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Show 18 REPORT OF THE experience of the past. But if this be so, it does not discharge the government of the'united States and its citizens from the performance of their duty; and every effort is demanded by humanity to avert a calamity of this kind. Many of the Indians are impressed with the idea that they belong to a race that shall become extinct, and this opinion produces such gloom, despondency and even despair, as to wither their energies and destroy their aspirations. With all these drawbacks, I believe that the Indian may be domes-ticated, improved, and elevated; that he may be completely and thoroughly civilized, and made a useful element of our population. I But he must have a home; a fixed, settled, and permanent home. And I regard it as fortunate for him that circumstances intimately connected with our present plan of emigration to and settlement within the territories of the United States, although marked by great irregularities and cruelty and death to both races, are rapidly hasten-ing a condition of things which will accord with the policy of perma-nent homes and fixed habitations for the Indians. This wonderful emigration and the expansion of our population into every portion of our territories, where land is found suitable for cultivation, carries the white settlers on either side of and far beyond the homes of the In- I dians; and as the settlements thus made expand and grow, they will so have adjusted themselves as to forbid the removal of the red man. There will therefore soon be no pretext for a change, as there will be no place to remove the Indian population. The policy of fixed habi-tations I regard as settled by the government, and it will soon be confirmed by an inevitable necessity; and it should be understood at once that those Indians who have had reservations set apart and as-signed them, as well as those who may hereafter by treaty have, are not to be interfered with in the peaceable possession and undisturbed enjoyment of their land; that no trespasses will be permitted upon their territory or their rights; that the assurances and guarantees of their treaty grants are as sacred and binding as the covenants in the settler's patent; and that the government will not only discountenance all attempts to trespass on their lands and oust them from their homes, but in all cases where necessary will exert its strong arm to vindicate its faith with, and sustain them in, their rights. Let combinations, whether formed to obtain the Indian's land or to make profit by jobs and contracts in his removal, or other causes, be resisted; and let it !be understood that the Indian's home is settled, fixed, and permanent, I and the settler and the Indian will, it is believed, soon experience the I good effects that will result to both. The former will then regard the latter as his neighbor and friend, and will treat him with the consid-eration due to this relation. And the Indian will look upon his habi-tation as permanent and his reservation as his home, and will cease to regard the white man with that restless doubt and distrust which has been so disastrous to his comfort and p- eace and so fatal to his civilization and improvement. All nersons who emigrate to the territories of the United States, to occupdunder the libera land policy of the government the publicdo-main, should understand distinctly that they are to occupy and culti-vate the land to which the Indian title is extinguished, and that |
