: humanity and Justice 1t ought to reyolu
tiOnize. and that Immediately its who'll,
, system vi trc"tluS the lu'llal' ne Hrs'
a y J"'''o0 "'U'" w '''o "p.''
In'iia w. 'Ile .s'.. 't'''o'' system III
5 l'''''i. 'l''''' oc 'io''eu Is "'"n' "o' :"
q q" oi''ii''i' IT - OpiilPu'C' 'Hdt INC gov