The Potteries Examiner : — 1876-09-09 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

PRESIDENT GRANTS INDIAN POLICY.  The ingratitude of popular masses is proverbial. A very gloss instance has just been exemplified by a large body oi the people of 'he western and border Slates of America. For many years these districts were subjected to frequent inroads and assaults by the Indians, owing, in great degree, to the infamous frauds and brutalities perpetrated upon the Aborigines by many of the whites themselves But 84011 after the accession of President Grant to power, he determined to inaugurate a sew and better system of Indian management. Ile therefore entrusted a number of the chief gcvernment agencies amongst the tribes to men of gcod repute in the several religious denomination, and in particular to members of the Society of friends. Great was the success which, by official idinission and common consent, attended this perre policy." Unwonted quiet and security for years reigned along the frontiers of the western wilderness, and, indeed, still reign unbroken in most of those districts. Occasionally a local outbreak has taken place—but uniformly under circumstances of gross provocation of the Indians by the whites—and where the peace policy has been departed from. For example, United States volunteers murdered unarmed Modocs in cold blood, fired cannon upon Apaches when invited to a friendly gathering, and massacred the Peagan Indians, including women and children, when prostrated with smallpox. No wonder that these tribes were enraged to reprisals. Again, the Sioux of the fax north-west have been repeatedly "located" in certain "reservations:' and as repeatedly, contrary to treaty, invaded by white intruders upon these reservations. At last their chief, "Sitting Bull," in fair fight defeated General Caster, and, following the example repeatedly furnished by American officers when victorious, killed all his opponents without quarter. Hereupon a sudden panic seized the Western people, and shutting their eyes to their own villaflies to the Indians, they have raised a general chorus of "Failure of the peace policy," and " No more Quaker agents amongst the Indians." Secorn, it ever, was a more gross perversion of facts enunciated. Wherever and whenever the Quakers, or other honest and religious agents, were allowed to manage the Indians. they were remarkably successful. In the recent general Report of the United States Commissioners, cauntersigned by the Secretary of State, occurs this remarkable passage The co-operation of the religions bodies with the Government in the civilisation of the Indians, has proved an element the importance of which even the missionary ho irds have uot fully appreciated. A careful investigation does not disclose a :Mete exception to the rule that where rapid progress has been mad-, the work of the faithful, self sacrificing, energetic missionary has constituted the most important element of success." The real cause of the traub.es with the Sioux and some other tribes has been the local departure from a "peace policy." Had that policy been carried out, it would hive been as successful with the Sioux as with other tribes. And indeed this particular tribe, a part of which extends beyond the Ameriaan frontier, has been quiet and manageable on the British side of the boundary. For the Canadians have, for many years, pursued an Indian peace policy of their own, in honesty and conciliation. The British Indian agents have been, and are, men of honour, and not mere huckstering swindlers, as in too many instances the United States agents have been. The Washington Government admits that "The intercourse of the soldiers with the Indians is productive only of evil. The soldiers give liquor to the squaws for be worst of purposes. The squaws give it to the men, and brawls are frequent. The military have armed the Indians with the best Government arms and ammunition." Here is the secret. It is not the peace policy that has wrought the mischief, but precisely the opposite course, the policy of violence and fraud. With an extreme perversity, the Western populace have been calling evil geod and good evil. But impartial history, even as inscribed in the reports of their own Government, shows that, from the days of William Penn to those of President Grant, the civilisation and quietude of the Indian tribes have been secured just in proportion as the principles of peace and justice have been exemplified in dealing with them.