THE FUTURE OF THE RED INDIAN.
WE notice elsewhere the accusation of neglect, and even of wrong-doing, in the matter of the Indian Tribes, which an American lady has brought against the Government of her own country. That accusation is proved only too clearly; but it is pleasant to be able to hope that a better time is at baud. The duty of protecting a helpless and injured race has been publicly recognised, and a scheme has been devised for fulfilling it which seems to have a fair promise of success, and which can, anyhow, claim an honest and kindly purpose.
The axiom that any effective action must begin with the children has been recognised, and a school has been founded iu Carlisle, Pennsylvania—the type, it is hoped, of many more to be established hereafter—where Indian children may be re- ceived, separated entirely from adverse influences, and trained in the habits of civilised life. Some hundreds of them have been the subjects of this training, and with results that seem thoroughly satisfactory. Many of them came direct from "the camps," in a state of absolute savagery.
When they were assigned to their sleeping quarters, they lay down on the veranda, on their bellies, and glared out between the palings of the railing like wild beasts between the bars of their cages." They had to be taught "everything, except swallowing, walking, and sleeping." Little more than a year's teaching sufficed, according to the report of a competent observer, to bring these wild creatures up to the level of white children. " Considering the length of time during which they have been taught, I could see no difference between them and white children." Arithmetic and writing are, we are informed, the accomplishments in which they excel. As far as arithmetic is concerned, this seems to tally with the common experience of our own primary schools. Here all children start equal, nor do the facts of hereditary culture tell against rapidity of pro- gress. The Carlisle school, which is visited by a committee of Indian chiefs, is worked on the industrial system. Two Indian boys manage the bakery ; all the shoes used in the institution are mended, and seine of them are made, by its inmates. All the tailoring is done at home, the coat appear- ing to be an easier article to manufacture than the shoe. There is a blacksmith's forge, a waggon factory, a harness shop. Nay, more, there is a printing press, where all the type is set up by Indian boys. They even aspire to more. "A paper is pub- lished by Samuel Townsend, a Pawnee boy, in which all the matter and work is furnished by Indian boys." They possess another accomplishment, to which few English lads would aspire. A Philadelphia journal tells us of a meeting to be held in that city, to whioh the superintendent of the Carlisle School was to bring a number of Indian boys and girls. " Some of the children, also, will address the audience." It is abundantly clear that these young savages from the prairies are apt to acquire the versatile industry and the self-possession of their white fellow-citizens.
As we write, we have before us an interesting series of photographs vividly illustrating the process which these Indians —and there are adults as well as children among them—are pass- ing through. Here is a picture of " Sioux boys, as they arrived at the Indian Training School," in October, 1879 ; " boys," it
must be understood, being a somewhat elastic term, and includ- ing a considerable range of age. And here, again, is another, which shows them a year and a half afterwards. The change is marvellous. It must be seen, to be fully appreciated. We • can only say that it surpasses the change from a crowd of country bumpkins to a drilled regiment, though this would seem to be about as great as human nature can admit of.
When we examine the faces a little more closely, in the larger photographs which enable us to judge of feature, we find a type which seems to have not a little solid strength about it. The countenances have scarcely any beauty ; in intelligence, we should. say that they seem inferior to the
average of our rural children, but certainly above that which wo are accustomed to see in workhouse schools. One or two faces of marked vivacity and acuteness must be ex- cepted. The older Indians present contrasts not less remark- able. A figure that has an air of an irreclaimable savage, as it stands in a group of " Indians at Fort Marian," appears trans- muted into the likeness of an average Undergraduate, not very clever, perhaps, but quite civilised, after five years of training. This young man was, we understand, taken prisoner, with others of his tribe, in one of the savage wars which have been waged of late years by the United States against the tribes of the West. Another photograph shows a lad in entire Indian cos- tume. It was his war dress. He brought it with him from the camp, which he has left for ever, to take up his American citizenship. He desired to secure this likeness of himself before ho gave up his Indian life. Curiously picturesque it is, with the tall crown of feathers, some two feet high, and the mocassins, while the long hair, perfectly white, we are told, streams over his shoulders. It can hardly be with- out a regret that we contemplate the disappearance of these romantic figures. As we turn over the photographs, names that call up many associations of history and romance present themselves. Here is " Poor Wolf," a chief of the " polite and friendly" Mandans, not wholly extinguished, we are glad to see, by the small-pox. He wears the Indian dress. His bare breast is covered with tattoo-marks, a snake, a parrot, a drawn bow among them ; but he wears a pair of spectacles. Here, again, is " Red Shirt," a Sioux chief, who. shows us the only really handsome face in the whole collection. He has the mocassins, but he wears a black-cloth waistcoat and a, regula- tion collar and tie. " Standing Buffalo," a Ponca chief, sur- mounts a costume mostly Indian with a billycock hat. He is, we are told, in the Ponca police force. The change which is thus beginning to make its way will have to be complete. It is the only way in which the race can be saved from destruc- tion. If that race is to cohtinue, to put the matter in the shape of a paradox, it must disappear. It must assume the name and the appearance as well as the habits of the nation which is now what it once was, the American people.
Before this result can be accomplished, another change is necessary. The Indian Reserves must be divided, and the tribal system of tenure given up, for the individual possession which is more suitable to the conditions of civilised society. So settled and appropriated, these domains would cease to attract the greed of the white man, and the Indian would stand on the same footing as the other subjects of the American Government. His claims are put simply and forcibly in a petition addressed to Congress by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church :—" 1. Give him a home, with a perfect title in fee- simple. 2. Protect him by the laws of the land, and make him amenable to the same. 3. Give him the advantage of a good education. 4. Grant him full religious liberty." This policy, it is urged, and doubtless with good reason, would bring about the end of those Indian wars and Indian wrongs which make, perhaps, the least creditable page in the history of the United States.
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