The Shasta courier., 1854-12-09
I HE SHASTA COURIER.
From the Indian Reserve.

"NoME-LAcKEE Colusa Co.
GENrLEMEN:-I avail myself of the opportu-
nifty offered by the Courier, through yonr cour-
tesy, of giving to the public view Of the "In-
dian Reserve" and of replying to an article
which appeared in the Courier a week or two
since.
At this time there are about eight hundred
Indians settled here, nearly all of whoa belong
to the tribe inhabiting the land between Thom's
and Elder Greeks. Nearly all of these Indians,
have. until very lately, been hostile, as far as
they dared be, and have kept themselves in the
canons and little valleys in the mountains. They
have nov removed all that they had in their
mountain homes-gone so far as to open their
granaries (caches) and remove the grain and
seed to the Reservation. These movements are
of sufficient evidence, to show that, if :he Gov
erment will carry ont the plan now adopted,
the red men will be of little trouble to the whites
who will have the satisfaction of feeling secure
in their explorations of the country, and also of
knowing that when they turn their cattle out,
they can find them again, unless some white
man has done what Indians are often blamed for
doing-stoen them.
The several delegations from the tribes North
of us who have visited Nome Lackee express
themselves satisfied with this place, and evince
a Willingness to come with their people. But,
it is said, many of the white people in the diff
terent sections OF the country do all they can to
prevent them. by telling them that this is in
tended as place OF punishment for them, &c.
This is done by those who employ the Indians to
III a..
presume, among the Indians and miners OF
course, long this state Of things continue,
so long will the Indians rob.
The article alndcd To. is Ilat in which you
express the wish that the Agents of the Indians
will furnish food for the tribes inhabiting the
Pitt river country. AS those cannot be got OH
the Reserve this winter, it surely would be good
policy to feed them, and thereby prevent their
making depredations the whites but when
the law, establishing Reservations, and its 96j ect
be considered, you will see at once that there is
no authority for such an outlay of money. At
least, such is my idea of the matter. The amount
of money (say $50. .000) which it would cost to
feed three thousand Indians during the winter
should be iegitimately expended in making a
farm, in plain English, and buying impleme nts
for those who work the land. Ii this be done
there will be no need of an aunnal appropriation
by Congress to feed the Indians; otherwise
next Whit tuey LluSt De leG, ana so each
successive winter. Ii there should be- as doubt
less should find. relaxation on the part of
the whites, the Indians would be worse than
they ever have been, the anticipation of being
supplied with food. would keep them from gath
ering any. And again. If they are fed there
they will not come here. Fear and hunger do
more to make Indians tractable than anything
else. Ii Is certainly unfortunate for the country
that hostile bands of Indians should exist in it.
But they here. and until government makes
more suitable provision tor them, they will con-
tinue so. A large extent of country is protected
now by this settlement, aud if the people in the
other counties will induce the Indians to come
here, they can be protected likewise.
/ have written more than was intended, but
the subject is lengthy one, and justice to the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs demands an
explanation from some quarter, of his position.
and hls actions.
Respectfully, G..