The Portland daily press., 1885-02-28

There was large attendance of ladies at the
vestry of the State street church yesterday at.
ternoon, to listen to an address by Mrs. Quin-
ton, the secretary of the National Indian AS
ISOLATION. Mrs. Quinton is an able, fluent
speaker, thoroughly acquainted with her sub
ject, and eloquent by reason of her earnest
ness. She held the closest attention of her
audience for over an hour.
Mrs. Quinton took up first the general out
look OF The Iaoian problem and then descend
ing into particulars, described the condition
aud such traits of the Indian as had fallen I'M
der her own personal experience. It was get
ting more and more difficult, she said to dis
cues this problem. But of late the government
mad been stirred up, and was doing more now
than it had done. There is a saving that zeal
for the welfare of the red man increased in
proportion TO the distance from their homes.
But this Is not SO. There are a large number
OF Indian associations established in the West
and tbs results of their work comDare very fa-
voraDly with that of eastern societies. The
great Deed of the Indian is that he should be
put on q level with the white man. AT the
present time he has no existence in the eyes Of
the law. This is the fundamental error in the
treatment OF the Indians, and one which must
De corrected as early as possible. Legislation
should be directed to the end that he may
have the same rights before the law as the
white man. In order to influence this legisla-
ton, mass meetings have been held, articles
written for the secular and religious papers,
tracts and pamphlets have been distributed,
and letters from various influential citizens
have been sent TO the representatives in Con-
gress.
The Indians are scattered about on their diff
ferent reservations, of which there are about
sixty. The tribes differ as much in character
as do the different nations of Europe. 1t is
mistaken idea to consider all the tribes as
thinking and acting alike, and it is mistaken
policy to try to make them all farmers. Their
tastes differ in their choice of pursuits just as
do those of white men. Then again, the land
in some OF the reservations is not fitted for
farming, but only for grazing 1t is mistak-
en- notion also to think that they wont work.
Indian nature is human nature, and when
once they realize that working is better for
them than fighting, they will go to work. In
THIS matter government is not wholly blame
less. for in specific instances it has refused to
allow the Indians to cut timber beyond what
they need for their own ase SO to work mines
upon their own lands. They are said to be
cruel and revengeful, and it is in measure
true. But our government reports tell of too
many outrages practiced upon them by white
people for us to criticize them too severely. The
agency system, though perhaps good in theory
is bad in its workings. An agent on his own
reservation is supreme. and his absolute
power opens the door to the commission of
many frauds upon his unfortunate charges
The true solution of the problem seems to be
to put the Indian on an equality with the
white man before the law There is no good
reason why this should not be done.
Passing from the general to the particular,
Mrs. Q0inton gave very interesting descrip-
ton of some of the incidents of their life,
which had come under her own personal OBJ
servation, describing briefly their huts and
lodges, and their manner of living, and closed
with an eloquent appeal for the different socie-
ties and the ladies in particular to use their
best influences to the end that the Indian
should be placed on his proper moral and social
footing.