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Show 10 REPORT 08' THE COMMISSIONER. tribes the time of treating was deferred until next spring, with the hope that the Indians by that time might see that their permanent in-terests required an entire transfer of all their lands and their removal to a new home. Some tribes declined to dispose of any portion ; and all, with the esceptionof the Wyandotts anrl Ottowas, who expressed an opinion on the subject of an organization of a civil government in that territory, were opposed to the measure. They have, with but few excep-tions, a very crude and unintelligible idea of the "white man's laws," deeming them engines oftyrnnny and oppression, and they dread as well as fear them. Before the commissioner left the country quite a change was perceptible among the Indians ; and it is believed that, with but few exceptions, the tribes will next spring enter into treaties and dispose of large portions of their country, and some of them will sell the whoh of their land. The idea of retaining reservations, which seemed to be generally entertained, is not deemed to be consistent with their true interests, and every good influence ought to be exercised to enlighten them on the subject. If they dispose ot their lands, no reservations should, if it can be avoided, be granted or allowed. There are some Tndians in various tribes who are occupying farms, comfortably situated, and who are in such an advanced state of civilization, that if they de-sired to remain, the privilege might weU, and ought perhaps to be granted, and their farms in each case reserved for their homes. Such Indians would be qualified to enjoy the privileges of citizenship. But to make reservations for an entire tribe on the tract which it now owns, would, it is believed, be injurious to the future peace, prosperity, and advancement of these people. The commissioner, as far as he judged it prudent, endeavored to enlighten them on this point, and labored tn convince them that it was not consistent with the true interest of them-selves and their posterity that they should have tribal reservations within their present limits. i The condition of the Indians located west of hlissonri and Iowa is not as prosperous, or their advnnce in civilization as rapid, as the offi-cial reports annually received from that part of the country would authorize us to expect. In several tribes are to be found some edu-cated, intelligent men; and many are able, by the cultivation of the earth, to suhsist themselves. Among these classes there are some sin-cere professors of religion ; hut the mass of the Indians are indolent and intemperate, and many of them are degraded and debased. The transplanting of these Indians, and the dedication of their pres-ent country to their use, and for theic future home, was an emanation of the purest benevolence and the dictate of humanity. Vast sums of money have been expended by the government for the sustenance, comfort and civilization of these unfortunate people, and the mission-ary has occupied that field of labor long and faithfully ; but notwith-standing all that has been done by the government and good men, the experiment has measurably failed. Located generally on large tracts of land, separated into small and distinct bands, roaming at will and wandering in idleness, the mass of these tribes are in a degraded state, with no hope of a considerable degree of reformatiori, (even with such improvements as are practicable in their present management,) without a change of residence. Their opinions, habits, customs and pursuits, |
