OCR Text |
Show EXTRACT. of three hundred thousmd of these people, accustomed to ia nomadic life, subsisting upon the fipantaneous product.ionsof theearth, andfanliliar with thefastncssesof the mountainsand tile srr-amps af the plains, would involve rtn appalling sacrifice of the lives of our soldiers and frontier settlers, and the expenditure of untold treasure. Itisestimated that themaintenance of each regin~euot f troops engaged against the Indians of the plains costs the government two nliliion dollars per sunurn. All the m i l i t q operations of lnst summer have not acea-sioned tho im~rtdinted esttvctionof marc than afew huodmd Indian ~rarriors. Such n polio7 is maiziistiy as iml~radicablblae s it is in violation of every diotete af humanity and Christian duty. It is therefore recommended that stringent legislation be adopted for the punishment of violations of the rights of persons and property of members of Indian tribes who &re at peace vith tlte government. Su5oient appropriatians should be made to supply the pressing wants of these wards of the government, resulting from the encroaching sottlernents sprin ing up in every argmized Territory. The acoupstion of their hunting grounds and fisheries %y ~ ~ g r i c u l t ~ rainsdt ~ e,v en of their mountain fastnesses by miners, has necessarily deprived the Indians of their accus-tomed meansof support, snd reduced them to extreme want. If the deficiency so occasioned should not be snppliod, it is not to be expected thitt s. savage people oan be restrsined fiom secking, by violence, redress of lvhst they coneei3.e to be a grievous wrong. That their growing wants thus caused may not become a pel.petud burden, every resson- I nble offmt slioulll bc mads toindnca the Indians to adopt agricultural and pastoral pursuits. 1 I t is recommended that Congress a eiviiiration and educational fund, to he disbursed in such mode es to secure the co-operation and nssistanesof bcnevolont organizations, sfford-ing an op o~tunity for private eitisens to dispense their charities to theso impover%hed ehildieno?thcforsst through theusuelchannels. It is believed thst ail theChristianchurches would gladly occupy this missionmy field, supplying a lsrge per cent. of the mesns neces-smy fbr t!icir instruction, and thus bring into eontactwith theIndian tribes a class of men aqJ women whose lives conform ta a. higher standard of morals than that which is reeognizedas obligatory by too many of the preseut empioyds of the government. On taking chargo of this department on ths 15th day of M&y last, the relations of officers respectively enpaxed in the military and civil departments in the Indian country were in an unsetisfu.cto?y condition. A suppoeod conflict of jurisdiction and a wmt of confidence in each other led to mutual c .min&tions, whel~byt he success of military operstians against hostile tliber snd the executon of the policy of this depqtment were sedansly impeded. Upon conferrin with the War Deportment, it was inform~lly agreed that the agents snd ofheers under t%e control of the Seoretary of the Interior ehould hold no intercourse, except thoughti~emilitaryn uthorities, with tribes of Indians against whom hostile measures wem in p r o r ; n d t hst the military authorities should refrain from interference ip~ths uchagents and o cers m their relations with all other tribes, exwpt to afford the necessary aid fox the enforcement of the regulations of this department. This informal arrangement has been executed in good faith, produein it ia believed, nsalutary effect on the hemi,ringof the hostile tribes, and securing the desired Farmony and eEoient co-opemtionof those ohwged with this branch of the public sewice. It isemnestly recommended that the superintendents, and also agents of asnitable grade, be empowered to not ss oivil magistrates within the limits of reserations where the tribal rdatians a.emeintained, and dso on the plains remote from tile jurisdiction of the oivil author-ities. Thewant ofan %eeeptableande fficient pro~isionfotrh e ad~~~inistrationofjusthicaes been sensibly fslt in easeaa~isingb etweenmembers of tho tlibes, or betm-een Indians and thewhite men who hsve been permitted to reside among them. The extent of the jurisdiction and the mode of its exercise should bo eleariy ddencd by coo ossiond enaotment. Tho Socretnry of the Treasury holds certain stoeE in trust for theChickasaw nations1 fund, which nmount, as appears by his repart of the Gth of December last, to the sum of one million three hundred and sixteen thoussnd ttwo llundmd and eighty-one dollars and' ' thirty-one cents ($1,316,281 31.) Public soolrities md certificates of stock of the psrvlllve of three million fifty-thme thousand five hundred and ninety-two dolla1'8 and fifteen cents, (83,053,592 15,) eanstitutiug tho t.mst fund af other Indian tribes, are deposited with the Secretary of the Interior. I am not aware of any aod reson for a divided custody of these funds. It is suggested that Congress designate a fepositary for all the securities heldby the United States in trust far the Indians. Copions detHils in regard to each bran011 of the Indian service are furnished in the volumi; nous and well considered report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. I respeotfully refer-to it for further info~ulntion,a nd commend the various suggestions it eoatains to the faro~.able-consideration of Congress. |