OCR Text |
Show 22 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. respecting Indian affairs, and the President has authority, under the act of Jnne 30, 1834, providing for the organization of the department of Indian AEdirs, to prescribe such rules as he may think fit for c a r r y i ~ ~ ~ into effect its provisions. The appro riations for the current expenses of our remote Indian service, for t!e' present year, being far short of the sums estimated therefor, and entirely inad~quate, deficiencies, probably to fill1 the amount of the reductions made in the estimates by Congress, will have to be provided for at the nest session of that body. The traffic in ardent spirits with the Indians, to whom it is so de-moralizing ,and ruinous, still actively and extensively prevails; less ha\>-everw ~thinth e confines of the Indian country, it is believed, than along its borders, where there is no law, and no power on the part of the general government to restrain it. Tbis traffic is here carried on with impunity by a set of lawless harpies, as recliless as they are mer-ciless in pursuit of the ill-gotten gains to be thereby acquired. Gome P years since a strong appeal was made by the head of this department to the authorities of several of the frontier States, for the purpose of en-deavoring to procure such legislation on the part of those States as would tend to uproot this widespread evil, but without success. Hence it still flourishes in violation of all law, human and divine ; the fruitful source of crime and untold misery, and the kequent cause of serious brawls and disturbances upon the frontiers, as well as within the Indian country. It having been found that the Indians, on the faith of their annuities, frequently obtain liquor on credit from the class of persons referred to, and that they collect these ' I whisky debts" at the annuity payments, to the prejudice of the licensed and legitimate traders among the Indians, it is intended hereafter, as far as possible, to keep such persons out of the Indian country entirely, ant1 especially at the time of the payments. 1 As among the best of the many recommendations made of late years for the correction of evils connected with our Indian system, I would call attention to that contained in the annual report of last year, in favor of the substitution of new treaties for the heterogeneous mass now ex-isting, and which, in many respects, are found to be crude, inharmoni-ous, and often contradictory. This measure might be made the means of simplifying our relations with the various tribes with which we have treaty stipolations; of insuring a more judicious and beneficial applica-tion of their funds, and of oromotin~ economv in the administration of A " our Indian aff'airs. The preparation of the fourth volume of the work on the history, con-dition, and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, is nearly completed, and it will be published with as little delay as racticable. The whole amount payable and to be expended for an 1 on account of the Indian service, the present fiscal year, is $1,015,735 50. Of which $532,907 81 is for money annuities; 136,676 50 for goods and rovisions ; 61,961 89 Por educations f purposes ; 94,318 50 for agricultural and mechanical assistance ; and 189,870 50 for other miscellaneous purposes for the hen-efit of the Indians. |