Fundamentally, it is the impoverished condition of the people, conjoined with restlessness, and supplemented by idle curiosity, making change easy and desirable, which has exposed these poor people to the designs of unscrupulous sharpers and demagogues. They have inherited poverty, ignorance, improvidence, to say nothing of positive vices. They have been hindered by positive efforts to keep them down. They have been discouraged by the fact that success would give them no social or political advantage, and so they have either refused to labor, or have squandered in pic-nics and cake-walks, for tobacco and whiskey, it is estimated, about eighty millions of dollars annually.
There have been, so far, about 28,000 of these exodusters who have paid an average of about $16.65 to the railroad companies for transportation. Out of this the companies have paid to the unscrupulous agents who promote the movement, one dollar for full, and fifty cents for half fares.
The roads have received about $500,000 from these people, and hope for at least half as much more from a return movement. The emigrants have received in charity about seven cents each, as an offset to the $16.65 which they have paid for transportation alone. We know not what report the Senate Exodus Committee will make, but are confident that it will come no nearer the truth in regard to this movement than has the writer of this article. So long as the negro is thus ignorant he will be helpless against the oppressor, whether he be the old master or the pretended new friend. When we know the possibilities yet undeveloped in the negro, and give full scope to them, we shall know also what an element of wealth and strength here is in what is now known as an incubus on prosperity and a menace to our national life.
CONDITIONS OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION.
Before the Indian can become civilized, the conditions of civilization must exist. For him, at present, these are scarcely possible. No mere tribe can attain to a civilized state, yet the tribal relation is fostered and perpetuated by our policy. Such agencies of a civilized life as civil courts, town meetings, common schools, railroads, telegraphs, etc., these are simply impossible so long as tribes of men are forced or permitted to wander over vast territories to which they have no other title than that of tribal occupancy. The prime condition of a home is an exclusive title to the land upon which it stands and from which its support can be drawn. Without a home, a high civilization is impossible, but our policy has been to discourage, and too often render impossible, the creation of a home by the Indian.
He is the ward of the nation—a ward who has never been taken to the maternal bosom as a child, who is not permitted to reach his majority, or to care for himself, who is cheated by his guardian, and unfitted by the whole course of his education for the duties and responsibilities of manhood. There has been no false principle of politics but has been applied to his regulation. There has been no species of wrong, or injustice, or folly, which has not been practiced upon him, and regarded by him as the exponent of our Christian civilization.
It is time this foolish and wicked treatment should cease; time that we showed something like an honest desire to do justly by him, even though incapable of wise statesmanship. The principles which have lifted up savage tribes and made of them civilized nations are historic, and might be known to, and their application attempted by, the Government. Our Congressmen should be compelled to hear other demands than those made by reckless adventurers who find the Indian occupying lands he would possess.
Judging from all past experience we have every reason to believe that, under secure conditions of life and property, these tribes would settle down and become worthy and excellent citizens. The protection of the Indian must be individual and not tribal; it must be found in courts which administer impartial justice, not in longer-ranged rifles and fleeter ponies. In short he must have the opportunities and defences of manhood, and thus be prepared for the responsibilities and duties of citizenship.