The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-17
Indian Colonization.
To the Editor Of the Union:

Indian Colonization.
To the Editor oJhs Union:
WASHINGTON, 14th Feb, 1858.
Sir The passage by the House Of Representatives OF
the act organizing the Nebraska Territory denotes the
onward progress OF system which, in its influence,
spirit and scope forees the ultimate absorption by the
European races OF the entire of Indian territory
capable OF profitable production, west of the Mississippi
river, reaching to the Rocky mountains The publica.
lion of 7th tells the story And the pres
est time forms epoch al which we may properly in
quire w here be those territorial refugees the
public domain for the whole Indian tribes, and the rem
nans Of Indian tribes TO which the faith of Congress and
Of this government is solemny pledged! We talk OF pro-
yding homeseads for each OF our poor citizens, but
where 10 be the no meseads of the poorer Indians
On the opening of the session of Congress in 1924, Mr.
Monroe brought forward the idea Of transferring the
whole Indian population OF the United States to the west
of the Mississippi and revealed enlarged and benev
client plan of policy, which was followed up on the
9th January 1875, by special message, communicating
an able report of the Secretary OF War, with the neces
sary statistical data for deciding on this plan Expe-
rience has clearly demonstrated" says MIR. Monroe,
that in their present state Is impossible to lncorpo-
rate them in such de, masses with Independent
governments within the States) in any form whatever
into system. II has also demonstrated with equal
certainty that without timely anticipation OF, and pro-
vision against the dangers to which they exposed.
/
to CONTROL their degradation and extinction will be inevi
table"
Here is the whole Indian question after experiment
OF $40 years. dating the practical colonization OF Vir-
gina in 1869 Invested of the exciting circumstances by
which it hen, and has been at several subsequent
periods, surrounded
After five years public discussion. IN and out Of Con-
gress, act passed (2sh May ls3O) allowing such
removals of tribes from the east to the west OF the
Mississippi, by the third section OF which the lands
qured by this general exodus forever secured and
guaranteed" TO them. Under this and wise system
of policy which has been much inexperienced and
deraed home and abroad the large tribes Of The Creeks,
the Chocaws the Chckasaws and the Cherokees, have
been successfully removed from the OF the southern
States and placed in circumstances permitting their indie
penden, progress and development Ohio, Indiana Iii
nos and Michigan, have also been cleared OF
their aboriginal population. And many OF the fragmena
ny tbes-orginally from the Atlantic Siates-have been
rescued from that inevitable fate to which allusion has
been made AS a whole, the plan has been eminenty
successful and commends itself to the steady favor OF
government II is not proposed TO inquire what has been
its effects upon the Quappas Osages. and other wild in
digenous tribes into whose territories these removals
have been intrusive but intrusive with their own as
SENT and for their benefit 1t be proved by the
narrative of De Soto that the Quappas and Kansas have
lived three hundred and eleven years in that quarter but
withou, rising all the scale, moral or physical, by
which men judged, while they have been permitted
!
gated southern tribes But this theatre is confessedy in
adequate in extent, and inappropriate in other respects,
to the northern and higher Mississippi valley tribes.
Other colonies Of refuge not only required, but they
are required be Ut apart while the public domain re-
mains under the jurisdiction OF Congress- and before il is
appropriated to different objects THIS constitutes the
crisis at which it is apprehended we have now arrived.
and /, furnishes the motive for this Communication. AL
ready the line Of the Mississippi, which was looked to in
i Mr.. Monroe's day, is past
The Missouri is now the line and by the act to which
reference has had this boundary is now crossed. The
immense and fertile noic tongue OF land Tying between
the Mississippi and Missouri is emlnenty destined Tor
the plouah Norherrf Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota
are already there No tribe exist legally AZ m or
ganzed body within State Territory. and accordingly
arrangements have been long since contaminated trans
errng the oawas and the Sacs and Foxes. west OF the
| Missouri.
By late important treaty with the Dacotas, or Sioux,
tina, large tribe has sold territory which forms the nu-
cleus OF Minnesota This will in a few years be
filled and OVERLOOKING with prosperous civilization In
the mean time the millions paid to the Indians Tor u VIII
have been eaten up and drank up, leaving mem p0or
as before Cesson will follow cesslon; and where are
the Sioux to 20 at last Not west, to JON their kindred,
for that will bring them into Neorsska Nos norm,
where their hereditary enemies, the Chppewas, reside
Bo, where are the Chppewas themselves to 40 s-and
what assurance have they, il they migrate 10 Kyosk
Gull river, west OF the Mississippi that they will be
permitted permanently to remain thsre' None At all.
The Pottowattomes, their FIRST removal from ILL
nos improperly placed in the n,ra-nilotic region
referred to, but in few years induced TO cross the
Missouri. The Winpebagoes who went from Wisconsin
Iowa in s4l found themselves at the end OF ten years
closed district. and by shosighied policy. instead
Of being join their co-lrbes west. were removed
to northern Minnesota, another closed district where
they cannot permanently and prosperousy abide by are
act of the grand Jury OF Benton county, IN lna Ter
rtory, they indicted public nuisance Inc s''o
is own. They should have been sent N a"se
ton promising II not to advance their character ~
dusy education and temperance, at least 20 ma'n..'n
lii To this quarter it is also proposed 70 sena Tue me
nomonees ~ Wisconsin but this plan OF casting par
tally reclaimed people into barbsrsm r. 0e'svs' tenn
po~ry arrested e.
oondon of the Indian tribes. temporary ones are the
ro,., In every instance where they have been tried
,hev have ssnaly failed The effect has generally been
,,.osfer tribes from certain conditions OF Improvement
and civilization to positions where they either exposed
Governmental Work the Indians, vol 3, p $780,
| yhi wil be distribute ~ aIo% daytt
4 10 Nras nz A Greeks.