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Show 8 EXTRACT FBOM THE REWBT OF Indians to the whie settlements affords faoilities for illegal inter-course and traffic which it is found imposaible to prevent entirely. As a consequence, the Indians are encouraged in habits of idlenesa and dissipation, and are despoiled of their money and property, Their removal would undoubtedly result in advantage to both races. It is not proposed to compel them to remove against their wiahea A large portion of them have expressed a desire to be removed to the Indian country south, and it is believed that the sever4 tribes will readily enter into treaties for the removal of those who desire to be transferred. Portions of the different tribes hase lpade such pro-gress in civilization that they can now cultivate their lands and earn their subsistence. These would remain and become citizens of the State and subject to its laws. While the people of Kansas and td Indian8 would be benefited by this change, it would result in benefit to the government, by dimini&ing the expenses now annually incurred. Instead of employ-ing one agent for each of the tribes, one competent agent could sopervise the business of all of them. That portion of the lands now held by the Indians in Kansas, which may be rightfully claimed by those who will be willing to remove, may be sold for a larger sum than will be requi~edto purchase a11 the lands they will need in the Indian country. Cwormia Indim.-A provision in one of the appropriation bill* of the last session of Congress directed an inqiiry into the expediency of reducing the Indian reservations in that State to two, to designate the proper places for them, and the probable cost and the value of the resent reservations: also in what manner the expenses of the 1ndiL department in that State can be diminished. - The time which has elapsed since the adjournment of Congress has been too brief to enable the depal-tment to obtain the information required; and I can only present at this time some general suggea-tious. There are now two superintendents in California, one having charge of the Indians in the northern and the other of those in the southern part of the State. Both keep their offices at San Francisco. I am unable to perceive any advantage from this system of double superintendencies in a aiugle State. By placing the supervision of all the Indians in the State in the control of one superintendent, the wlary of one of them, with the expense of clerks and other em-ploy6s, office rent, kc., may be saved, while a uniform system of management, under one controlling head, would be calculated to lesseu the expenses of the general administration throughout the State. No treaties have been made with any of the tribes in California The government has assigned to them reservations, and made appro-priations to aid in their support. It is expedient, in my judgment, to continue this policy. The superintendent of the northern district reports to the com-missioner that there is no one available location in that district of snf-ficient extent to afford a home to all the Indians. He recommends the sale of the present reservations and the purahase of two othera. |
