The daily union., 1854-12-14

Se III .he territories OF oregon and Washington the
uees Tor presents promptly
shipped by the way of Cape Horn the supentendents
IN those Territories instructed proceed as early as prao
eaoie with the negotiations 1t IL hoped that these will
result in satisfactory arrangements for the set
ement OF the Indians and in the establishment OF such re-
between them and the whites will prevent the
recurrence OF such nhunan and atrocities as have
taken place in Oregon during the past year and in which
II due to truth to state that the latter have in some
cases been the aggressos and shown themselves 10 be as
barbarous and cruel the Indians Indeed the usual or
der OF things has been to reversed the depart
men having had to invoke the aid of the military for the
protection OF the weak and helpless Indians from the per-
secutons and cruelties of the whites.
In TINS connexion would refer to the report of Super
10 pa%e OF and to the elaborate report
OF governor Stevens, of Washington containing much
valuable and interesting information in regard 10 the
tribes and the condition of Indian affairs in those two
Territories
Our Indian relations in California begin to wear a
more encouraging aspect No serious disturbance has
there during the past year The system Of colo
nzng the Indians on reservations located in
tetre with the progress of the white settlements has
far been attended with happy results vfdrawing
Indians from the injurious contact with the mining
agricultural population from which the painful collisions
and disturbances that have heretofore occurred
While its tendency is to satisfy the whites that they will
the Indian population, it gives promise of dsposing of
the latter in to admit of its being held
der proper control and gradually improved and civ
jon Pass, to which about hundred Indanss have
been removed and considerable quantity Of land put in
cultivation There numbers of other Indians ready and
anxious to take up their residence upon this reservation
who will be removed there arrangements be
properly and economically made for their support and
poyment The result thus far encourages the belief that the
Indians Of California be made peaceful and sesusain
ing people, and it is hoped eventually useful population
They easily controlled manifest much interest in the
system and arrangements for colonizng and giving them
employment and have with readiness devoted themselves
to the agricultural and other occupations assigned them.
The superintendent reports that the system has been
successfully organized and developed the TETON
ton that there will be necessity for any material
ton has been selected some six hundred miles further north
for the Indians in that region and to which they will be
removed with all practicable despatch These two reserves
dans in and about the present mining and agricultural
districts that time and be taken in the esab
lishment Of the third and last reservation.
On the nth of August last train of Mormon emigran
passed encampmen of certain bands of the Sioux In
dans who awaiting Fort Laramie for their an
nuity goods One Of the cattle belonging to the train
made its way into the Sioux villages and killed and
consumed by the Indians The Mormons complained to
the commandant of the fort who despatched Lieut. Gra
tan, with twentynne and interpreter to demand
the Of the Indian who killed the animal He was
not delivered up and upon the refusal failure to do So
fight ensued, in which the lieutenant his entire
mand, ond the interpreter killed The particulars of
this melancholy and heartrending occurrence will be
found in the report Of Agent Whitfield and the documents
accompanying it. The Sioux belong to bands in amity
with the United Statesbands which have annutes due
them under treaty spuations and the Mormons should
under the provisions Of the intercourse act" have applied
to the agent who was in the vicinity for redress and he
could under the law have paid Of the annuities for
the property taken but officer Of the military depart
Indian for the offence charged against him.
Immediately after the peperaion Of the massacre the In
dans repaired to the warehouses of the trading company
by in which their annuity goods had been stored by
the contractors for their transportation and without
waiting the arrival of the agent to make distrbution
took possession OF, and appropriated the goods among
themselves
Occasions frequently arise in our intercourse with the
Indians requiring the employment of force although the
whites may be- and often the aggresors The Indian
bureau would be relieved from embarrassment, aud
dered efficient if in such cases. the department had
the direct control OF the to execute its own
orders force better adapted the Indian service than
any employed could it is believed be readily organ
ized But careful attention and kind and humane treat
ment will generally have influence upon the savage
than bayones and gunpOwder.
The wonderful growth Of distant possessions and
the rapid expansion of population in every direction
will render it necessary at distant day. to restrict the
limits of all the Indian tribes upon frontiers and
them to be settled in fixed and permanent localities there
after not to be disturbed The policy of removing Indian
tribes from time to time the settlements approach their
habitations and hunting must be abandoned
The emgrants and settlers formerly content to remain
in the rear and thrust the Indians before them into the
wilderness but the white population overleaps the
reservations and homes of the Indians and beginning to
inhabt the valleys and the mountains beyond hence re-
moval must cease and the policy abandoned Injury will
not necessarily result the Indian from change
BY the operations of the former system tribes have
become exnct and the reduced numbers and enfeebled
and demorazed condition of many of those who rest
upon the frontier furnish unmistakabe evidence of the
effect of the system upon them 1t is believed that by the
proposed change advantages will also result to the white
population while the heavy drafts heretofore made the
national treasury for removing Indian tribes Will be
saved.
Experience has proven the law approved June 30 1894
o regulate trado and intercourse with the Indian tribes
and preserve peace the frontier to be inadequate to
meet and dispose of all the varied questions and difficulties
which frequently arise under and grow out of the exist
ing state Of Indian relations 1t does seem to me es
scna in order to the proper administration by the gov
ernment of its Indian affairs that further and immediate
legislation should be had on the subject
In New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Minnesota,
the supervision of Indian affairs given to the terri
torial executive who by law is made the superintendent
aud in Oregon Kansas and Nebraska the is conded
independent officer, denominated the superintendent
of Indian affairs satisfied that the harmony and ef
fciency Of the Indian service would be placing
our Indian affairs in the first the footing in this
respect that they occupy in the ast-named Terrific
ries
OF the various evils which beset Indian population
there is alarming than the traffic in ardent
spirits In spite of the laws of the government the vgi
lance and exerions of its officers and the efforts of the
truly phianthropie the evil still exists and has its sway
Considerable reflection has confirmed in the opinion
that much may be done abatng this vile trade by
q cooperation with the government the part of the
States and Territories bordering the frontier Earnest
appeals been made them for proper legislation but
only with partial 1t hoped that this important
subject will the attention Of the people, and their
representatives in the States and Territories referred
and that something efficient will yet be done by them to-
wards aiding the government in relieving the poor Indian
from the evils arising from the of ardent spirits and
the power Of the whskey-trader.
In the last annual report your attention was directed to
the subject of general council of the tribes
of the southern supenendency with the wild tribes OF the
praires having in view the establishment of mutual re
tons of peace and amty between the several tribes and of
making available the occasion to impress the wilder In
dans with Just appreciation of the power and determine
off fboU Init