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Show . . 6 REPORT OF THE COMMIS~IONEROF~ INDUN A~PdfXts. 3. It is sometimes urged that, by one act of law the Indians should be made citizens of the United States, thrownupon their own resources, and relieved of the guardianship of the Government, While this. might posssibly answer in some cases, it certainly would result in great hardship to those Indiaus who are no$ prepared to take care of their . own interests, and who, abandoned now by the Government, would sutfer wrong and injustice, and would either be exterminated or would become speedily a burden upon the local communities where they axe situated. . The essential element of the policy adopted by the Government is suggested in the one phrasb-Americau citizenship. ?That is oom-monly known as the L'Dawes bill," or the LLland-in-severalty law," . which received Executive sanction February 8,1887, has radicdy &zed our method of dealing with the Indiaus. By its operation those who take their land in severalty become citizens of the United States, en-titled to the protection of the courts and all other privileges of citi-zenship, and are amenable to the laws and under obligations for the performance of the same duties as devolve upon their fellow-citizena. The progress that'has been made in allotting lands, apd thus of eon-ferring citizenship, is shown under the head of LL allotments,"page 65. I have no doubt as to the wisdom of this policy, and believe it ought t o be prosecuted vigorously and intelligently until every Indian shall be brought under its operation, so that the relation of all shall be changed from that of wards to that of citizens. Undonbtedly discretion should be used so As not to allot lands to - tribes who are manifestly unfit for citizenship,or who .are not soon - , likely to become so, and it is probable that in some instances mistakes have already been made in this respect. I am convinced that time . should be given, so that the Indians to whom allotments are to-be made may become familiar with the idea and all that it involves, and may thus be, in some degree, prepared in mind for the great ehange that must come to them when they are taken fromunder theprotecting care of the agent and the Indian Bureau and are made independent citizens, dependent alone upon their own exertions and subject to the ordinary laws and processes of civilization. The change is a momentous one, and involves a reconstrytion in many cases of all their fundamental eoneeptions of life and a radical change in their relations. It ought not; therefore, to be expwted that they will easily and intelligently &pt themselves to the revolution even when they have had time for its consideration. Citizenship, accompanied by allotment of lands, necessarily looks to-ward the entire destruction of the tribal relation; the Indians are to be individualized and dealt with one by one and not en masse; they are to stand upon their own personal rights and be freed absolutely 4om the trammels of the tribe and the limitations of chieftaincy. |