Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-21
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

System.-It is now well understood that as the
| settlements are advancing westward, towards
the Rocky mountains, and eastward, towards
the same range, the Indian tribes now cared for
by the Government wholly, or in part, are not
long hence either to staIve, live by plumber, or
go to work as white people do. They can have
no other alternative in view of the rapid d, sap
pearance Of the game upon which most of them
have subsisted up to this time. The Cherokee re-
servations in Arkansas illustrate this fact fore
bly,. For, according to evidence in the possession
of the Government even the deer have been
completely driven out of $4,000 900 of acres
which that tribe have there, if We remember
correctly. That tribe, however, are making
comparatively rapid strides in the acquire
ments of the habits and character of civilized
life: so there is nothing to fear on their part.
| The whites, however, are crowding closer and
harder on the Indians of the Nebraska and
Kansas country. We may talk over the hard
ships of their case with tears in our eyes if we
will, but move they must, under the inexora-
| BILE law Of AMERICAN PROGRESS: as surely
operative and operating now, as in Massachu-
| setts when and where their robbery COM
menced, and was as remorselessly prosecuted
to the entire extinction of the tribes originally
located there, as has occurred any where since
the pious Pilgrim Fathers" did such things
| in the Lords name
We think we have reason to congratulate
the country on the fact that great change in
our Indian system is to be initiated the sys-
tenn up to this time being simply carrying out
the Indian-tribes policy of the pious New Eng
land forefathers. We need not go into details
concerning it. The disappearance of most of
the tribes from the face of the earth, and the
| failure of ninety in hundred of those not yet
exterminated, to become practically civilized,
Notwithstanding the millions of money spent
by the Government and by the patrons of the
missionaries among them to that end, tells the
sad tale of the radical defects of the system to
which we refer.
Some months ago, we had occasion to state
that the present heads of the Interior Depart
ment and the Indian bureau, were earnestly
| laboring to devise some scheme by which the
tide setting so strong against the Indian, might
| be stemmed. We have just learned that the
chairman of the House Committee on Indian
Affairs is prepared to report bill, matured we
take it for granted, by the advice and with the
| assistance of those officers, which seems likely
to lay the foundation for this greatly needed
| reform. The bill in question is to provide for
the future of the tribes occupying the re-
| oh al - "a Or
| purchase on Government account. Under its
| provision the Indians on moving West are to
be settled in families on lands to be theirs, in
| tracts of 80, 100, 800 and $40 acres, according
to the number of souls comprised in the family
| That is; they are to get fee simple titles to
them after such settlement, and prescribed
cultivation for specified time; and on such
| terms, or rather under such restrictions, as to
render it impossible for the speculator to diyest
them of the land. The lands to be surrender
use and benefit, after subtracting from the
amount received for them the cost of their
transportation to and settlement in their new
homes. Under this clause in the bill, so long
as the removed Indian remains on his land
| ceasing to wander as before, he is to draw his
capitation amount of the interest of the in.
vested fund arising from the sales of thei,
lands above described.
| We have heard of nothing else 50 likely te
effect the desirable object of this measure, and
trust that it may speedily become law
What's in the Wind "A swarm of ex-mem
bers of Congress are just now most active in
| and around both halls of the National Legis
lature. We hear it said that some OF then
undignifed business for gentlemen in theil
position. It is notorious that their labors t.
compass the enactment Of any stupendou:
scheme, always tend to disincline gentlemen
disposed to vote on such bills strictly accord
ing to their merits, from looking upon then
favorably. This is as it should be. If Con
gress would break up the system of imprope,
lobbying prevailing here to so frightful al
extent, they must set their faces against tn.
custom, as INDUCED in more especially by the
cx-members and ax-Cabinet officers, who de-
such things The business, has come to be
regularly followed by some such gentlemen
who are paid heavy prices for the use of theil
legislative experience, privilege of the halls
and social position among the members. In
nine out of ten cases, they are employed 70,
bills, out Of the enactment CT which specula
tors are to make great hauls, which, it is sup
posed, cannot go through unaided by fortui
tOus advantages entirely foreign to their owl
merits. We have time and again urged mem
bers to be on their guard against improper ef
forts to induce them to squander the variou:
means of the Government. We trust to some
| good end, and we are convinced that at no pre-
| yious time since the commencement of the ses-
sion, has the danger Of legislating under un
iue influences been greater than at present.
Vide the activity of these privileged drummer
in and around the halls for few days past
The Ohio Telegraph Case Of F. o. J. Smith
VI. Ely 0'Rielly and others.-It has gone GU
to the public, through the newspapers thai
this cause was submitted to the Supreme Cour
on the record with argument, and that the
| cause had been remanded with leave to eithe
party to amend his pleadings, &c. This state
ment is, in part, erroneous The cause came her,
on certificate of division of opinion between
the judges of the U. s. Circuit Court for Ohio
upon questions of law raised by the plaintiff