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Show ish, and therefore it is of the utmost importance that the real relation8 which the Indians sustain to the Government of the United States should be definitely and finally settled. With this end in view, I pre-sent for your consideration a statement of what seems to me to be the truth of the matter. I The qu~st ioui s one of so much difficultmayn d importance, and so much depends upon it, that I am somewhat diffident in expressing my opinion. I venture to do so, however, withthehope an~lexpectatiouth at if the position which I assume is incorrect the errors will be pointed out, and thus, even if it should not be the final statement of the truth, it may at least be helpful in securing such. I INDEPENDENT POLITICAL COXKUNI'P[ES, DEPENDENT ALLIES. At the time of the discovery and settlement of America the many Indian tribes inhabiting that portion now embraced within the limits of the United States were recoguized by the various governments nn. . ' der whose authority the settlements bs the whites were made, and by each other, as separate, distinct, and independent political commuoities, I capable of maintai~iingth e relations of peace and war. . Under the laws aod customs of nations the several governments under whose authority and by whose snbjeots this country pras discov-ered and settled became entitled to t.he right to preempt the land from the natives as against each othea and all other European powers. , . Of necessity, each government was exclusively entitled to the right to extinguish the Iudiau title to the country claimed and:occupied by it, and this right of course abridged the right of the Indianto the extent that he coold only dispose of his title in the laud occupied by him to ' ., . that gorernment whiohclaimed andhadthe right of preEmption, and in .which the absolute ultimate title or the fee vested. While the several , tribes were recognized as distinct political communities, with the right ' togovern themselves in such manner as they saw fit, and were not sub- ! , . ject to the laws of the white man, they were no longer independent na- ' . tions, but were defined as dependent nations, or half sovereign states. f (1 Whart. Com. Am. Law, sec. 137). It seems to be and to have been from time immemorial a settled doc-trine of the law of nations that a weaker power does not necessarily . . . : surrender ibs independence and rights to self-gox~crumeubt y associating . with a stronger power and receiving its protection, and all of the gov-ernmeuts iuterested-France, Holland, Spain, and England-regarded ; the status of the Iudiau as above set forth. I t seemed necessary that eacl~o f the great European powers inter-ested in the settlement of America should throw its protecting care . arouud and over the Indians upor] the lands inclosed within its juris. I dictiou; otherwise, there was danger that foreign agents by promises , of greater privileges could seduce them into Eorkign alliances, and with: ' ' their assistance overtl~rowth e G-overument. On this point;in the case , \ . . |