Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1874 — INDIAN AFFAIRS. [ARTICLE]

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

Report of the Secretary of the Interior. Washixoton, Nor. *7. The following are the main point* of the annual report pf the Secretary of the Interior to the President on the Indian question. The report bears date Oct. 31, 1874- ... The operation* of the Indian Bureau during the past year are highly gratifying. They furnish conclusive evidence erf the justice, wisdom and practicability of the policy inaugurated by the present Adnflnistration. The success of this policy is no longer a problem. If steadily pursued, we shah soon see all roving tribes located upon reservations. The disposition of the more restless and turbulent to leave each reservations on hunting and marauding excursions will rapidly disappear, and the improvement of the semicivilized Indians, already so apparent in many localities, will be greatly accelerated. We may reasonably expect occasional disturbances in the future caused by individuals, or by disorderly bodies of Indians, but with a judicious and efficient execution of the present mode of treatment it is not believed that we shall see another general, or even serious, Indian war. The present method of dealing with the Indian race aims to induce, and when necessary to compel, the roaming tribes to accept reservations as rapidly as possible. On such reservations they are instructed in agriculture aud in other pursuits incident to civilizaion, and with the aid of our Christian organizations their intellectual, moral and religious culture is advanced as rapidly as practicable. When a tribe refuses to accept a reservation, and continues to violate the laws of civilization, it is treated with all needful severity, and thus made to appreciate the advantages of accepting the kind and humane treatment which the Government surely extends to such as are disposed to peace. If those who have accepted reservations leave their homes and commit depredations, they, also, are treated as offenders, and taught the necessity, as well as the advantage to themselves, of obedience and good behavior. By the judicious exercise of power and persuasion, as thus indicated, it is the aim of the Government to deal kindly and justly with this unfortunate race, and to make them appreciate, as speedily as possible, the real motives and purposes oi the Government. The execution of this policy is necessarily attended with difficulties which cannot at once be entirely overcome. To distribute the sup plies annually authorized by Congress among the Indians (scattered as they are over a vast extent of territory) in such manner as to be entirely just and most useful, is a very difficult undertaking. Agents employed to do this work must surrender without adequate consideration the advantages and comforts of civilized life and endure hardships and privations which are not often appreciated. Nothing but a high sense of duty is sufficient to induce men of proper capacity and right motives to undertake this task. I feel it a duty to repeat here what I have said on this subject in former reports, tbat the welfare of this service would be greatly promoted by increasing the salaries of these agents, ana, in my judgment, it would be a measure of economy, as well as of justice, to make such increase immediately. I am happy in being able to say that the earnest, active and cordial co-operation of several Christian organizations to which the right of nominating agents has been assigned, and upon whose nominations alone such agents are appointed, is constantly improving this class of employes, and thus we are, each year, to some extent, advancing the service by obtaining agents more experienced and intelligent, and of greater capacity for their secular as well as their moral ana religious work. The Indian population of the United States, since the first occupation of our territory by white men, has been compelled to recede as the white population has advanced. The natural result has been the creation of a feeling among Indians that they have suffered great injustice at our hands. They have strong local attachments, and adhere with tenacity to the home of their fathers. They once occupied without dispute vast regions of country which have been wrested from them. Under no circumstances can it be supposed. that they will accept the complete change in their modes of life and in their management by the Government Which is now being effected without complaint and resistance, which may occasionally require the employment of force; nor can it be supposed that time is not required for the accomplishment of such change. The complete success of this policy requires the cordial cooperation of the War Department, which has always been unqualifiedly given. It also needs the support ana sympathy of the leading officers of the army, who are necessarily charged, occasionally, with executing military orders for the purpose of compelling, on the part of the Indians, a compliance with the wishes of the Government. I am happy to say that such support and sympathy have, as a rule, been freely given. But this policy cannot be carried on successfully without the favor and support of Congress. The Indian race cannot be induced to abandon nomadic habits, where subsistence has been procured by hunting, and be placed upon reservations, unless supported and sustained by the Government, while being taught the arts of civilization and habits of industry sufficiently to be self-supporting. The present policy, therefore, requires, in order to be successful, liberal appropriations. To aid in prosecuting the work of Indian civilization I recommend the extension of the Homestead laws to Indians, with certain modifications hereafter to be more fully stated. These laws at present apply to citizens of the United States only, and their provisions cannot be enjoyed except by that small portion of the Indian race who are legally entitled to the privileges of citizenship.

This department has frequently been compelled to consider and determine the relations held by the Indians to the General Government, and their rights under the Homestead laws. * * * The department has arrived at the conclusion that when an Indian tribe is dissolved and its tribal relations ended, with the consent of the United States, either by treaty or legislative enactment, the members of suGh tribe become ipso facto citizens of the United States, and entitled to all the privileges and immunities belonging to other citizens. * * * The department has also decided that an Indian cannot voluntarily dissolve his relation with his tribe, and" thereby become a citizen of the United States; "that before citizenship can be created the tribal relation must be dissolved by the tribe as a tribe, and that, too, with the consent of the General Government, as shown by treaty or act of Congress. Reviewing these opinions, I feel assured of their correctness. It was, in my judgment, inconsistent with sound law, as well as with public policy, to permit an individual Indian, by voluntariiy withdrawing from his tribe, to become a citizen without some act of the Government recognizing his citizenship. Under these circumstances, and in view of the importance of this subject, I deem it proper to invite the attention of Congress to the recommendation of the Commissioner of the General Land Office in favor of legislation in behalf of Indians who desire to withdraw from their former associations, become citizens of the United States, and avail themselves of the benefit of the Homestead laws. An extension to the Indians of the benefits of the Homestead laws, under the safeguards mentioned, and such others as the wisdom of Congress may suggest, will greatly facilitate the work of their civilization. It will rapidly break up tribal organizations and Indian communities; it will bring Indians into subjection to our laws, civil and criminal; it will induce them to abandon roving habits, and teach them the benefits of industry and individual ownership, and thus prove highly advantageous in promoting their prosperity. The condition of the Indian population is anomalous, and their relations to the General Government undefined. This is the result of necessity, but the time has arrived when, in the progress of events, it should be remedied. It may not be possible, at present, to devise a system of laws which shall perfectly define the relations between Indians and the Government, or that will cure all the defects now existing for want of legislation, but it is possible to remedy many existing evils, and thus facilitate the work we have undertaken. The time has arrived when seme general law regulating Indian citizenship is, in my judgment,'indispensable. Occasionally treaty stipulations with Indian tribes are expiring, funong whom is found a greater de-

gre* of civilization. This compels the department to determine the status of such Indians in regard to citizenship. There are also many who desire to separate from their tribes, adopt the habits ana customs of civilized life, and become citizens. THE BLACK HILLS. The military reconnoissance of the Black Hills country was regarded by the Indiana as however, were peacefully accomplished. Extravagant statements concerning the mineral wealth of the country created great excitement among the people, and exploring parties were organized for the purpose of prospecting the country. Subsequent information establishes the met that no evidence of for cultivation and settlement by white men. Notwithstanding this, organized parties have attempted to «xphms tt, and have been attacked and repulsed by the Indians. It is apprehended that efforts will be made to induce legislation for the'extinguishment of the Indian title to. the Black Hills country and to bring the land into market. It is hoped that such efforts will be without success, because of the general unfitness of the country for settlement, and because any attempt to dispossess the Indians at present of a region of country upon which they located for security against the encroachments of the white man would meet with violent and determined resistance. v