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Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 159 B. Rush Roberts, Richard T. Bently, Hicksite Friends ; Anson M. Powell, New York ; William P. Ross, C. N. Vann, W. P. Adair, W. A. Phillips, Ch.- rokee delegation ; Samuel Chicote, chief, and S. W. Perryinan, Pleasant Porter, John K. Moore, D. N. Mclntosh, F. S. Lyon. agent, Creek nation ; P. P. Pitch] yn, S. B. Jackson, Choctaws ; A. G. Long, Chickasaw ; Hon. Amasa J. Walker, Massachusetts. Invitations were sent to Rev. Father De Smet, Roman Catholic, St. Louis, Missouri, and to the Secretary of the Unitarian Society, Boston, Massachusetts, but their absence in Europe prevented their attendance. Mr. BKI;, NOT. We propose, to ask Dr. Treat to open our meeting with prayer. Prayer was offered by Dr. Treat. Mr. BRUNOT. The board of Indian commissioners, in looking over the extensive field, which is coextensive with the limits of our country the field in which the Indians are found tind that they have been unable to visit all portions of the tield or to get information direct by personal observation from many parts of it, and have felt a desire to know what was being done by the Christian societies who were asked to co- operate with us and with the Government in the work of endeavoring to civilize and christianize the Indians. We felt, too, that if the officials of these societies could, from time to time, come together and meet with us and give us their experience in their efforts in the Indian country, and each receive each other's suggestions, informing us in reference to the difficulties they encounter, & c., much could be done for the advancement of the object which is so dear to all of us, I presume, who are here; that is, doing justice, as becomes a Christian nation, to the people for whose care God has ;> laced upon us the entire responsibility. With that view we have invited you to come lere to- day, and. as the most practical mode of accomplishing something by the meet-ing, it is proposed to ask the representatives of the Christian societies who are here to inform us of their views, their experience, and their success, and also to give us their opinions as to what is necessary for the more efficient carrying on of the work in which we are all engaged. I will, therefore, ask Mr, King, who is the representative of one of the societies of Friends, to make such a statement to the meeting in reference to the doings of that society, as he may deem proper. Mr. KING. In view of this meeting, our executive committee requested the attendance of Dr. Nicholson, who is the agent of our committee, and whose whole time is given to the supervision of the work. He is here, and can state the facts so much better and more correctly and interestingly to the meeting thau I, that I beg leave to ask him to represent us. Mr. BRUNOT. We will be glad to hear from Dr. Nicholson. I would suggest the gentleman will pardon me that a statement as to the location of the reservations and agencies under the charge of your body, the progress they have made, the number of Indians, & c., would be gratifying information to many who are preset? t, and probably would be desirable information to all. Our board has these facts, but perhaps not all who are now present are in possession of them. ORTHODOX FRIENDS. Mr. NICHOLSON. The field in which our society is engaged is the central superintend-eiicy, embracing the Indian tribes within the State of Kansas and the Indian Territory. The entire number of Indians in this superiuteudeucy is about twenty thousand, not including the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Seminoles, who arc 1 , mostly self- supporting and manage their own business ; their agents report to the Commis-sioner of Indian Affairs, and not through the superintendent, although the last- named officer presides at the meetings of the general council in the Indian Territory. The Indians under the charge, of the superintendent are divided into different tribes and bands, and their condition is various. Some of them are, to a very large extent, civilized, and some are wild, roving Indians, that come into their agencies only for the purpose of securing their rations, and remain a very short time. The Kiowas, Apaches, Chey-eimes, and Arapahoes are, to some extent, civilized, though but slightly so. There are in Kansas three distinct agencies, and the Indians embraced therein are looking for-ward to a movement into the Indian Territory as soon as some arrangement can be made for the disposition of their lands in Kausa's and the purchase of new homes in the Territory. Schools are in operation among the Indians in Kansas and the Indian Ter-ritory, varying in the number and progress of pupils, depending upon the varying cir-cumstances of the tribes. When a school is opened it is for the purpose of imparting to the pupils a knowledge of Christianity, as well as of the ordinary rudiments of educa-tion, it being considered that simply instructing them in the ordinary elements of learn-ing would avail but little unless they are led to a higher life than that to which they have been accustomed in their wild condition. Success has attended the efforts of the society in this direction. It cannot be expected, taking into consideration their past condition, the length of time they have been in a state of barbarism and subject to the animal passions, that they will at once show that complete reformation in hahits which is expected but not always found among the whites. The encouragement, however, is |