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Show the result has been harmony of action between the two departments, no conilkt of opinion. having arisen as to the duty, power and responn-biiity of either. Arraugements now, a8 heretofore, will doubtless be required with tribes desiring to be settled upon reservations for the relinquishment of their rights to the lands claimed by them and for assistance in sustain-ing themselves in a new position, but I am of the opinion that they should not be of a treaOy nature. It has become a matter of ~eriouism - port whether the treaty system in use ought longer to be continued. In my judgment it should not. A treaty involves the idea of a compact between two or more sovereign powers, each possessing sufficient au-thority and force to compel a compliance with the obligations incurred. The Indian tribes of the United States are not sovereign nations, ca,pable of making treaties, as none of t b m have an organized govern-ment of such inherent strength as would secure a faithful obedience of its people in the observance of compacts of this character. They are held to be the wards of the government, and the only title the law con-cedes to them to the lands they occupy or claim is a mere possessory one. But, because treaties have been made with them, generally for the extingnlshment of their supposed absolute title to laud Inhabited by them, or over which they roam, they have become falsely impressed with the notion of national independence. It is time that this idea should be dispelled, and the government cease the cruel farce of thus dealing with its helpless and ignorant wards. Many good men, looking at this matter only from a Christian point of view,. will perhaps say that the poor Indian has been greatly wronged and 111 treated; that this whole country was once his, of which he has been despoiled, and that he has been driven fiom place to place until he hita hardly lef€ to him a spot where to lay his head. This indeed may be philanthropic and hu-mane, but the stern letter of the law admits of no such conclusion, and great injury has been done by the governmeut in deluding this people into the belief of their being indepeqdent sovereignties, while they were at the same time recognized only as its dependents and wards. As civ-ilization advances and their possessions of laud are required for settle-ment, such legislation should be granted to them as a wise, liberal, and just governmeut ought to extend to subjects holding their dependent relation. In regard to treaties now in force, justice and humanity re-quire that they be promptly and faithfully executed, so that the Indians may not have cause of complaint, or reason to violate their obligations by acts of violence and robbqy. . Whileitmay not beexpedient to negotiate treatieswith any of the tribes hereafter it is no doubt just that those made within the past year, and now *ending before theunited States Senate should be definitely acted upon. Some of the parties are anxiously w&ting for the ful6Ument of the stipulations of these compacts and manifest dissatisfaction at the delay. Their ratification has been recommended *eretofore by the Indian Bureau, and as nothing has since occurred to change the opinion then entertained in regard to them, excepting, perhaps, that with the Osages, concluded May 27,1868, and the one made with the Saes and Foxes of Missouri, conueeted with the Iowas, February 11,1869, for reasons hereafter noticed, that recommendation is now renewed. The treaties referred to are: That with the Cherokees, concluded July 9,1868, providing for the settlement of all their claims and demands against the United States 1 of the vexed question as to the disposition of their neutral lauds ; then right to other lauds ; the removal of ambiguities in the treaty with them of 1866; the settlement of questions between the |
