United States. Life and property are more | the Southern Presbyterian Church. It has safe among them, and there are fewer violations of law among them, than in the territories occupied by the whites.* seven missionaries, three female missionary assistants, and a number of native helpers, together with an important institution, Spencer Academy, under the care of three able instructors, and with judicious management destined to become a power for good in advancing the educational and religious interests of the Indian people. Such are some of the gleanings of information which I have the honor to lay before you from "The Missionary Field of the South." THE INDIANS IN THE UNITED STATES. BY THE HON. FELIX R. BRUNOT, PITTSBURG, Pa., Chairman of the U. S. Board of Indian Commissioners. If we speak of the Turks, the Mexicans, tory, have Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyteor the Chinese, the mind at once localizes rian churches, a legislature, and a system of them, and recalls some definite conception public schools. At several reservations in of the habits and condition of the people Washington Territory the Indians are good mentioned, and that which we know to be Catholics, and at one the chief conducts daicharacteristic of a part is generally correctly matins and vespers in the church. Many if applied to the nation. We are apt to speak and think of the North American Indians in like manner. Those we have read of, or know of, or have seen, make up our conceit of the whole race. And yet, as they now exist in the States and Territories, there are as great diversities of condition and circumstances among the various tribes of Indians, as there are between the nations I have mentioned. They are distributed from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and occupy reservations or claim their hunting-grounds in eight States and eleven Territories of the United States. There are ninety reservations, one-third of the number being west of the Rocky Mountains, and about one hundred and thirty tribes, or remnants of tribes, speaking probably as many as fifty different languages. Many of the tribes have no more knowledge of, or intercourse with, each other than the Turks have with the Mexicans; and others maintain only the intercourse of war with their hereditary enemies. The Comanches fight the Apaches and the Osages; the Sioux fight the Crows and the Utes; the Utes fight the Cheyennes. of the laborers in the great lumber-mills at Puget Sound, and nearly all in the Bellingham Bay Coal Company's mines, are Indians, earning the same wages as white men. Upon another reservation quite remote from white settlement the Indians have erected two Methodist churches, which are supplied by native preachers and have five hundred members. The Pueblo tribes in New Mexico, from time immemorial, have lived in houses, raised corn, peaches, and melons, and weave on looms of their own invention water-proof ponchos, or blankets, which have not yet been successfully imitated by the whites. In view of these diversities of character and condition, and the facts stated, it is charitable to suppose that the man who declares that "the Indians are only fit to be exterminated" knows very little about them as a race of people. So also of him who declares that "the Indians are incapable of being civilized." If the one only means that such of the Indians as commit murders and savage atrocities in time of peace should be exterminated, I agree with him. Even white people of that class ought In 1869, when the Cheyennes and Arra- to be exterminated, but not the race. pahoes made a "strong peace," as they ex- the other means only that a barbarous peopressed it, with the whites, the chiefs thought ple can not in a few years all be transformit necessary to explain that, "in all their ed into inventors, scientists, lawyers, littétalks with the Great Father's commission-rateurs, and adepts in the mechanic arts, I ers, they never agreed to make peace with the Utes or the Sioux," and asked me for a paper" which would allow them to go after their enemies, and not be molested by the "Great Father's soldiers." Their raids against each other have been less frequent of late, and will soon cease. The "Plains Indians" here spoken of are savages, and are just beginning to improve under the peace policy. The Oneida Indians in Cattaraugus County, in this State, hold Agricultural Fairs and Teachers' Institutes. The Santee Sioux in Dakotah maintain Episcopal and Presbyterian churches. The Cherokees, Choctaws, Seminoles, and Creeks, in the Indian Terri If agree with him also. But these are not the inseparable concomitants of civilization, any more than are marble palaces and French furniture. There are white communities in this country and in Europe, and in both great masses of humble people who could not be elevated to this degree of civilization in a century, yet they are civilized. When it is claimed that the Indians are susceptible of civilization, I mean that, under proper treatment and teaching, they can become an inoffensive, industrious, Christian people, with all the civilization necessary to their own happiness and the peace of their neighbors, and all the Christianity needful to their salvation. Since the day of Roger Williams to the present time, the Proprietary, Colonial, Continental, and United States Governments have generally legislated in recognition of the Indians' rights. The legislative wrongs have been the result of deception, or forced by the aggressive character of the people. The benevolent measures attempted for their benefit and improvement in times past were almost uniformly thwarted by the agencies employed to execute them. Said the Board of Indian Commissioners in 1869: "The soldiers sent for their protection carried demoralization and disease into their midst. The agent appointed to be their friend and counselor, business manager, and the almoner of the Government bounties, frequently went among them only to enrich himself in the shortest possible time, at the cost of the Indians, and spend the largest available sum of the government money with the least ostensible beneficial results. The general interest of the trader was opposed to their enlightenment as tending to lessen his profits. Any increase of intelligence would render them less liable to his impositions; and, if occupied in agricultural pursuits, their product of furs would be proportionally decreased. The contractors' and transporters' interests were opposed to it, for the reason that the production of agricultural products on the spot would measurably cut off their profits in furnishing army supplies. The interpreter knew that if they were taught his occupation was gone. The more submissive and patient the tribe, the greater the number of outlaws infesting its vicinity; and all these were the missionaries teaching them the most degrading vices of which humanity is capable. If, in spite of these obstacles, a tribe made some progress in agriculture, or their lands became valuable from any cause, the process of civilization was summarily ended by driving them away from their homes with fire and sword to undergo similar experiences in some new locality." Under the pernicious political maxim that "to the victors belong the spoils," Indian agencies had been for many years among the perquisites of successful politicians. They were bestowed too often as the choicest rewards upon their most active and most scrupulous partisans. As a natural consequence, peculation and robbery, and a disregard for the rights of the Red Men, had become the rule among them, and honest administration the exception. The outrages perpetrated upon the Indians by the lawless classes of the frontiers were frequently made the pretext of war against them. For a hundred years the minds of the American people have been filled with tales of Indian atrocities done upon "the hardy pioneers of the frontier," nearly always hor rible enough to stop the heart beat, and chill the blood in the veins of the hearer, and always seemingly unprovoked. The white man's story alone was told, the Indian's never. The celebrated Kit Carson, before a Congressional committee, testified but mildly when he said, "As a general thing, the difficulties arise from aggressions on the part of the whites." I would have used far stronger words justified by facts. The Indian wars of the forty years before the election of President Grant have cost five hundred millions of dollars. The accompanying horrors of slain soldiers, murdered families, and devastated homes, who can count? The military "Peace Commission" of 1867, comprising among its members the commander-in-chief and leading generals of the army, relate some striking facts in their report. I quote you one of their conclusions: "But it is said our Indian wars have been almost constant. Have we been uniformly unjust? We answer unhesitatingly, Yes!" No one can traverse the field of their investigations without coming to the same inference. The remembrance that my topic belongs to "Missionary Day" in the programme warns me away from this prolific phase of the subject. That, under auspices so adverse, the Indians have not made greater progress in civilization can not excite surprise. That so much progress has been made by many of them is wonderful. President Grant in his initial message indicated his determination to do justice to the remnant of the aboriginals, and reform the abuses of the Indian service. The "Peace Policy" will stand to his honor as long as our country has a place in history. Taking out from politics the nomination of Indian agents, he placed it in the hands of Christian denominations willing to accept the trust with its responsibilities. They are expected to nominate honest men, and supplement the civilizing instrumentalities of the Government with Christian missions. Passing over the wise adoption of the policy to assure peace and safety to the frontier settler, its economy in lives and money, and other details of its purpose and operations, I confine my remarks to the features which especially concern this Christian assembly. It affirms the duty of the nation to extend the blessings of civilization to the Indians, and recognizes the religion of Christ as the foundation principle of civilization. Do the Christians of the United States believe this? Never before was there such an opportunity to prove our faith by our works. Never was there an opportunity for Christian missions under so favorable circumstances— never a plainer duty presented. There are about 350,000 Indians in the me, would be tedious to you. I will mention but one or two others. United States and Territories. Every de- all the Indian tribes, however interesting to gree of progress from barbarism to civilization is illustrated in the tribes. About 250,000 are civilized or partly civilized, and Fifteen years ago the Yakama Indians, the remainder are yet savages in every re- a wild tribe in Washington Territory, were spect. Not less than 15,000 Indians are subdued after a bloody war. They were members of Christian churches, and those put upon a reservation, and a costly militribes are most advanced in civilization tary post established to keep them in order where the foundation was laid by Christian there. The efforts of a Methodist missionamissions. The Cherokees, Choctaws, Creeks, ry soon rendered the military useless. When and Chickasaws have a history perhaps nev- I visited them in 1871, I found three huner paralleled in their rapid advancement dred farm-houses upon as many little farms, from barbarism to civilization. They now and two neat wooden churches erected by number about 50,000, have each a legisla- themselves, and about four hundred churchtive assembly-their own written language members. The churches were partly under and laws, judges and courts. The Cherokee the control of native preachers. The churchalphabet was the invention of a Cherokee membership has largely increased during the Indian. They have churches, schools, acad- two years past. emies, and newspapers; and a confederated government and national assembly, the deliberations of which compare favorably with similar assemblages elsewhere. To this I need hardly add that many of their citizens are highly intelligent and educated. I have two volumes of Cherokee and Choctaw laws, printed in English, on their own printing-presses, in the year 1852. In these days of temperance agitation, it is worth mentioning that one of the statutes is identically the "Maine liquor law," but antedates that law ten years. Before the war of the Rebellion, many of the Indians were rich in farm improvements, cattle, horses, and slaves. At the close of the war, in 1865, its ravages had left their country devastated, and themselves in poverty. Yet the statistics of 1871 showed that, in number of acres cultivated, products, valuation, wealth, and school statistics, they compared favorably with the Territories of the United States. The Cherokees have a population of 14,682; live in houses built by themselves, in number about 4000. Five hundred of these are framed and boarded houses, the remainder built of logs. They have two boarding-schools, one college, and sixty day-schools, with an average attendance of about 2133 pupils, sustained at a cost of $25,000 last year from their national fund. Three of these schools are for the children of freedmen. They have also a national orphan asylum. The Creeks number about 15,000. They have one boarding-school and thirty dayschools, which cost them $14,258 in 1872. They have their missions, and 2050 churchmembers. Twelve hundred miles east of the Yakamas, as the crow flies, and the same distance north of the Cherokees, we find the successful Episcopal missions among the Dakotahs. Ten years ago these Indians were engaged in the horrible Minnesota massacres, in which hundreds of white settlers paid the forfeit of their lives for wrongs done upon the Indians by others. Now, under the encouragement of the new policy, the Episcopalians have six missions and two sub-stations among the Dakotahs, with churches and schools, and more than 600 communicants. A large number of the Indians live in houses, wear civilized clothing, and labor industriously to eke out a subsistance by farming. The Presbyterians have also an interesting mission among the same people. Passing by equally successful missions of the Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, and Moravian denominations with regret, I ask your attention to a few words in regard to the wild tribes of the plains and mountains. There are probably 75,000 Indians who are totally barbarous, and who still subsist in whole or in part by the chase. They are all now at peace with the Government, and most of them have become satisfied of the power and superiority of the whites. The leading chiefs of the Sioux, Crows, Comanches, Kiowas, Cheyennes, Blackfeet, and other tribes admit the necessity of "going the white man's road." None of the North American Indians are idolaters. They worship the "Great Spirit," who, they say, made all things. I have found but one Indian in all my visits to the tribes who pretended to be an atheist. Even he, in their ceremonious pipe lighting, made the The Choctaws and Chickasaws have a pop-customary reverence of the tribe toward the ulation of about 20,000. They had last year "Great Spirit." two boarding-schools and forty-eight dayschools, and expended upon them $69,500 during the year. They have three missions besides churches, and a church-membership of 2500. On several occasions when I opened a council with prayer, the chief followed the example by offering prayer to the "Great Spirit. At my first council with the wild Sioux, Red Cloud, the head-chief, stepped out into To enter into similar details in regard to the space surrounded by his warriors, and, raising his right arm in majestic and rever- | have our religion, which is much the same, ent attitude, made a prayer which is worthy only you call the Great Spirit Jesus, and we of preservation. call him by another name. We call him in Crow language E-so-we-wat-se. He will punish us if we are bad. We give him a part of all we have. We pray to him.” MOK-PE-A-LU-TA'S PRAYER. “O Great Spirit, I pray you to look at us. We are your children, and you first put us on this land. We pray you to look down on us, so nothing but the truth will be spoken in this council. We don't ask for any thing but what is right and just. When you made your red children, O Great Spirit, you made them to have pity on them. Now we are before you to-day, praying you to look down on us, and take pity on your poor red children. We had noticed a beacon light for two nights, far up above the timber line, upon the summit of the highest mountain near. Some of the young men were there engaged in their religious rites, during which they remain for days without eating or drinking. The Crows are a generous, kindly, friendly people to the whites, but they are heathen. Woe be to us if we preach not the Gospel to the heathen! What matter if some of "We pray you to have nothing but the them are idle or dirty, degraded or treachtruth spoken here. We hope these things erous, even as their worst enemies charge? will be settled up right. You are the Pro-Christ died not alone for the industrious, tector of the people born with bows and clean, and gentle-bred. And let us rememarrows, as well as the people born with ber that not many centuries ago our boastclothes, and I hope we do not pray to you in ful Anglo-Saxon race was but little less devain. We are poor and ignorant. Our fore-graded than the North American Indians. fathers told us we would not be in misery if we asked for your help. O Great Spirit, look down on your children and help them." A Sioux Indian, whose heart was touched by the story of the Saviour, asked, "How long has the white man known about this?" and on being told, said, "Why did you not tell us before? I think the Great Spirit will punish the white man who did not tell us.” Last summer I passed a week in council with the Crow tribe, on the Upper Yellow-not punish us who did not know, but will stone River, in Montana, and on Sunday afternoon I told them of the white man's great Book of Knowledge, and the simple story of the Saviour. Next day the chief made an eloquent speech, in the course of which he said, "You told us about your religion. We It will be seen that I have but flitted over my subject, "The Indians in the United States," touching here and there by the way. The time allowed would admit of nothing more. |