The police of that city compose a force of 1,277 men, and they are kept busy watching those criminals who are not incarcerated.

If there be only two criminals at large for each policeman— or to state it in another way, if there be only oue criminal out for each one in jail—the number would exceed 4,800, or more than five in every thousand who are marauding against society as far as they are able, taking into consideration the respective opportunities of the Indians and of the civilized criminals. For this difference must be borne in mind. When an Indian tribe becomes hostile, it finds itself in most cases almost in a state of nature with no serious barrier to excesses. The municipal criminal, however, is so hedged in by the endless guards which society has erected for protection, that his opportunities are very limited in comparison with the almost absolute freedom in which a hostile Indian at first finds himself.

In New York, and some other places, the criminal population is greater than in Philadelphia.

On this question an English writer gives some curious details of crime in nine municipalities.* In most of these places it will be observed that the proportion of criminals is much greater than in Philadelphia. Viewed in the light of these facts, how inexcusable it is (even for those who are totally devoid of moral sense) to advocate the extermination of the Indians on account of the insignificant number on the war-path!

This subject is referred to by Secretary Schurz, in his report for 1879, page 4. In it he uses this language: "It is believed

*In the "History of Crime in England," by L. Owen Pike, p. 672 (1876), the following curious table is given:

"Order of criminality in nine representative towns [1871-3) as illustrated by indictable ⚫ offenses, giving the number of inhabitants to each indictable offence."

1. Manchester, one to each 84 of the population.

5. New Castle on Tyne, one to each 263 of the population.

by many that the normal condition of the Indians is turbulence and hostility to the whites; that the principal object of an Indian policy is to keep the Indians quiet; and that they can be kept quiet only by the constant presence and pressure of force.” This is an error. "Of the seventy-one Indian agencies there are only eleven which have military posts in their immediate vicinity and fourteen with a military force within one to three days march."

"Of the 252,000 Indians in the United States there have been since the pacification of the Sioux, at no time, more than a few hundred in hostile conflict with the Whites. Neither does it appear that such partial disturbances have been provoked by the absence, or prevented by the presence of a military force. Of the four disturbances which have occurred within the last two years, three broke out in the immediate presence of such military force, and only one without it. At this moment (1879) a band of less than 800 Utes and another of 150 Indian marauders in New Mexico, in all less than 1,000 in an Indian population of a quarter of a million, are causing serious trouble."

"In fact, the number of white desperadoes who were within the past twelve months banded together in New Mexico for murder and rapine was larger than that of the Indians recently on the war-path in the southern part of the Territory. While I am by no means disposed to belittle the deplorable nature of the Indian disturbances or the great value of a military force in suppressing them, it is but just to the Indians to point out the important fact that disturbance and hostility is the exception, and peaceable conduct the rule; that a very large majority of Indian reservations are in a condition of uninterrupted quiet without the presence of coercing force, and the equally significant experience that the more civilized an Indian tribe becomes the more certainly can its peaceable and orderly conduct be depended upon. The progress of civilization and the maintenance of peace among the Indians have always gone hand in hand."

In this connection it may be well to consider the last report

of the Judge Advocate General of the Army wherein it appears that in a force, all told of under 25,000 men, no less than 2,182 offenders were convicted by Courts Martial. This would make a ratio of over eight in a thousand. Yet the Army proposes to civilize the Indians! Later on, will be seen what the Army has done in this direction.

INDIANS CAPABLE OF CIVILIZATION AND SELF

GOVERNMENT.

Not only do accomplished facts show that the Indians are capable of civilization and self-government, but the whole history of the human race refutes the idea that any body of men can be so wild and intractable as to be incapable of subjection, civilization and, finally, of some form of self-government. This point needs no elaboration. History is full of instances of people, as savage and more so than any Indians now on the plains, who yet have been civilized. The fault is not with the Indians, but with the Whites.

INDIANS COMPARED WITH THE GERMANS AND HUNS.

The condition of the Indians of this generation presents no greater obstacles to civilization than did the state of the ancient Germans in the time of Cæsar and Tacitus.* With the Germans society was very rude. They lived by hunting and pasturage, and subsisted upon flesh, milk and cheese. Agriculture was despised by these people. The Goths and Huns entertained similar ideas and lived in the same way. What little authority was possessed by any one was vested in the Chief of each district. Their functions were very vague and depended more on their personal character and weight than on the customs of their people. Their power did not extend to great matters, which were settled by an assembly of the whole people. In war-like expeditions none were compelled to engage, they being composed wholly of volunteers; but having engaged in the undertaking it was considered infamous to fail in its support. The power of the Chiefs depended on their ability to attract, and afterwards

*Cæsar, lib. vi., c. 21, 22, 23. Tacitus, Mor. Germ., c. 14, 15, 23.

See this comparison pursued in some detail in Robertson's Charles V. note 6.

retain the assistance of war-like adherents. They had no criminal jurisdiction, as this would have interfered with the dearest of barbarian rights, that of private revenge. Each free man avenged the wrongs of his family or friends, according to his own desires. Hereditary feuds were common, yet in the case of the highest crimes against the person-even murder—the wrath of the injured party might be appeased by gifts.

In every one of these particulars it must be admitted that the coincidences of condition between the Germans and Huns and the American Indians are very striking.

THE SIX NATIONS.

At a very early period the Confederacy of the Six Nations had established a system of government well suited to their wants. Each Nation had its own Council for the enactment of laws for the Government of its tribes, and in addition there was constituted a general Council or Congress of all the Nations, which passed laws and regulated the affairs of the entire Confederacy. This body was composed of representatives of the different Nations and unanimous consent was necessary to secure the adoption of any proposed measure-surely a remarkably conservative provision.

INDIAN CHARACTER.

Indeed so far from the North American Indians presenting any peculiar obstacles-more than other savages-to their successful civilization they, on the contrary, have many qualities that tend to lighten the task. Bishop Whipple who has given so many years of his life to their welfare, thus describes them : * "The North American Indian is the noblest type of a heathen man on the earth. He recognizes a Great Spirit, he believes in immortality, he has a quick intellect, he is a clear thinker, he is brave and fearless, and, until betrayed, he is true to his plighted faith; he has a passionate love for his children and counts it a joy to die for his people, but our most terrible wars have been with the noblest types of the Indians and with men who had been the white man's friend. Nicolet said the Sioux were

*Preface to "Century of Dishonor."

the finest type of wild men he had ever seen.

Old traders used

to say that it was the boast of the Sioux that they had never taken the life of a white man."

Colonel Mallery speaking of the Cherokees says: *

"The Cherokee Legislature would be a good school in decorum and common sense for our House of Representatives; and some of the reservations for observance of law, interest in education, and success in useful industries, compare favorably with our white frontier population. There is nothing exceptional in the character of the Cherokee or Iroquois to account for his emerging from the perishing class to assumed prosperity. Portions of the fierce Dakotas and the haughty Sahaptims have shown the same adaptability. If they can, so all can. At any points where the race is now degraded and diminishing, it is not from an irrepressible conflict with civilization, but with civilization's local and Washington representatives."

"Neither from views of their physiological, religious or psychological characteristics, should they be regarded as an exceptional or abnormal part of the human race or so treated in our national policy. Only those legislators and officials who are prepared to encourage downright murder, can neglect their duty under the Satanic consolation of the convenient extinction doctrine. With continued injustice, more Sitting Bulls and Chief Josephs driven into the last refuge of despair, will require expenditure of blood and treasure which simple truth and honesty would not only prevent, but would preserve, reclaim and elevate a race entrusted to our national honor which may readily and with no long delay become a valuable element in our motley community."

CIVILIZATION STATISTICS.

In considering the progress which has already been made by tho Aborigines-whether the five civilized tribes or the reser

*"FORMER AND PRESENT NUMBER OF OUR INDIANS.

(From proce edings of American Association for Advancement of Science, Nashville Meeting, August, 1877) vol. xxvi. p. 340-66. Printed at the Salem Press, July, 1878.) page 365.