Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

sioner of Indian Affairs is holding conferences.
with the Indian delegations, now in Washing
ton, almost daily, from five to seven hours
From what we know of the policy Of the In.
terror Department, with reference to the tribes
on our borders, it can hardly be that the treaty
negotiated by Agent Gatewood with these peo.
pie will be adopted by the Government here.
The policy of the latter is in all future ar
rangements with Indian tribes, to make the
business Of civilizing them the main object
According to what we hear, taat point has
been entirely overlooked in Mr.. G. g treaty.
which simply gives the Omahaas an annuity of
$4,000 per annum, and one of $4,000 per
annum to the confederate bands of Ottoes and
Missourias, for thirty years. The latter to
move on lands beyond the Blue River, just
west Of their present territory, and the former
into u corner of their present lands, in imme-
date juxtapOsition to the Sioux, their deadly
enemies. The Government is also (under this
treaty. to break up two hundred acres of land
for the Omahaas and one hundred and fifty
| for the others, and to provide blacksmith
shop for each tribe. These particulars reach
| US direct from the frontier, from whence VIC
also learn that the main man in negoti att No
this bargain was Mr. Sarpy, a French IndiaL
| trader connected with the American Fur Com
pany, who is person of great weight with the
| tribes on our border, and sort of monarch
among the traders, who, of course, are eventu
ally to reap all the benefits from the treaty, il
horn H.
known to our readers that when Indian an
nuities are paid in hard cash, it instantly finds
| its way into the pouches of the traders, to
whom they are nearly always in debt, and to
whom they will give it any quantities TO,
whiskey and trinkets. The Government are
we'll aware that paying them money is worse
than paJi ing them absolutely nothing-gener-
| ating dissipation among them for brief sea-
son, to leave them, subsequently, more incapa-
Bile Of providing for their own wants. Time
and again, in official papers, the heads of the
Interior Department and Indian Bureau have
proclaimed the purpose of hereafter inducing
the tribes to take their annuities in such a
manner as permanently to benefit them-iE
education, tools, staple goods, which are alb
solutely necessary for their wants, &c. We,
consent to wholly illegal and unauthorized
treaty, which simply strips these tribes of then
lands, and throws $4,000 per annum, fol
| thirty years into the hands-not of the Indians,
but of the traders. There exists a law forbid
ding any ono but persons SO authorized anu
4
| treaty, or to purchase lands from Indians
making such acts penal, &c. The treaty, ne.
gotiated by Mr.. Gatewood, involves clear
infraction of this statute it strikes US. We
hear that il is justified by those interested il
| its provisions, on the ground that the Indians
at home would not delegate the necessary au
| thority to any Of their number to treat fol
them. This is clearly not SO. We judge from
| the fact that the GatewOod treaty contains q
clause authorizing the delegations now here te
they may deem necessary.
The Clayton Amendment to the Nebraska
Bill will not fail in the House of Representa-
tives, as predicted by many presses opposed tt
the bill. 1t simply provides that unnatural
| lied foreigners shall have no more political
privileges in the proposed new territories, thar
they enjoy in States. Most men in public life
now here, seem to join in regarding it as al
eminently wise provision. Experience ha.
long since proved the Iropriety of requiring
the foreign born to remain stated time amone
US, before clothing them with any flthe priv
leses of American citizenship, and no one il
| his senses can dream that without that proba.
tionary residence, they are any better qualified
to properly discharge the duties of citizenship
in u territory, than in State. OF late, tn,
unnaturalized, more especially among the Ger
| mans residing in northern cities, have banded
| together in close political organizations. II
the first instance, to effect political affairs il
the Old World. But Europe being now quies
cent, they have, by common consent, as it were
directed the force of their organizationsof thi
character to shape our laws and customs t
their own fancy. These efforts, so clearl,
against the spirit of our Constitution, are ere
ating very general belief that it will shortl.
be necessary to revise our naturalization laws
so as to hold such people in check; refusin,
them the privileges of citizenship on the cas-.
and reasonable terms on which they are nov
within their reach. Whenever the subject o
our existing naturalization laws may come be
fore Congress- it will be found that the Fou
rierism, abolitionism, anti christianism, &c.
| &c., at the bottom of these unnaturalized for
eign political organizations in this country
have already told upon the national legisla
ture. We know many public men, who thre
years ago were eager advocates for every thin,
like extending privileges to the foreign born
who are now as eager inquirers for feasibl
methods and modes of hereafter restrictin.
their political rights in the United States.
The House in Muss.-After we went t
press, yesterday, the House got into regula
stew over the Minnesota railroad land dona
ting bill. Mr.. Kerr proposed an amendmen
granting the alternate sections to the railroas
company, and giving the proceeds Of the sale
uf the reserved alternate sections to the State
which had not been thus aided in the construc
ton of railroads for railroad purposes. Thi
important amendment was fastened on to tn
bill by one majority only. They adjourned a
a very late hour, with motion pending to la.
on the table motion to reconsider the vot
by which that amendme mt was agreed to. W
have not the slightest idea that this PROPOSE