OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, 9 cultnral interests of white men, hare an important bearing npou the question of compeusation which shall be allowed for their lands; for i t must be borne in mind that unless the Sioux Nation becomes extinct, of which there is no probability, the time is close upon them when they must have just; such an opportunity for self.snpport as that which is now known to he offered in the Rlaok Hills; and if, for the want of another such country, they are obliged to begin civilization under increased disahilities, humanity as well as equity denlauds that such disabilitv shall be cornnensated bv increased aid from the Government; , and UI i;.oid the perilJ'of fi~ttlrrir gixl;irio~~or, want of I~!gisl;~tiouth, d eo~upenxatiors~h oul~lh e provided fur ; ~ u dfi xed at the time \rht.n weara tnkiug away their vnli~alilela uds. The fact that these Indians are making but little if any use of the Black Hills has no bearing upon the question of what is a fair equiva-lent for the surreuder of these rare facilities for farmine and .e. r azine-. They are ehildrei, utterlj ullable toco~oprellrudt beir o\,.u great neces-sities . i n~ta head; they canlrot, therelure, seo that t l ~ ac ollntl:y wlri~lt now uilv furnish& them lodee:ooles and a few autelone has alinudaut resourc& for their future waGts; when tbey shall cease to be barbarous pensioneri upon the Government and begin to provide for their own living. Their ignorance of themselves and of true values makes the stronger appeal to our sense of what is right and fair. The true equivalent to be oflered the Sioux, as helpless wards of the Government, for the Black Hills will be found by estimating what eight hundred square miles of gold fields are worth -to us, aud what three thousand square miles of timber, agricultural, and grazing lauds are worth to them. TJXE MSSION INDIANS OF SOUTHERN CALIlrORNlA. 1 These Indians hare heretofore been the sul~jeoot f much inquiry and effort for relief hy the Department. In 1873 Speclal Commissioner Rev. John G. Ames made thorough inquiry into their eoudition and necessi-ties. and made full renort of the same. The measures sueeested in that repbrt : I I I ~ r ecomnie;~~lr~l~~'roon &restst ,r~;hlol~tionno i"~~rrtiu::w ith approvul: Cornl~~issio~Cle. r.\ . \Vctn~cerr,u f C;tlifornin, I I IAI ~Of urther iu-oalrivs ss to tho fi.asil~ilitvo f a clitirrent lblnn lor rolieviuetheir disal~il- &ies, and submitted his report in llecember, 1874. ~he ' s ere ports fnr-nishrd valuable informatioll to the Offive, from whlch, together with orevious renorts of suner intel~de~a~ntds ae-euts., the followin-e Pacts ; ~ * ~ p r c ttiille~~~e1 n diar1ko re c!olnpilt.<l. I'lrey ha~th received IIII! Il;lnle of 3lis.;iou lndiaos from tllcir relntiou to t l ~ ee ;rrlv Catholic i~~ission0f1i1 t l ~ rl' iicitic euast. the first of U.II~CII was 6stilbi1nl1eda t di111 Uirgo i l l li(i9, others f o l l o k i~lt~11 11il1 801, at !vllicll tinw Illera were n i n r otiosion8 at tli#i.rent points 1gi11gn lol~gt hc coast hc.ttveen &an Ui t ro an11 Sun Frilneieco. The missio11arit.6l ~nvi..r ~e a semi-religio~r:sl nd s r ~ ~ i - ~ ~ ~rleict~i ~cganli tiobnj the :luthority of Spaill and \lvxicn, nssntnrd control of the ~ n t ~croeas t, atld h j degrees I~rullght t h I~nd ii~usu ~lders i~l~jrctioann d r r~t l~e r etl~iel~ ni u st*trlt~lnrutasr otlll~l their missions, where <hey were i n~r u c t e din agriculture and a low fbrm of civilized life, and put to labor in cultivating large tracts of fertile lands, which tbey were allowed to occupy in common, under the direc-tion and control of the nadres. The orieinal idea on which these mis. sious were rnaiutained &ems, to hake bee: that so soon as these Iudial~s shoold be bronght, as couverts of the church, into a condition for self. support, the la<ds which they were occupying'and cultivating should be I |