| OCR Text |
Show THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS When the War Department was created by Congress under the act of August 7, 1789, the duties assigned to it included those " rel-ative to Indian affairs." A Bureau of Indian Affairs was organized in the War Depart-ment on March 11,. 1824, with Thomas L. McKenney as its chief, and among the dut~esto which he was assigned were: The admin-istration of the fund for the civilization of the Indians, under reg-ulations established by the department, the examination of the claims arising out of the laws regulating the intercourse with In-dian tribes, and the ordinary correspondence with superintendents, ' agents, and subagents. He was succeeded September 30, 1830, by Samuel S. Haxilton, whose successor about one year later was Elbert Herrin . " By tfe act of J u z 9,1,83?, there was created in the War Depart-ment the office of ornmlssloner of Indian Affairs, who, subject to the Secretary of War and the President, should have "the direction and management of all Indian affairs an2 a11 matters arising out of Indian relations." On June 30, 1834, an act was passed "to provide for the organi-zation of the Department of Indian Affairs." Under this enact-ment certain aeencies were established and others abolished. and provision was made for subagents, interpreters, and other employees, the payment of annuities, the purchase and distribution of supplies, etc. This may be regarded as the organic law of the Indian De-partment. When the Department of the Interior was created by act of March 3. 1849. the Bureau of Indian Affairs was transferred thereto. and hence passed from military to civil control. Section 441 of the Revised Statutes provides that 'I the Secretarv of the Interior is char ed with the s6pervision of public business relating to * * * t%e Indians." Sect~on 463 of the Revised Statutes reads: "The Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior and ameeable to such remlations as the President mav prescribe, have thz management of 511 Indian affairs, and of ail matters arising out of Indian relations." |
