The record-union., 1891-03-08
Commissioner Morgan Not in
Favor of Disarming Them.
HE DOES NOT THINK THE OCCASION
CALLS FOR 1T.
The Commissioner Says He Fears the
Indians Would Not be Safe, Either
In Their Persons or in Their Prop
Were Entirely Without Means of
Self-Defense.
special 10 the SUNDAY UNION.

Special 10 the SUNDAY UNION.
WAsHINGToN, March Z. Recently
General Morgan, Commissioner of In
dian Affairs, was requested by the Secre-
tary OF the Interior to give an expression
OF his views upon the communication of
the Governor OF South Dakota urging
the disarming of Indians in that State.
In reply, General Morgan states: ''The
reasons for disarming the Indians are OBJ
vlous and weighty, viz: to prevent them
from going on the warpath and quiet the
fears of white settlers in their vicinity.
If thought there was really serious dan
ger of any considerable number of In
dians going on the warpath, or that the
surest way of preventing any Indians
from becoming hostile was to disarm all,
/ should be very slow to interpose any
objection to the measure. If I felt that
the white settlers were in serious danger
of attack by the Indians, and was con-
WINGED that their safety demanded the
action above suggested, could not well
resist II. But so tar as my knowledge
extends, can hardly believe there is
any serious danger of an Indian uprising.
believe the Indians to be, for the most
part, inclined to peace and averse to war.
"They are sufficiently intelligent to un.
derstand to what fearful disadvantage
they would be in war with the United
States. They know our vast resources,
and are conscious OF their own weakness.
Moreover, many reasons which have ex-
listed among them for discomfort can be,
and by Congressional action just had
Will be, removed. The settlers in the
vicinity OF the reservation have been
frightened, and not without reason, and
yet during all the excitement, and in
spite of bitter provocation, the Indians
have attacked no white people in their
homes, nor so far as I know have they
seriously threatened their peace Those
should unquestionably be disarined, and
their leaders severely punished. But
during the late trouble in Dakota the
great body of Sioux who were friendly
and innocent should not suffer with the
guilty. To make no distinction in the
treatment of the Indians who took part in
the hostilities and those who remained
loyalty. would be an act OF injustice
which the Indian is as quick to recognize
and resent as the white man
1t would be great hardship to those
Indians to lose their arms, which they
greatly prize. They use them in slaugh-
tering their cattle, in hunting and in
sport 1t is with some hesitation that
say, and say it only after careful de-
liberation and with sincere sorrow, that I
greatly fear the Indians would not be
safe either in their persons or in their
property If it were known that they were
entirely without means of self-defense.
The recent sad events in Dakota,
where 1t is said women and little children
were shot down by soldiers of the United
States army, and others were ambushed
and slain without provocation by citi-
ZenS, have shown US how pitifully de-
fenseless these poor creatures might be
II wholly unarmed and unable to protect
themselves.
ITO disarm the Indians generally, and
leave the whole body of Sioux srnarting
under'a sense of helplessness and wrong,
would tend to produce among them a
widespread feeling of irritation, unrest
and diStrust, disastrous not only to the
peace and prosperity of the Indians, but
liable in itself to bring about the very
danger which disarming is intended to
prevent, tor should the arms they now
possess be forcibly taken from them, there
is nothing either in the law or the habits
OF the people surrounding them to pre-
vent them from arIning themselves anew
at the earliest opportunity by purchasing
from whites.
For the prevention of further trouble.
AZ SSoihS - hlC necessary 10 treaC them
justly and kindly, maintain among them
a well-disciplined, suitably-paid, vigilant
Indian police force, and lastly keep at the
exposed points small garrison of troops
sufficient, in case of great emergency. to
aid in maintaining order and protecting
both the Indians and whites"
INDIAN RECRUITS.
WASHINGTON, March THE general
order issued by Secretary Proctor in re-
gard to the enlistment of 1000 Indians in
the army is as follows:
The following named companies now
skeletonized, namely, Troop l. of each of
the cavalry regiments excepting the
Ninth and Tenth), and Company / of
each of the infantry regiments exceptinp
the Sixth, Eleventh, Fifteenth, Nine
teenth, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fitth,
will be recruited by the enlistment of In
dams to the number of tifty-five for each
troop and company.
whenever practical the enlistments for
each regiment will be made within the
department in which the regimental
headquarters are located. The officer, in
making such enlistments, will be gov
erned by the existing laws and regula-
tions, but a competent knowledge of the
English language need not be considered
an essential qualification, and married
men not exceeding ten for each troop or
company may be enlisted, with the APP
proval of the department commander.
The enliStments of Indians under the
provisions of this order will be distin-
guished from the enlistments of Indian
scouts.
1.-The regimental commanders may, with
the approval of the proper department
commander, temporarily attach to the
Indian companies such officers as are es-
peclally fitted for service Herewith. Ulti-
mately non-commissioned officers for
these companies will be supplied by the
appointment of Indians in the manner
indicated by the regulations, but until
TINS Is practical available non-commis-
stoned officers of either of the skeleton
companies OF the regiment may be util-
1zed, or, II necessary, non-commissioned
officers from the organized companies of
the regiment may be temporarily de-
tailed.
''Ihe number of enlisted Indian scouts
will be reduced without unnecessary de-
lay to $50, apportioned as follows among
the several departments: Dakota 35'
Platte %, Missouri %, Texas %, Arizona
so. Columbia TO-"
SENATOR HEARST,S REMAINS.
The Funeral Train Leaves WASHINGTON
o.,