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Show 18 REPORT OF THE ' and has its sway. Considerable reflection has confirmed me in the opinion, that much may be done towards abating this vile trade by a co-operation with the government on the part of the States and Terri-tories bordering on the frontier. Earnest appeals have been made to them for proper legislation, but only with partial success. It is hoped that this important subject wiIl arrest the attention of the people, and their representatives in the States and Territories refsrred to, and that something efficient will yet be done by them towards aiding the gov-ernment in relieving the poor Indian from the evils arising from the use of ardent spirits, and the power of the whiskey trader. In the last annual report, your attention was directed to the subject of a general council of the semi-civilized tribes of the southern super-intendency, with the wild tribes of the prairies, having in view the establishment of mutual relations of peace and amity between the several tribes, and of making available the occasion to impress the wilder Indians with a just appreciation of the power and determina; tion of the government of the United States to punish them for their aggressions, if persisted in, and to show the necessity of being at peace and on good terms as well with the whites as with their red brethren. With regard to this matter my views are still unchanged. I therefore renew my recommendation that application be made to Congress for an appropriation to carry out the object. Referring to a suggestion made in former reports, in regard to the investment of moneys in stocks so as to produce the annual income stipulated by treaty to be secured in perpetuity to various Indian tribes, I deem it now to be my duty to allude to a provision of the second section of the act of Congress entitled "An act to repeal a part of the act to. provide for the support of the Military Academy of the Unitedstates," &c., approved September 11, 1841. The section re-ferred to, according to the copstruction put upon it, requires the department to invest a11 moneys held in trust for Indian tribes in stocks of the United States. There are now funds in the treasury to a considerable amount, ari-sing from accrued interest, lands, &c., which it would be good policy to invest ; but in view of the fact that United States stocks are held at a very high price in comparison with safe State stocks bearing a like rate of interest, and inasmuch as the government is itself en-gaged in purchasing in its stocks at a high reminm, it has been deemed best to await the approaching session o ? Congress, in the hope that it will take such action as may be necessary to extend the authority and option of the Secretary of the Interior in regard to the investment of the moneys of Indian tribes. The fifth, and, by limitation of law, the last volume of the work containing information relative to the history, present condition, and prospects of the Indian tribes in the United States, is in press, and it is hoped will be ready for distribution before the close of the next session of Congress. I deem it proper to call attention to the claims of Indians to land bounty for military services rendered to the United States. Under the act of September, 1850, a considerable number of such claims were p~erenteda n d~l l owe d ;b ut a decision having been made that |
