OCR Text |
Show XEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 11 which present an almost insurmountabie obstacle to their change from a primitive state, find now but little resistance; while the advice of th agent, and the efforts of the teacher and divine, are counteracted, to? verj- great estent, by influences of an adve'rse character, and which it is presumed will predominate so long as these Indians are permitted m remain where they now reside. The acquisition of Texas, New Mesico. and our Pacific possessions, and the vast annual emigration which passes through the Indian coun-try and over the Indian reservations, on its journey thither, and which was not anticipated at the time the Indians were located there, render it absolutely necessary that they be placed out of the paths of the emi-pants as fixr as practicable. The interests of both require it. In the present condition of the Indian, no good rcsults to him from his contact with the emigrant ; while the latter is alwn-s embarrassed on his jour-ney and fkequently injured by the presence of the former. Except tlie Wyandotts and Ottowas, who have a few simple laws, 1 all the Indian tribes north of the Cherokee line are without any pw-scribed form of government. The Intercourse act, it is believed, estends no protection to tlie emigrants ; and this adventurous andvalu-able class of our people is therefore unprotected while in the Indian country. This state of things ought not to esist. The Intercourse act, if amended, and its provisions extended to them, would still be ipeffi-cient, if' not a dead letter, by rea.son of the great distance of the United States officers in the States from the Indian country. In my judgment, the interests of r11e Indians require that a civil government be iinmedi-ately organized in the territory. The esecutive of the territory dis-charging, by virtue of his office, the duties of' superintendent of Indian A i r s , and Iliiving a direct oversight of the In<li;u~se rvlcc there, \vonld ' exercise a h;~ppyin fluence, not only on the border tribes, but in a brief space of time on the Indians of the plains. In the annual report of t t ~ e3 0th November, 1145, tlie then Commie sioner of Indian Atiairs suggested the policy of 11rocurin5 and keeping apen portions of the lands west of Missouri and Iowa, for the egress and expansion of our own population; and the same measure has been urged in several successive annual reports. The necessity of opening an ample western outlet for our rapidly-incrensina population, seems to have been clearly foreseen by this department. The negotiations with the Indians who will have to be disturbed, and the arrangements neces-sary fur their peaceful and cornfbrtable re-location, requiring time and deliberation, it is to be regretted that the authority and means for the accomplishment of the object were not given more in advance of the exigency which has occurred, and which appears to require proceed-ings of a more precipi~ate character than shoukl have Iwen permitted to become necessary. Objectinns may he urged to the organization of n ci\-il government in the Indian country; but those that cannot be ox-ercome are not to be compared to the advantages which will floxr- to the Indians from such a measure, n-ith treaties to conform to the new order of things, and suitable laws for their protection. In addition to this, the preparation of a large district of that country for settlement, by the removalof the Indians, \vould open up, in a rnost |