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Show REPORT I OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. DEPARTMENOTF THE INTERIOE, OFPICIE hDIAN AFFAIRS, Xovmber 15,1871. SIR : The duty of making the usual annual report of this Bureau hav-ing devolved upon me as Acting Commissioner, by reason of the resigna-tion of General E. 8. Parker in July last, and of the continued vacaucj in the position of Commissioner of 'Indian Affairs up to the present time, I have the honor to present herein a summary of the affairs of this branch of the public service since the date of the last annual report. la accordance with what is so generally known as the Indiau policy inaugurated by President Grant, it has been, during the past year, the aim of tbeDepartment to secure, in the administration of affairs under its charge, the greatest good and best results practicable. Much has been accomplished by intrusting to men of good standing and moral character the responlrible offices of superintendents and agents; by earnest endeavors, through conciliatory measures, rather than by force or threatenings, to promote order and the interests of peace with the more intractable and hostile-disposed tribes; by seeking to inspire the confidence of t;he Indians in the Crovernmeut, by dealing fairly and lib-erally wit,h them, and observing faithfully and promptly the treaty stip-ulations and wrovisions made bv law for their bencfit : and bv encouraz- 1 ing every di;l,oaition u11i1 elli,G on their prrt to bcttvr their eouilitio;, by uahurever mrmrs would wntl to tllar end. As ;r result may IIC adducrd the re valence generallv of mace with tribes who have hitherto been in open' hostility to the G&ern;nent ; the marked and gratifying change in the views and feelings of many of their members in regard to the neces-sitv of abandoning. their roving habits. and of establishiu@ themselves I upbn reservatrorrs;'~~heseth ey ;:an be properlj c,are,l ti,r uid civ~llzed; the irnpruved atotr of othernibrs wlro 11:ivv lung 11ern frielldl.y; it1113 the tfHcieut :tnd judicious lo:~nngerne!lt, except ill H very few ini&tuces, by tlln offiechrso t tlle Uepu1.11ueuto f' tlle trllsts rotnn~ittedt o illern. Tlris conditio~ro f nfitirs, i t is n~ll~nrirrcw~illl, \v;trmnt the nssertioll tlrot the conduct of the service the past year has been wise, prudeut, and meas-urably successful, and affords sufficieut reasou for indulging the hope of the early accomplishment of the beneficent designs of the Government toward the Indian race. maintained among ~ ~ ~ - |