OCR Text |
Show I direct to the India2 Bureau. No detriment to the service has been I caused bv this chance. The oftices so discontinned number six. and a consider~bles um, vri;ieh was expended on account of salaries anti offieo, iueirlrlltal and trareling expense*, is thereby sared to the Government. The uun~bero f aeeneies. includine thoso denominated snerial and sub-agencies, is at ths timc fi;;veutyfour, the iucumi~entso f which receive a coml~ellsntiono f $1,5u0 per :jnnunl, except tllree in C;lliforl~i;i wl~or eceive $l,dUO each, aud the s1111-apntsw, ho receive $1,000 per year. The existing laws regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, enacted many years ago, (1834,) and which were adapted to the time and to the condition of affairs among the Indians, are judged now to be inadequate to the purpose, or are so defective as to fail to secure the Indians against the encroachments of the whites, n d the introduc-t ~ o nof evils which have so much contributed to their demoralization and led to troubles and difficulties between them and the whites. A rvvision of thrsr lavs iu vw.7 mnc11 to be desired to meet the changed circumstaneea now snrrounding the Indians, arising out of t l~cb uilding of railroads tllrougii tlleir lands, the r a ~ i dad raure of white settlements. and the claims aria rights of squa.tters;miners, and prospecting parties i also to provide some definite course to be pursued in cases of crimes committed by Indians a.gainst Indians; to express clearly the r p f eitizens to trade with Indians j and to dehe more speci6cally w at 1s to de understood now as Indlan country, especially as to the applica-tion of the term to the Territories of New Mexico, Utah, and other por-tions of country acquired by the United States from fore~gn powers subsequent to the law in question. Although the lalvs referred to, <'or such provisions of the same as may be applicable," have been, by act of Congress approved February 27,1851, extended over the Territories mentioned, it is a point at issue between certain parties and the Depart-ment whether trade by citizens who are inhabitants of theseTerritories, with Indians who may come to their places of business outside of an Indian reservation, is prohibited by law. A case is now being tested npou a suit brought against the superintendent of Indian affairs for Arizona, and the agent for the Pima and Marieopa Indians in that Ter-ritory, by a firm whose goods were seized by the agent for trading with the Indiaus without a license issued in accordance with law. It is gratifying to report that in some portions of the country, more particularly in Montana Territory, by the vigorous and determined ac-tion of the superintendent of Indianaffairs there the traffic in spirituous liquors with the Indians has been to a considerable extent suppressed. During the year a number of persons have been arrested, tried, and con-victed, for the first time in the history of that Territory, for selling liquor to Indians. In Washington Territory, also, efforts made in the same direction have been quite successful. Much credit is due to the officers who have shown such activity and zeal in this matter, and it is hoped that others may be inspired, by,their example and success, to seek to accomplish like results, so that thls bane to the Indian race may be greatly abated if not altogether removed. Under the legislation of Congress appropriating money for the re-moval of the Kickapoo Indians, who, many years ago, left the Indian country and went to Mexico, back to the United States, steps were taken early last spring to effect that object. An agent, with a ddega tion of Eickapoos from Kansas, proceeded to Santa IZosa, in Mexico, and there met these Indians and communicated to them the wishes and purposes of the United States Government. The mission was, however, unsuccessful, as the Indians were influenced against the measure pro- |