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Show THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS The Department of War was created by ad qf Congress of August 7, 1789, and the duties assigned to it included those "relative to Indian affairs." A Bureau of Indian Affairs was organized in the War Department un March 11, 1824, with. Thomas L. McKenney as its chief,.and among the duties assigned to the bureau. were the administration of the fund for. the eiviliiation of the Indians under regulations established by the department, the exawination of claims arising out of the laws regulating 'the intercourse with Indian. tribes, and, the ordinary correspondence with superintendents, agents, and sub-agents. He was succeeded September 30,1830 by Samuel S. Hamil- .ton, whose successor about one year later was hlbert Herring. . ~ By act of July 9,,1832, there was created in the war Department the office of Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who, subject to the Secretary of War and the President, should have "the direction and management of all 'Indian affairs and all matters arising out of Indian relations." On June 30,1834, an act was passed "to provide for the organiza-tion of the Department of Indian Affairs." Under this enactment certain agencies' were established and others abolished and provision was made for subagents, interpreters, and other employees, the pay-ment of annuities, the purchase and distribution of su phes, etc. This may be regarded as the organic law of the Indian Kfice. When the Department of the Interior was created by act of March 3, 1849, the Bureau of Indian Affairs was transferred thereto, and hence passed from military to civil control. Section 441 of the Revised Statutes provides that "the Secretary of the Interior is charged with the supervision of public business relating to * * * the Indians." Section 463 of the Revised Statutes reads: "The Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior and agreeable to such regulations as the President may pTe-scribe, have the management of all Indian affairs, and of all mtters: arising out of Indian relations." m |