The Arkansas advocate., 1836-02-12

Piaseu oouiu ue tippioyed nS well for tue Na- , " as for the A rmy hut while ] aliude to It's general usefulness, it is proper should avoid all details peculiarly appropriate to an- other department
 l am gratified in being able to announce to you that the Indians residing east of the Ms. sissippl river, appear to be yielding to the conF1ctlon that their removal to the territory assigned for their residence in the west. of- iefs the only rational prospect of any perma- nent Improvement in their condition. and that this measure is essential tn their nrasnari4u
 Both i'll the north and south the reports of the officers having charge of this matter are en- eouraging, and we may anticipate the full es- tal'llshment of our present policy, and with the ialrest prospects of success, if the D e-ex- lstlng preludices which have so lonu operated to retard our efforts, can be removed.
 The considerations which render this change of residence necessary are suilicient< Y obvious, and arc founded upon the results that have heretofore attended our intercourse with the Indians. The causes which have so long continued to reduce and depress them Ill thelr present situation within our borders. are yet i'll active operation. Their food de- rived from the chase, is disappearing. Their habits are inveterate, and they cannot or will not accommodate themselves to the new cir cumstanees which press upon them, in time to save them from extinction. And. above all. their contact with white population has en-. tailed and IS entailing upon them evils which. II not checked, must lead to their ruin They appear to acquire with much greater facility the wees than the virtues of civilized life and during the whole period they have been known to us, they have abandoned themselves With strange improyidence. to the use of ar dent spirits. From my own observation of the Indian character, I consider the indul- gence of this habit as the great barrier a. gainst m improvement of that portion ofthis race, which, from their position, is enabled at pleasure, to gratify this propensity. The diiictiity of putting stop to this traffic while the Indians are intermingled with our citi- zens, IS sufficiently obvious. And ifthey are to be rescued from its effects, they must be removed beyond the sphere of the traffic. lhas IS certainly one of the most prominent reasons for the faithful prosecution of the Hys- temi and Congress, apparently impressed with it's force, has provided by law that all ardent spirits found in the Indian country may be destroyed. The agents of the gov ernment will not now be compelled. asfor- merly, to resort to legal process for tue inter- dlction of this traffic, at the hazard of the trouble, expence md uncertainty attending such prosecutionsupon remote frontier.
 consider the experiments which have re- gently been made to provide for the maintain- ence ofthe Indians, by reservations for their ther use, and With the power of alienation, however guarded, to have wholly failed. These tracts are too often sold for a very in- adequate consideration, and the amount re- ceived IS dlsspatea in eyressd.t res either paal lively injurious or altogether useless.
 As soon as the remaining tribes shall have been established in the west, we may look forward to happier destiny for the Indians. And If this expectation be disappointed, the failure must De attributed to the invetcrate habits ofthis people, and not to the policy of the government. The arrangements for the comfortable establishment of the Indians have been projected upon scale suited to their wants and condition, and to the duties ofthe United States. Witha view to appre- ciate the advantages which have been secu- red to them, l deem it proper briefly to re- capltulate provisions that have been made. They are not applicable, in all their details, to each tribe, as some receive more and some Jess in amount, while certain articles arc given to some and not to others. But the general principles of distribution apply to all. An extensive country has been reserved for them, and has been divided into districts for the several tribes. To this they are remoy- ed at the expense ofthe United States.
 They are provided with the necessary sub- sistence for one year after they reach their new residence.
 Annuities, in specie, to a greater or less amount are payable to each tribe.
 Agricultural instruments, domestic ani- mals, seed corn, salt, looms, cards, spinning wheels. iron, steel, cloths, blankets, rifles, ammunition, and other articles are distribu- ted among them.
 Mills arc erected and kept in operation. Council-houses, Churches anddwefing-hou- sos for chiefs arc built. Fss
 Mechanics arc engaged and supported q schools are established and maintained, and the missionary institutions among ttIIiisin are aided from the treasury.
 These arc the principal arrangements made for the benefit of this unfortunate peo- pie, who will soon have been removed, at great expense, when this new system will be in full operation, and where their peculiar in- stitutions can be preserved with such modifi- cations as a progressive state ofimnroyes.ent may reqnire. They will be separated, too, f.vm the settled portions of the country by fixed boundary, beyond which our popula- ton cannot pass.
 The operations of the Department of In- dian afairg are showing in detail by the re- port of the Commissioner, and by that of tho Commissary General of Subsistence. It was anticipated that a considerable body of the Creeks of Alabama would, ere this, hayo been on their way to the west. But recent information induces the belief that their jour-