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Show REPORT OF THE COlWdISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 43 the court, the proceeds thereof to be devoted to the benefit of the tribe to which the offender may at the time belong; and so long as the Indian shall continue in this unlawful relation he shall forfeit d l right to receive rations from the Government. This is practically all that has been attempted to regulate the mar-riage relation and build up family life among Indians, except what agents have occasionally done by their personal influence and official power. On a few reservations, where the right kind of agent has been retained for a considerable length of time, civilized customs in regard to marriage have been quite generally adopted, showing that Indians are as amenable to influences in this as in other directions. The Government has been, as a whole, faithful, even assiduous, in caring for the well-being of Indians in other respects. It has looked after their moneys and lands, helped them to live and dress and work in civilized ways, and has given to their children schools whose equip-ment and methods conform to the best modern standards. But it has done practically nothing to safeguard the family life. It has said no word as to regulating, licensing, or recording Indian marriages. In the first session of the Fifty-sixth Congress this matter was taken up in Senate bill 4713, which was introduced May 15,1900, but failed to receive action. With the progress of allotment work the evils have become more and more apparent and their effeck more far-reaching. Finally it was decided that the reaponsibility for further neglect should not remain with this o5ce, and therefore, with Departmeut approval, the following instructions were issued on the 5th of last April. They cover substantially the same ground as the Senate bill, and they are simple and elastic, in order to fit as nearly as possible the varying conditions of Indian life. DEPARTMEonN TTH E INTERIOR, OF~ICOEF INDIAAPNF AIRS, Wmhingbn, D. C., April 5, 1901. To United States Indian Age& and School &perintendata in Charge d j Agencies: As is well known, an Indian who receives an allotment becomes thereby a citizen of the United States and his real eshte descends to his heirs according ta the laws of the State or Territory in which he &sides. This, as well as other considemtions, make it impemtive that a reliable and permanent record of Indian family relations should be kept at every agency, and especially at agencies where the land8 pf the Indians have been or are soon to be allotted. The following instructions are, therefore, promulgated: 1. On and after June 1, 1901, it shall be the duty of each Indian agent to keep a permanent register of every marriage which takes place among the Indian8 under his charge, said register to record the name of the husband and of the wife, both the Indian and the English name, if both names exist, and in the case of an allotted Indian the name by which said Indian is designated on the allotment roll; also the age, tribe, blood, nationality, or citizenship of both parties, the date of the marriage and the name of the person who solemnizes it; or, if the marriage is by deolamtion before witkes, the name8 of the witnasses. The record ehall also include the names of the parents of both husband and wife. |