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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIOHER OF INDIAN AFFAIRB. VII and interesting pursuits. The history of the few tribes to whom per-manent homes have been given, mith guaranteed title to the same, and a reasonable degree of aid and instruction, shows clearly, as before in-timated, that as a race, vhen honorably arid intelligently dealt mith, In-dians geld readilx to the influences of a ci~iliiingp oliel: The adop-tion by the departmeut., nuder authority of law, of the policy of consoli-dation hereiu proposed, with a permanent title to the lan(1, in which the Indians m l b e f i~l lpjr otected against the encroachments of the whites and the changes incident to new legislatiou, both of which h a ~ ebe en prolific causes of Indian wars, nrill, in nq judgment, in a comparatil-ely short time, remove all cause for discol~tento n the part of the Indians and insure future pleasant relations with all the tribes. With a xiem to pressing this important. question before Congress at its next session, a new bill mill be prepared br this office for presenta-tion at an early day, giving ~vicler scope and Illore permanent direction to the matter. A PERXANEXT LAXD TITLE. The q~i e s t i oof~ g~r eatest importatm~ceto the present and f i~t~iwr ee lfare of the Indians is that of a uniform and perfect title to their lands. The coustant renloxals incident to the former lartd policy of the Indian service hare beeu freighted with evil conseqtiellces to the Ii~dians. Even when placed npon reservations they have come to consider, notmithstanding the most solemn guarantees from the U~litedS tates that the sane should be kept sacred and remain theirs forever, that the title to their land is without permanency, and that thex are subject to be removed whenever the pressure of vhite settlers iqmn the111 lnar create a demand for their lands either before Congress or the department. So fixed has this opin-ion become among the more civilized tribes, that in the main they de-cline to make my improvements upon their lands, e\,en after an allot-ment in severalty has been made, until they have received their patents for the sanle. But after the issue of patents, the difficulties surro~iniling them do not cease. A few, it is true, hold to their land and make rapid and encouraging progress in agricultural pursuits. The ~najor portion of them, however, yielding to the pressure surrounding them, fall victims to the greed of unscrupulous white men, and, one by one, part with or are de.fra11ded of their lands. Every meails that human ingenuity can devise, legal or illegal, has been resorted to for t,he plirpose of obtaining possession of 111dian lands. The question rhich now presents itself is, shall tenure of title to the land in the rarions reservations remain as now, or shall a new sptem be adopted, rhich shall protect them against all interference with tlieir lands by whatever authority. Before proceeding to consider the best means to be adopted for the pro. tection of the Indians in thiis regard, it is perhaps best to show the method heretofore purs~~ecnli,t 11 a brief statement of the results which have fol- |