The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-10
aboriginal.
From the PrestMeridn # tie We.
Our Indian Tribes.


We have read the annual report of the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs with
great interest. 1t is too long for our col
umns, nor can we give a satisfactory
abridgment of it. Il will be found in
many of the weekly newspapers, however,
and we hope it will be carefully read by
multitudes of the upright and thinking
men of the country. It surely deserves
their consideration, for it describes the
relations of our government with the orig
inal inhabitants of this land-relations in
which every American citizen has per-
sonaI responsibility Especially is such
a document of great interest to the Chris
tian community, as it throws much light
on the various causes which promote or
hinder the evangelization of those who
alone can be truly spoken of as Ameri-
can heather.
The report contains great amount of
information concerning the political con-
dition of various tribes, with valuable
notices in some cases of their moral and
social state A vast, and mostly sad,
procession thus passes under our view.
1t embraces the Six Nations in New York;
the Otawas and Chippewas in Michigan;
the Stockbridge, the Oneida. and the
Chippewa bands in Wisconsin; the Me-
nomonees, the Chippewas, the Winneba-
goes, and the Sioux in Minnesota; the
Omahas, Ottoes, Missourias, Sacs, Fox.
Iowas, Kickapoos, Delawares, Shawnees,
Kaskaskias, Peorias, Weas, Piankeshaws,
and Miamis, in Kansas and Nebraska
with all of whom treaty arrangements
were effected last year, securing the ees-
sion of nearly 100000 of acres of
land to the United States; the Sioux,
Gros Ventres, Arickarees, Mandans, in
the Upper Missouri country the Apaches,
Kioways, Osages, Pawnees-but though
our list is not half completed, we must
leave it unfinished. Our readers will re-
fer to the report itself for satisfactory de-
tails. We merely add in this place chat
its statements respecting the partially civ
ilized Cherokees, Greeks, Choetaws, and
Chiekasaws, continue to be, on the whole,
encouraging; while the Indians in Texas
and California are spoken of in more
hopeful terms than in former years. A
number of the Indian tribes are reported
asin starving condition the Cheyennes,
Arapahoes, and Sioux, on the Upper Mis-
souri,, on account of the rapidly dimin-
ishing supply of buffalo. Some of the
smaller and half civilized tribes west of
the State of Missouri have lost their crops,
to large extent, by reason of the drouth,
and will be saved from much suffering
only through their annuities. which the
government will wisely expend for their
relief
The fact just mentioned suggests the
most gratifying feature of this document; /;
the clear evidence which it everywhere
furnishes of two things: first, that the
general policy of the government of our
country toward the Indian is humane; /;
the second, that the higher executive Off
GERS intrusted with the charge of the
greatIy-extended and important affairs of
the Indian Department, are men of integ-
lrity. It is well for the poor Indian they
are. Numerous and powerful are the sell
fish and unprincipled persons who are
watching to take every advantage of these
tribes, especially Of those who are reeeiv-
eing annuities in exchange for their lands.
The report gives an example of the con-
,duet of some Of these swindling white
smen-in reference to the Menemonees,
:by which three individuals would have
put upwards of $500. 600 into their own
pocketsi We wish our space would al
Sow the insertion of the whole story
Thanks to the vigilance and integrity of
the Commissioner of Iadian Affairs. this
sehanae of sillainy was frustrated. In
connection with this, ne quote the follow
ing extract from the report. which We
sincerely trust will receive, as it surely
deserves, the favorable consideration of
our national councils: -
This transaction among the Menom-
-onees has not been referred TO as an iso-
lated ease, but as q sample of class, and
illustrative OF the outrageous and iniqui-
tous attempts Of nnscrupulous white men
to enrich themselves ont of the funds of
the Indians. The pecuniary losses TO the
latter comprise only q minor portion of
ahesiniurious concomitants and results Of
such attempts. Thedndians, particularly