OCR Text |
Show The Catholic mission school at the Neosho agency has been continued in operation, though under great difficulties. On the occasion of the recent visit of Superintendent Sells to the agency, the school had in attendance sixtydve Osage and Quapaw boys, and fifty girls. The Indians regard this school with great favor. The Wichita agency (Agent Gookins in charge) comprises about 500 Shaw-nees. absentees from their tribes in Kansas. and who. it is nrobahle. will not return to that State to remain permanently, but who are now'iu Osage county. Kansas; and the Wichitas and framents of the Caddoes, Oomanches, and others, amounting to about 1, 800. These last were, before the war, settled upon lands leased from the Choctaws. They have never had much attention given them by the government, and were driven from Texas hy the greed of white men. Thus they have not for years bad a settled home. Ahoat 1,000 of them are now near Fort Washita, having done hut little towards subsisting themselves, a flood having destroyed most of their crops. They are very poor and miserable, and must have help; and they ask to he placed somewhere, where they can feel that they have a permanent home, and go to work in earnest next spring. Rations are issued to 1,400 of the Indians belonging to this agency. After a careful consideration of the facts set forth in these reports, and from my information obtained while in the Indian county, I am prepared to recom-mend prompt and liheral action on the part of the government in providing food, and necespary clothing, and shelter, and thematerials for commencing early next spring the labor of gettingin the crops which must feed them. In regard tp food and clothing, the demand is immediate and pressing; as to the other, it must he qrovided in good time, and the sooner and better it is done, the sooner will the people relieve the government of the necessity af feeding them. It needs no argument-the bare suggestion is enough-to show the duty of the government towards the loyal and friendly portions of these tribes, who have sealed their devotion with their blood; but the necessity is none the less pressing on the part of many of-the others. They muat be fed and clothed, or their sufferings will surely lead them to steal; and difficulties will at once arise, out of which will come tho necessity of stationing several regiments of troops in the country, with their concomitants of contractors. euonlv trains. &c., &c.. thecost of which would atnun~brt o double what ia needed iu'&kr care of rltese'1udians till they cart hcrr-eatabliahed. Thr: principlethat it i;. cbeaper rn feed than to fight ludinas id ill~~stratrdda ily, and the cost ot'suetainir~gR em.ill army in the 61r weer in a c imp i g t~ag ainst the Indians, or even at posts where no speck of war ever ap- 1tearii on the hol.izon, is greater thau the wltole aarnual expendirun.uf the Indian ileparlment. On every icconnt, then, of patriotism, humanity, and economy, I trnst that there may he quick and liberal action in reference to the wants of these Indians. - In regard to the question of compensation of the loyal portion of these southern tribes for their untold losses and suffe~ingsI, do not feel i t necessary to use many words. A great many white people have endured severe losses, and nn-dergoue great sufferings,by reason of the rebellion; and many thousands of white people in the south have been abused and outraged, and driven from their homes by the demon of civil discord and war; and government has not yet made provisions for compensation in those cases; hut our government was under obli-gations by solemn Lreaties to defend aud protect these Indians ; and without discussing the extent of this obligation, it can do no leas now than to aid those who are actually suffering fo? the simplest necessities of life. This is only the dictate of humanitv. Fur the rest, th; Indians must await their time; bur when that time comes, their claim will be very strong, 2nd must be heard. If the pvenamenc will but net prornptly in furniahiug theln liberally with the ordinary neceesities of lifc |