The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-31

mates made by early explorers, without prs-mp-
posing vary extrsor0inary decAdencs, which u
not probable Lewis and CLARK, in 1906. stated the
numbers Of tribes - 80. and estimated them At
$1,000 persons, living In ,77s lodges. Tais esti
mate IVES repeaNd by Gen. Clark in 1929. in the
Otherwise carefully prepared tables submitted to
the War Department BY himself and Gsa. Csss, 70
which rsference has before been made. BY mes
sage RaDsmitted to Congress on the lst August,
l84S, schedules were submitted of the Indians Of
Oregon, which exhibited gre y discrepancy. From
they are placed At 1920. Another authority II
the same date stated the aboriginal population At
29370. In 1852, after the orgaaz alton OF tbs Ter
rit0ly, Gen. LAae reports the number at 22,T33,
warriors. lvOl. 8. p. SLY Early n 1854, an agent
At Pugei's Sound, Washington Territory,
reports seven tribes ~ exisiing on those
waters, who numoss $685.. He estimasss the
territory, a. 200 souls. tvol. PIP. 59d9s) THIS
can be regaroe merely a thu identity OF location
Of numbers previously estimated in Oregon, and il
duplication Of the tribes. Tnis error, Of diplica-
cation 10 chiefly owing 10 the csc OF synonyms Of
petty tribes, which has been employed, and pro-
du ed 80 much uncertainty from the beginning.
Utah becomes On element 10 these territorial es-
fimsses The number Ct Indians inaabiting the
Rocky Mountains was 0mouted In 1929 q 10000;
but from data received, (vSl. 4, p. 596) il cannot
be put over 900. The wars Of these tribes with
each other, taken In connection with the scans
me ans OF subsistence afforded by these bleak alti-
population to old standards.
TIE entire number of Indians on the new line OF
frontiers, acquired since t1e treaty Of Guadalupe
H0algo, and Of the Pacific territory, is shown 70
be 1853 002, viz:-Texas, 29575; Ne Mexico, So 4S0;
Caiifo MIA, 1926; Oregon aud Washington,
23,733 and Utah, 1000. TIE gross numosrs would,
at the usual rates Of comyusatiln for women
and chill iren, and cd and superaanaased msn,
give. $4,000 6gosiug men-a truly formidable
number for an army If ten thousand troops t.
cope with. Most OF these tribes ia the mountains
spd plains are excellent DO wmen aud most expert
Eoodmen, living on li,,le, and moving without bag
cage aua to sdd 70 their ,eierty of movement
many Of them are mcu.ted on the hardy wild
horse.
It is the remark Of British writer on political
ecolomy. lopg resident here, that 40 asss OF Land
II well ultivated, il adequate 8, The supper. OF
tam ~. Estimates were made by m. sate re.iing
10 rbe West, thai 1t required 5000 acres of land TO
be KEEP in wilderness 81 ate, in order 10 support
single Indian ny the chase Consequently, q family
of five pc, SONS YOU'D need 40 600 a;res. At tnis
ratio territory Of SO 900 square mles-the average
OF one Of our new States would demand the rest,
and disuse OF its entire area, TO remain IN the con-
clifton Of 81 undisturbed forrest in order to sustain
1000 Indians, living as bunters. Elsb mats compu-
taticns have been prepared BY the Topog bu
(vo A. D. 1887 that the Indian territories lying
between the lines Of the Pacific and the Mississippi,
and comprising toe ectire limits, consist of 495
square miles. ar. Jefferson estimated one In iian to
the square mile, on the planting Of Virginia. (Notes
on Vir., p 1922 II the predatory nomadic bands
ter from San Antonio to Olympia, b. stated at 1885,
000-.heir estimated numoe in she pre- ediag pages
fri ction lessthan ten square miles is assignable to
every SOUL or about fifty square miles to an average
Indian family.
The whole number Of Indians in the Union in
1850 was AGO. (vol. l, p. $3.50 Of the tribes
living east o! the Rlcky Mountaius west Of the
Mississippi, and north of the boundaries of Texas
sss, no estimates make the numbsr less than
$4,000, including the four austral tribes.
1t is on these ibss that the examples OF our
laws, industry, arts, teaching and manners have
II is on tbs line Of our earliest miltar; posts
our Oldest Indian agencies ore established. IL is
here that primary and manual labor SCHOOLS exis:.
Some twenty Of the Tribes have more or les fully
embraced agriculture, raise large stocks Of cattle,
live in fixed dwellings, and have adopted the civi-
lized costume. These occupy the ne Kansas and To-
clan Territories. Four Of the ibes as before re lied,
numbering go 900 persons, have aiopsed system OF
government and written constitutions All Of these
tribes have been transferred from the Northern,
MIDDLE or Southern States. (vol. 4, p. 46l.) No
small part OF them are the des endants OF tribes
who occupied the area of the Union on the frs.
expense have baen incurred with them Tney have
oeen the subject of humanitarian and bens7 )leo,
care ard 81 mpa.5y during two centuries. To Coz.
fouEd them IN our policy with the Wild tribss-
for moment TO suppose that they Iartake Of
the bits and feelings of the robbers, puude ;ers,
and murd rers of tie bleak psins and moua; siaa,
woult be the highest iDjustics. There are MAJ la
thsse reclaimed Tribes Who are exalted in the.
fee inps, principles and manners, -hs sckaoSisdss
the best truths OF ettsrs, arts and Chrissai, sul
who live al honor to hum :, nature,
The number OF dams in the Nebr ska Territory
has been comeuted ~ competent mac on tie
ground, to occupy 5,3l5 lodges, containing 50 900
sou's. (Vol. 3, +. 629) lbe humble. Of squa Mills
possessed by o. ese tribes, s 1856 100 (voL A. 1857
the population aud stttsics Of the vari Jus trib
reclaimed and unreclaimed it is i'm 1ossioe to sepa
rate one class from the other, or to adopt just aud
comprehensive system Of Of policy; policy which.
the industrious snd lestered tribes, does not operfe
to parslyze ard destroy The nomades. It vas this
truth that laid at the foundation Of their invessiga
tons-a just syupsthy was felt IN the national
Legislature for noble bat unfortunate "a q, wac
were flying before the circle Of civilization. l. is
believed that this policy should be faithfully carried
cut Lctwtbsta udinT the impedimsns thro sn iu 70
way by the tribes she nseves, or by the inherent
est test OF advancing civilization Ia the science OF
government, and it is not to be expected mat tribes
recently awakened from the sleep OF barbxism
should at once apr eeiste and de sire them.
these sre not, however, the only impedi.
neDis. Some further legislation Is required; when
it is made imperativsly the DUTY OF the Indian
agents to procure the statistics, they will ba far
Iisbed. Such proper expenses as are incur
| red thereby should be met With regard to the
| publication IL should be continued and extend
ed 10 ali the topics belonging to it. Nothing more
is reqnire3, and nothing less would complete II.
The principles Of the census should be pe.severed
in ard pushed through. The objections of the In
d$ns are futile, and founded entire error Such
| information, by indicating their means and true
condition, will enable the government to act under
stsndiDgy in the premises. The plan OF the inqui-
Nv Is founded the highest principles Of the age.
The desiderata already Elected are exhausted, and
wi lie Efforts are directed to the acquisition of addi
to al facts, 10 analyze their industrial aud fiscal
means, ether efforts should not be omitted to ex.
bibt ii cir int lectual and moral trAss-their his
tory end ethDography. To secure the latter ends
! the occasion auld by no means b. neglected to
prccurea complete compa alive lexi on Of the In
Dian languages. No or step co1ld be taken tending
81 directly and effectively e. unIavst thecomp,at
ed thread Of their origin and history. NJ. Jeifsr
sop EXPRESSED this opinion eevsntytaee years ago.
| (N0iee On V,r.,p. 1852
The Whole object Is one of enlarged bunanities.
Tie completion is conceived to be due, nos only 70
| TIE sborjgtes, as our predecessors III che o,;a2I
ton Of the continent to which their footsteps I've
been Providenialy led, but as cosmic clemens Ia
the history Of the humal race, alike interesting to
| Enron al America.