CONCLUSION. 431 



law, attract to it tlie very worst class of whites, who 

 communicate to the Indian all the most glaring vices, and 

 none of the good qualities, of civilisation. 



That the Indian at this day is the cruel, inhuman 

 savage that he is, is partially the fault of the Government, 

 which has never done its duty by him. Until within a 

 very few years, the agents through whom the Government 

 dealt with the Indians were purely political appointments. 

 A man was selected, not for character or capacity, or 

 knowledge of Indians, but simply as a reward for the 

 political services of himself or his backer, to perform a 

 duty requiring courage, skill, tact, and knowledge of 

 human nature. His tenure of office was the pleasure of 

 the appointing power, and his salary almost nominal a 

 pittance of $1,200 or $1,500 a year. He was entrusted 

 with more or less money and property for Indian expen- 

 diture, much of which he might appropriate himself if so 

 disposed, and his office and contact with Indians gave 

 him the control of the trade in illicit articles, arms, &c. 

 On so miserable a salary a strictly honest man would re- 

 turn from his years of danger, privation, and banishment, 

 if not poorer, at least no richer than when he accepted 

 the agency. The dishonest man in the same position, and 

 under the same circumstances, might return with $100,000 

 or $200,000. Could there be conceived a more efficient 

 and sure method of converting an honest man into a 

 thief? 



Within a very few years a decided effort has been 

 made to benefit the Indian service by leaving the selection 

 of agents to the Christian bodies of the country. This 

 failed necessarily, since the root of the evil low salaries, 

 and uncertain tenure of office remained untouched. 

 Experience of life does not teach that men are less greedy 

 of money because they are professing Christians. Temp- 

 tation comes to all alike, and (leaving entirely out of con- 

 sideration the crowd of greedy hypocrites who live by 

 the systematic deception of the really good and chari- 



