OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE if not the very existence of these Indians, require that new and dif-ferent arrangements be made with them as soon as possible. I concur fully with those of my predecessors who have stated that there have been too great and radical mistakes in our system of Indian policy-the assignment of an entirely too large body of land in com-mon to ,the different tribes which have been relocated, and the payment of large money annuities for the cessions made by them ; the first tending directly to prevent the Indians from acquiring settled habits and an idea of personal property and rights, which lie at the very foundation of all civilization; the second causing and fostering a feeling of dependence and habits of idleness, so fatally adverse to anything like physical and moral improvement. With regard to the Indians in Nebraska and Kansas especially, it is all important that these mistakes shall not be perpetuated or repeated. They are in a critical position. They have been saved as long as possible from the cont,act and pressureof white population, which has generally heretofore been regarded as fatal to the Indian. They are now becoming rapidly surrounded by such a population, full of enterprise and energy, and by which all the surplus lands, as far west as any of the border tribes reside, will necessarily soon be required for settlement. There is no place left where it is practicable to place these tribes separate and apart by themselves. Their destiny mast be determined and worked out where they are. There they must advance and improve,.and become fitted to take an active part in the ennobling struggles of civilization ; or, remaining ignorant, imbecile and helpless, and acquiring only the fatal vices of civilized life, they must sink and perish, like thousands of their race before them. A solemn duty rests upon the government 1 to do all in its power to save them from the latter fate, and there is no time to be lost in adopting all necessary measures to preserve, elevate and advance them. With large reservations of fertile and desirable land, entirely dis-proportioned to their wants for occupancy and support, it will be im-possible, when surrounded by a dense. white population, to protect them from constant disturbance, intrusion and spoliation by those on whom the obligations of law and justice rest but lightly ; while their large annuities will subject them to the wiles and machinations of the inhuman trafficke~i n ardent spirits, the unprincipled gambler, and the greedy and avaricious trader and speculator. Their reservations should be restricted so as to contain only suffic~ent land to afford them a comfortable support by actual cultivation, and should be properly di-vided and assigned to them, with the obligation to remain upon and cultivate the same. The title should remain in the tribe, with the ppwer reserved to the government, when any of them become suffi-clently intelligent, sober and industrious, to grant them patents fbr the lands so assigned to them, but'leaseable or alienable only to mem-bers of the tribe, until they become so far advanced as to be fitted for the enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of citizens of the United States. Their annuities should be taken and used for the erection of' comfortable residences and requisite out-buildings, and otherwise in gradually improving their farms. Manual labor schools should be established, where they could learn how to conduct properly their agri- |