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Show 6 REPORT OF TEE COA~HISSIONERO F INIIIAN AFFAIR$. r i o ~aj~s' enl, it UYIS t.spn.sdy rlerlnred that the In11ia11ssh ol~ldb e made as co~ntbrtnblao n, a11113 s uacol~~~'ortnolt~i, ltel wir r tv~rvat io~aa~ iat was in the ytjirrr of t l~eG o v e r ~ ~ ~ ntoe ~m~akre tl~wn;t hat 811cl1o f them as R C I I ~s igh; should be &~~.(~teatl:l1ft1. idi d, i ~ ~Sl dI I A:I S i v v ~ W~ t ~ ~ I sIh1I 1~u1 1l be i~nrnssedo ntl sa~urgrtilv iti~outi nf c r~l~i shiI(t~ i~vr~ls .u ot ~otirilxittid tlmt the first urocl:~mntie0~1' ~t~l l i ~n oiicv to the tril~esc o~~cer~w~oclcllrll effect the encire cessatioi~ of existing "evils; but it was believed that persistence in the conrse marked out would steadily reduce the number of the refractory, both by tile loxses susta6ned i r~a ctual conflict and by the desertion of individna,ls as they shouldbecome weary of a profitless and hopeless struggle, until, in the near result, the system adopted should apply without exception to all the then roving and hostile tribes. Such a use of the strong arm of the Gover~~meiis~ nt ot wm, but discipline. Pet it wsnld seem impossible for many persons to apprehend any dis-tinction between a state of general Indian war. and the occasional use ~ ~~ -. 01' the reguli~r~ uilirnry1 ibrc.r < t i rllr ctn~ntrsiu eutbrcittg thc rearrr;irion pc,licy, or p ~ l n i s l ~jp~o~ra~~gl~ acc t* u i outr;lge on tile p;Irr uf (lis;~tYevrr*tl i ~ ~ i l i i r lour ~l l1~1 1 . Such II~TSOIIS I I ~ D I I1~0 ~tlIii~ll li f l~: r~ilte fit~~ifll~degree of Indian hostilities i i eqnivale&i to the largest degree of such hostilities, or at least to hold that if nre are to hare any Indian troubles whatever-if everyt.hing in the conduct of Indian affairs is not to be as calm and serene as a sunlmer da.y-we ruight just as well have all the Indians of the continent on our hauds at once. Upon tho other side, many persons zealously and painfully intent on securing justice to the I a,borigii~eso f the country, bewail the sligl~testu se of the milit.ary in carrying out the reservation system and repressil~g depredations, as in effect a making of war upon the Indians and a resort to the bloody lnethods of the past. This misuu~lerstaudingiu regard to the occasional use of force in making effective aud universal the policy of peace, has led no s~ualpl ortion of the press of the country t,o treat the more ~'1 'org-ous applioatiou of the scourge to refractory Indians which has charac-terized the operations of the last three months as an akaudonmcnt of the peace policy itself, wl~ereas it is, in fact, a legitimate and essential part of the original scheme which the Government has beeu endeavor-ing to carry out, with-prospects of success never more bright and hopefnl than to-day. It will be suttioient, perhaps, to mark the distinction, to say that a general Indian mar could not be, carried on with the present militisry force of the Uuited States, or anything like it. Regiments would be needed where now are onlv comnanies. and lon.e . lines of ~ o s tws ould 1 1 ~ ~ t1o: be est:il~li~hefodr 1110p rolcc~ioof~ ~re giu~a%IY IIICII,1 1ncIe11 111: sift!. g11:1rio1f the li.cdiug sjsteln, ale 11on.1et'ti vl~ollyo ncovcre~l. On f l ~ r ! ot11t.r itanrl. b.; the rvserratio~~~\ . S ~ C I InI~ tdt ilt. re~.~l ir~vlsrt r t ~~~0 ~ b i n ~ ' the occasidni for collision areso reduced by lessGriug the points of contact, and the number of Indians arailable for hostile expeditions involving exposure, hardship, and danger is so diminished through the appeal made to their in(lo1ence and selE-indulgence, that the Army in its present force is able to deal effectively with the few lnaraudiug .bands which refuse to accept the terms of the Government. TEE FORBEARANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT. It is unquestionably true that the Government has seemed somewhat tardy in proceeding under the secondhalf of the reservation policy, and in applying the scourge to individuals and bauds leaving their pre-scribed lin~itws ithout authority, or for hostile purposes. This has been |
