The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-28

By the treaty of 1887 with the Potawatomies the OF
$4,000 stipulated to be paid to of these reserves
Tor nve sections; and Congress, 1882 appropriated
similar amount for five other sections relnqushed to the
United States.
There are still number of sections which are claimed
by individual reserves all OF whom, IL is believed have
emgrated and residing with their brethren
OF the Mississippi river Some have sold TO individual
purchasers and no doubt received Their money; while
the others insisting upon the compensation from
the government hch paid to those who have ren
pushed to the United States The lands embraced in
these reservations lie in Illinois, favorably located
and much wanted for settlement and cultivation and the
people of that State socitous for the eXtnguishmen
in way of the Indian title that they can be
brought into market The peculiar situation OF these
lands, aud the necessity which exists for some speedy
action, have thus induced me TO bring the subject TO your
specia! notice.
statistical account of the various tribes including
digest of Their industrial means, peculiar habits, resour
ces, and empoyments OF every KIND essential TO an
accurate knowledge of their condition and prospects,
and would very materially aid the department in suggest
ing the most suitable for their improvement.
The act OF June 81 1916, required ga census and stats
tics to be taken and collected by the officers of the de-
lhorzed the Secretary Of War to avail himself of all the
means at his command to collect such practical niorma
ton, respecting their condition, habits, and progress"
might be considered useful and necessary Neither
the act resolution however, provided any specific
means for the purpose enoned further action than
might be found convenient and practicable consistently
with proper execution OF the current and ordinary du
ties of the agents and subagents The result OF these
efforts, so far the same had then come to hand was
communicated TO the Committee on Indian Affairs of the
House of Representatives prior the adjournment of the
last session of Congress- and was printed in report No
SO. From the ateness of the and the hurried
manner In which the facts and statements had necessarily
to be taken, they probably less accurate than they
could have been rendered under other and avora
BILE circumstances But they contain important nforma
ton which has been made the basis of further and more
extensive inquiries
The 5th section of the OF March Sd, ls47, makes
provision for collecting and dgestng such statistics and
materials as will tend to illustrate the hlstory present
nj fha
United States Under this provision, immediate steps
were taken to prepare and issue to the agents and sub
agents forms for complete census; and there has also
been prepared list OF queries arranged as to direct
attention to the most useful and important topics. These
inquiries have been sent not only to the agents of the
department. but TO persons in every quarter OF the coun-
try who were supposed 10 possess the desired ntorma
tlon and IN this manner an extended interest has been
impaired to the subject The Office has endeayored TO
avail itself of the observations and experience of per
sons who have passed much of their lives on the from
tiers as well others, however widely situated, who
have directed their researches and given their reflection
to the history and condition of the red man, and who
feel benevolent desire for his elevation and improve
ment The answers which have already been received
are of the most interesting and satisfactory character
The cause OF education steadily advancing The Ell
fects already experienced have satisfied the department of
its great Importance While tribes remain in the abort
gna or hunter sate there can be no Just or adequate
appreciation among them of the practical of letters
Agriculture and the mechanic arts TO awaken a
interest," by teaching them the true relations they bear
to each other, and to the civilized community around
are first and appreciated knowledge of letters is
no longer regarded acquisition, which, though ad
apted TO the wants of the white is superuous and
wholly unnecessary among themselves. Such were the
opinions heretofore entertained by large majority OF the
tribes but the pejudices OF the chiefs and other Leading
men in favor OF the hunter state, and against the nitro
ducton and of letters gradually giving way be-
fore the steady progress OF instruction.
Schools have been kept up AMI maintained among all
the tribes where they had before obtained footing In
some, the number OF teachers and places OF instruction
have been greatly increased whilst those who have made
the greatest progress, and farhest advanced
izaton asking for higher order OF information and
manfesng increased interest for the extension and
more general diffusion OF the benefits OF the system
among the females
Time and experience are essential to the development
and application of all systems of instruction The
practice long pursued, of selecting few boys from the
different tribes and placing them at colleges and high
schools has failed to produce the beneficial results anti
cpated while the great mass of the tribe home
suffered to remain in ignorance II has therefore been
nearly abandoned, and will be entirely discontinued
soon as existing arrangements will justify withdrawal
of the boys who at such Institutions and all the
means and at the disposal of the department be
applied to the establishment and maintenance OF manual
labor and other schools in the Indian country The ad
yantages will in this way be extended TO both sexes and
be more generally dused among the great body Of the
tribe.
the OF education among the Indians the department
has found its most efficient and faithful auxiliares and
laborers in the societies of the several Christian de-
nominations, which have sent out missionaries, estab-
lshed Schools and maintained local teachers among the
different tribes Deriving their impulse from principles
OF philanthropy and religion, and devotlng large
amount OF their own means to the education, moral
elevation, and Improvement OF the tribes, the depart
men has not hesitaed to make them the instruments,
considerable extent, of applying the funds appropriated
by the government for like purposes. Their eXerons
have thus been encouraged and greater degree of econ
omy at the time secured the expenditure OF the
public money; and while the schools and academies
der their charge have been to flourish the depart
men has guaranty, in the high and sacred oblga
tons under which they act for the faithful application OF
the means assigned them.
The accompanying reports will exhibit the progress
which has been made during the past year, the present
state and condition of the schools and the increasing
tees which the subject of education is attracting among
a very large number of the tribes.
regretted that report has been received from the
the of $35 900 for the establishment of semna
ries near Iahlequahone for males and the other for e-
malesand TO be engaged in erecting the buildings
which to be of brick and in making the other
sary improvements Besides the neghborhood schools,
which located in the various precincts, the Choctaws
have three academies for the instruction of boys and five
seminares for females in carrying and maintaining
which, they annually expend about $4,000 The man
ual-abor school established among the Osages which
was placed under the and superintendent of the
Catholic society, went into operation the 1st of June
last, and promises be attended with the beneficial
results.
Arrangements made during the past summer with
the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, for the establishment of manual labor school
among the Chickasaws, that tribe having appropriated
from their the OF IS 900 for the erection
OF the necessary buildings, and 900 annually for carry
ing and maintaining the school, Contracts also
entered ntoone with the MethodIsts and the other with
the Presbyeriansor the establishment of two manual
labor schools at different and convenient points among
thp oT for tho