Butte record., 1854-02-25
The North American indians.

rapl0ltJ OI us CROWN, IL Is seldom re-
membered that these vast tracts of ter
ritory possessed inhabitants of their own
long before even the Pilgrim Fathers set
foot on the transatlantic ground. 1t is
true that this original population was
thinly scattered over continent of enor-
nous extent, and that the condition of
its social economy were incompatible with
any large development of its numbers and
power. Nevertheless, the North Amer
lean Indians were once the owners of
North America, and their fate, we should
think, must have occasionally suggested
itself as subject of consideration to the
English reader. What has become of
these red men of the woods of this ex-
traordinary race which attracted the ad.
miration of philosophers and moralists,
which only one century ago was encoun-
tering the British arms with no discred-
liable result They have never been
exterminate'l like the old French no.
blesse, nor massacred like the Aztecs,
nor civilized into different state of be-
ing, nor absorbed into the white popula-
tion. Where, then, are they to be found?
This question can be answered with con-
siderable accuracy, and we can present
our readers with the very latest informa-
tion on the subject, from the most trust
worthy source The administration of
the United States includes "Commiss-
ioner of Indian Affairs s''-an officer
whose especial charge it is to superintend
all transactions between the American
Government and the Indian population
resident on its territory. This officer
makes an annual report of the affairs
under his direction, and the report for
the past year contaius the intelligence
required.
The whole number of red men still
surviving in North America is estimated
at 1000, and of these it is estimated
that $4,000 still linger in the country
east of the Mississipi-that is to say, in
the organized territories of the Union
These figures are probably given with
some accuracy; but we should be inclined
to distrust the correctness of the compu-
tations made with respect to the outlay
ing OF unoccupied lands There are
said to be 100000 Indians in California
and New Mexico, $4,000 in the Utah or
Mormon country, %, 900 in Oregon, 63,-
900 in the Plains ard Rocky Mountains,
$4,000 in Texas, and about 10000 in
Minnesota and along the Texas border.
it must evidently be impossible to arrive
at any conclusive result in census like
this. We have seen the numbers set
very much higher, and also somewhat
lower, but the relative distribution of the
aggregate is given probably on good
grounds, and the best information OBJ
tainable would, of course, be at the COM
mand of the American Government.
The measures adopted with reference
to this class of the population have as
sumed various characters at different
times. Originally, as everybody will re-
collect, the early settlers of Virginia and
Kentucky conquered their farms and
homesteads from the Indians with the
rifle and the sword; but as civilization
advanced, and the ascending of the colo
nists became established, other proceed
ings were devised for securing the de.
sired end-viz: the REIMBURSEMENT of
territory nominally owned by the native
occupant in favor of the increasing popu-
lation of the settlers. Generally this
transaction was accomplished by way of
bargains and treaties, probably more Or
less compulsory, and the Indians made
formal surrender of their rights for a
stipulated consideration. The tribes
themselves were either placed in some
particular tract assigned to them for
their residences in the territory ceded,
or, more frequently, were transplanted
bodily to some territory far away towards
the west, so that years might elaspe be-
fore the citizens of the Union were
brought in contact with them again.
The former was the case in the States
of Michigan, Wisconsin and New York !;
the latter plan was adopted at other
points, where the experiment has to be
repeat once more.
The extraordinary results of the gold
discoveries in California have precipita-
ted the ssenclosure," if we may use such
term, of the whole North American
territory. Formerly civilization and cul-
ture advanced gradually towards the
West, and such was the prodigous ex-
panse of the continent, that years might
have elapsed, Notwithstanding the influx