Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-07-23
ASPECT OF oUI INDIAN AFFAIRS.
FROM THE DA.rImonn AMrnIcAS.


CONGRESSIONAL NEGLET.--Our Indian affairs, never
too well administered arnow perhaps in worse state
than ever before With TIC accession Of the vast terrific
ries Of Texas Oregon, NV Mexico and California i'm
mense hordes Of ahorgins were taken under the
Of the United States Government for better for
worse Hitherto the change Of circumstances has been
to the Indians almost wholly for the worse
Intne past With occasional exceptions they were able
to supply themselves Will food and covering lastery
the Te has been for thero be devoid Of either They
were once in the main rave and noble race now the
almost universal reportis that cunning cowardice,
reachery, and OF spirit have suppapted the
better qualities that once distinguished them.
Every year is pushing them further away from their
accustomed md nodes Of support changing their
habaton, breakag upon their inveterate habits and
otherwise refDOyiug fsVaa that rcuaine which by
pmemcral custom had TO bc instructive and hence
70 their apsrehensien essenta to their existence.
Some Considerable abatement Of this must be made for
those sei-recaimed tribes MO have been disposscssed
Of their original seats in the cny now occupied by the
organized States Of the Union The mercfu policy of
the Government has conferred aon them exchange for
their abandoned homes in sepral cases unnecessarily
large in all fully sufficient area of habiabe and fertile
territory Some of the tribes h located as the Creeks
Choctaws, Cherokees &c. amon the larger; the Weas
Peoras Kickapoos certain Of th Ottawas, Chppewas,
and Winncbagoes, &C., among thmaller TRIBES may be
considered occupying place the scale Of civza-
ton equal il not SUPERIOR to the lass of the people
habitng Eastern Europe or tho defendants Of the Span
ish and Portuguese settlers Of Soul America. Some in
diyiduals arc highly educated.
But with these EXCEPTIONS the resent condition Of the
Indian is deplorable; and It's is especially Of
those Indians who have been bright under control
since the period of the annexaojof Texas Our Indian
legislation since that period COMPARES most unaYoraby
with what preceded it. 1t is bu too apparent that the
legislative mind has been less tenetcently affected to-
wards far less sincerely concerto about the welfare Of
its Indian wards than used tobe the il the older
timemore selfish and self-seehg, more given to party
and less impressed with the seEe Of the parental il its
authority than it formerly wash always ought to be.
The condition Of most Of TIL Indian tribes in Texas
especially the feeber is so lad that it hardly be
worse They have been driva from their ancient ocal-
ties hunted like wolves, andhaye not been assigned any
homes suitable or unsuitable for their residence Star
vation and death seem inevitably TO await them Sue
cessye administrations Of tie Indian Department have
made honest efforts to reme the lad footing OF the In
dian affairs in Texas but noward influences in Con-
gress as we'll as In the Side Legislature have been h
tero too potent TO allow sny scheme to take root ono
deTelope its capacity for gold.
For tho use Of tic Inda service for the current year
in New Mexico, in and arlund which from twenty to
thirty thousand savages roh the arid wastes the paltry
ptanee Of thousand dollars doled last session
from pethorc Treasury. Dsallowed by the stronger
tribes OF the great plains the Camanches Arrapahoes
and Cheyennes, &c., from e pursuit Of the buffalo, and
prevented States from committing
raids upon their natural enties the Mexcans the tribes
Of New Mexico have been reduced to most precarous
support To steal or to arye has been the alternative
presented them has cost hundreds f thousands PEI
annum e make show Of keeping them in subsection BY
.iatagy nps; butous Conversational econonsis though
forcver complaining, viii not take the pains TO under
stand hew peace may be maintained and Improvement
asan nae "a 81 @ q Snstsn the
AS FOR California Indian matters, the vacillation end
weakness betrayed by Congress in respect TO them have
been for some time matter Of profound surprise. Thc
Commissioners sent out ia 1851 to conclude treaties viii
the Indian bes and thereby give peace and quiet to h
country, WIS, with oil its labors and results good
bad and Indifferent, land we admit proportion Of ali
hree exguished at one fell swoop, without distinction
or discrimination, and nothing whatever substituted in
its place. great number of treaties had been made
with the tribes al the State promises had been held
out to upon the honor and good faith Of the
United States TO be fulfilled at times long past but
all these were dealt with in the Capitol ifthey mered
nothing bdter than contempt. The consequences OF
this disaydTa TO both whites and Indians in California
have since the sorrowfr burden Of many despatch
and it cannot be asserted that the end has yet
AGAIN IN OREGON treaties solemny concluded with the
natives by regularly commissioned agents Of the Govern
ment have received similar go-by. Carrying with them
the Importance and prestige Of representatives Of the
Government these agents successful in making valu
able treaties but their spulatons not being carried out
the Indian has become highly dissatisfied and looks upon
the whole white as polluted by falsehood and bad
faith.
Our most recent adyces from Oregon touching the cx
citement amongst Of the tribes bear witness these
statements and opinions return TO the old paths must
be undertaken and Congress faithfully discharge
itself OF its duty No in these matters lodges
with the particular Executive Department CHARGED with
Indian affairs bound il is by the acts and neggences
of the legislative authority considerable portion Of lis
abors consists ncorrectng the mischief and smoothing
the roughness produced by Congressional mismanage-
ment.