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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF JNDIAN'AFFAIRS.. 41 at once. If these suggestions shall receive the early and favorable cousidera-tion of Congress, I have the utmost confidence that they will be attended with the most gratif;ing results, as all oui accounts agree that the ~ndianso f this district, and, indeed, of the State at ,~a~g e ,~o s s eins sa,n unusual degree, the capacity of speedily acquiring the arts of civilization and becoming self-sup-porting. Whether it shall be fonnd expedient to establish one or more reservations within the limits of the southern district, there should be no delay in securing the titles to such, as may he fonnd necessary, as delay not only increases the difficulties of procuring suitable loeations, but also serves to enhance the value of such desirable lands as may he found to belong to white settlers. Very many of the Indians of the southern district are already well advanced in civilization. . This is especially the case with those in that portion of the district extending east and west fmm the Mojave to the Colorado river, and to the Pacific coast, and southwardly to the boundary of the State. I .see no reason why the system for the management of our Indian. relations with California should differ from that of othkr states and of the Territories. We have now two mpwintmding agents, both residing in San Francisco, and both necessarily requiring offices and clerks. Their duties, I have na doubt. may he as efficiently discharged by a superintendent, with hut little, if any, additional expense to that incurred by each of the superintending agents ; and I. have no doubt that, in case two reserva-tions are estadlished in what is now the northern district, and a suitable num-ber in the southern, and agents appointed to reside upon the several reservations, with the necessary number of employes, we shall not only secure the advantage of uniformity in the system adopted for the management of Indian &aim, hut shall also greatly reduce tbe expenses now incurred in that State, and better suhserve the wants and interests of the Indians. MICHIGAN AGENCY. Under this head are embraced all the Indians residing in the State of Michi-gan. No material change has taken place during the past year. . The agent can wield but little influence among these Indians, owing to the fact that theirreser-vations are remote from the agency and from each other. The Indians number about eight thousand, and are divided into numerous smaII-hands, located in various parts of the State, requiring of the agent a journey of some tmo thon-sand miles in order to visit them all and makk their annual payments. If,upon investigation, it should be found practicable to locate all these Indians upon a single suitable reservation, it would, I douht not, be attended with most hene-ficial results. The agent codd then reside with the 1ndians,.andthey he under his personal care and supervision, and reap the advantages of his example and instructions. I believe this change .would he found practicable, and am confident that the |