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Show ~p p~ - -- &npers, nor criminals, nor wards in any sense, they come ea. anybody stroug or cunning enough to defraudthem. mitting the Indians a,t the earliest day possible to the care of the State. It is not probable that State authorities will be found ready to accept I this care with its resnonsibilities. exoent in cases where the Indians have attained to suciLa degree of 'civiliz'ationas to become selfsupport-lug, and in other respects ready to mingle with the citizens of the State, and be subject to the same mnuicipal control; or in cases where suffi. j cieut funds are prorided for by the annuities of the tribes, or by the surplus lands ~ i t h i uth e reservations, or by special appropriation of Congress to meet all probable expenses incident to their care and preparation for citizenship. These conditio~~alsr eady exist among the , Indians of Key york, and Michigan, and North Carolina, and a portion of those in Wiscousin, Iowa, and Minnesota. There can be no question that the iuterests of all parties concerned : would he benefited b~ a transfer of the care of the Indians uporl the sever1 reservations in New York to the authorities of that State, either , directly, or by declaring said State the guardian or agent of the United Sbates in their behalf; The funds belonging to these Indiaus, $4,000 per year, would then be disbursed nuder the care of the oEcers of the 'county in +hi& the Indians reside, and could easily be applied for school purposes, support of orphans, or for meeting some other eommou want of the Indians, illstead of being expended, as they now are, in the purchase of annuity-goorls, amon~itiugt o a few yards of ca,lico and cotton-cloth to each person. With the responsibility of these Indians tbus assumed by the State, it is not at all probable that there wol~ld long remain in the heart of Kew York s e v e ~11~1 dianr eservatiorrs exivtiug as separate kingdoms, one of them 40 mileslong and1 mile wide, within which the laws of the State relating to highways, schools, taxes, aud the colleotiou of debts have no jurisdiotion. The interest which the authorities of New York hare shown in the protection and education, of the Indians within her borders, leaves no doubt as to the henefit which would arise to. the Indians from corning uoder the imluediate care and entire control of the State, among the first of which would he i~o~nediasttee ps to bring the Indiaus into citi-zenship, qualified or eutire. \I*hat is true of New York is also trne of Michigan,although not toso marked a degree. Four-filtlls of the Indians + withi11 her borders are yrepa~ed for full citizenship, liviug in their own homes and farms; aud the others are in snoh a coudition of advancement as to be quite i~nlikelyto receive any further Government aid than is provided in their treat1 stipulations. It is, therefore, largely for the iuterests of Michigan as well as for her Indians, that she should take charge of this people; and that the treaty.fuuils still due thew should - be so expended through her local officers that the most benefit shall be derived therefrom in the direcbiou of the civilization and preparation for citizenship of a people who are. a part of her body politic. The same is true of the Chippewas, Menomenees, Oneidas, and Stoclr-bridges in Wisconsin. They belong within this State,and there IS no pros-pect or proposal for remox-ing them. The property of these' Indians in annuities and lands, and the t~mbesrt anding on their reservations is am-ple to create a fu~ldw hich will secure the State against any burden of taxation io their future care and control; and it mould seem fit that the hem in charge, and obliged ulti~uately tolbear whatever arise from;their prestnoe, is entitled uow to takejeharge - ~- ~~ |
