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Show COMXISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 17 notice, was that they had been often notified before to quit the reservBc tion,.aud, no steps having been taken to enforce obedience, they s u p posed they would he allowed to remain with like security in thin instance. It is surprising to see the growing disposition on the part of our citizens to wholly disregard our treaty obligations with Indian tribes within our borders ; and it is to he hgped that in future their rights will be held more sacred, or that t,he government will, in every instance, promptly see that they are observed and respected. In ,the annual report af. the superintendent of Indian affairs, (southern superintendepoy,) that officer refers to the accompanying reports of the agents of the several tribes under his jurisdiction-for the past year, for detailed information respecting their condition, improve-ment, and wants. Much excitement is reported to exist among the Cherokees, and, duriugi+he past year, many murders and other crimes and outrages have been perpetrated. A sec'ret association has-been formed by the full blood members of the tribe, and the cause of all the present exist-ing difEculties is attributable, it is alleged, to the missionaries among them who are charged with interfering with the institution of slavery in the Cherokee nation. The Creeks are an agricultural people, and are reported as peaceable and steadily advancing in civilization. Recent important chan es have been made in their form of government. A new system has teen in-augurated by the adoption of s new constitution by the general bun-cil, which, among other measures, provide8 for a division of the nation into four districts, and the selection of chiefs by the people; it also in-creases tbc power of their 'police force, "the light -horse," and re-auires an enforcement' of the law demand in^ the destruction of all a'piritnous liquors brought into the nution. have given evidence of'their Bbility for self-government, and manifest contentn>ent with the change in theit national organization. All the Seminoles have not yet removed to their new country. The Creeks have extended their laws over that tribe, which, in consequence of their ignorance of the existence and npture thereof, have operated oppressively. It is, however, helieved that the action of the Creeks will prove effective to constrain the Seminoles to join those members of their tribe who have already settled on the lands set apart for .them. . The bifficulties hitherto existing among the Choctaws and Chicks-saws, in consequence of a division of sentiment among them reapem ing a constitution for their government, have been reconciled by a vote of the people of the nation, and all parties have submitted to and agreed to ahide'by the result of the ballot. They are, however, annoyed by "self-constitnted teachers and guardians," who aasume to protect their interests with jealous care, and thus have obtained influence and popularity among the more credulous and ignorant of their people; otherwise, their constitutional government has been a successful experiment. The Indians from Texas and the Wichitas and other bands affili-ated with them, removed last year to the country leased from the Choctaws and Chickasaws, on the "False Washita river." They are 2 r |