The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-17
WASHINGTON


win be their way the Of operations for
the purpose Of endeayoring TO accomplish that object
This movement has been somewhat delayed In consequence
Of the superintendent having been charged with the dis
bsement of the moneys payable to the several tribes
within his superintendency This service was imposed
upon him in conformity with the regulation adopted by
the President in March last TO carry out apparent wish
of Congress- eyinced by proyiso In the act making
appropriation for the Indian Department. passed at the
session that the due to Indians should be
paid by the superintendent instead of by the agents
as heretofore. The proyiso, not being obligatory,
not necessary, the President had already the
power to require the superntendents to make such
payments whenever he deemed it proper, and as had
been repeatedly done The President having directed the
change it has been tried but found to be pacticabe
without great injustice to the Indians and injury to the
public service II deyolves undue amount of labor and
responsibility upon the superntendents, while II leaves
comparatively to the agents. and destroys all their
influence for good with the Indians One tribe has to
wait till another is paid which causes jealousy and ILL
feeling and it requires much time to pay them in sue
ceson that those last reached receive their money long
after il should have been paid TO them necessarily
runs the later payments into mid winter when the In
dams cannot be assembled without subecting them to
great exposure hardship and certain danger of fatal dis
1t is also attended with much greater expense in
consequence of the guards and assistants which the super
nendent is compelled to employ for the safety Of the
moneys while travelling about with them In the Indian
country from tribe TO tribe in providing for those
which he has to leave behind therefore recommend
that the system he abandoned and that the duty be
imposed upon the agents. with such checks and guards
may be requisite TO secure its proper and faithful perform
ance. ." a &fas
1t being necessary that the southern superintendent
should proceed to Florida the duty referred to before
completing the payments in his district he was, with the
sanction of the President, directed to turn the
paid moneys in his hands to the agents for the tribes to
whom they belong for payment. 2. Ea'
While the subject of payments to Indians, beg
leave to call attention to the evil effects Of capita pay
ments which system has been in force for some years
The great body of the Indians can be managed only
l aEx
the latter reduces them to the level of the In
dans and destroys all their influence. 1t thus dsor
ganizes and leaves them practically without domestic
government lessons their respect for authority and
bunts their perceptions Of the necessity and advantages
of any proper and effective system OF governmental organ
iation turning them backward instead of leading them
forward in the scale of advancement. With the dimin
ished control and influence of the chiefs there il increased
lawlessness on part of the members and hence the
greater number of outags the persons and property
of other Indians and citizens. Nor Is the per capita
payment system Of protection or advantage to the IN
dividual Indian His share of the annuity ID known be-
forehand and it is easy matter to induce him in ad
to gamble it OFF, pledge it for whiskey art
ices of material to him. and at after the pay
ment to take or collect the amount from him The dis
trbution Of the money should be left to the chiefs
far least enable them to punish the awless and
unruly by Withholding it from them, and giving it to
the orderly and mertorious. They should be al
lowed report the conduct of the individuals OF the
tribe being far as possible held responsible therefor
and the agent to pay the money according to grad
uated SCALE having reference to the industrious habits
and good conduct of individuals as he should find to be
just reservng to him the right to inquire into the action
of the chiefs whenever complaint shall be made and to
change modify such action whenever he may dis
that they have dealt susty with any member OF
! their tribe. ... ".'' .a.". a@ .#. gI...e .s
1t is respectfully suggested that some definite action
should be had upon the treaties heretofore made with the
Quapaws the Senecas and the Senecas and Shawnees
siding adjacent to the southwestern of Missouri,
which submitted for the consideration of the Senate
at the session ls54-'55 3 afrs'Ee ""7.a
| If not such should be ratified, others of proper
character should be negotiated this being necessary for
the welfare of the Indians and to carry out the objects of
the of 1883 treaty should likewise be entered in
to with the Cherokees TO acquire from them the 800 600
acres of land in the locality known the Neutal
/ Ground " on which settlements already being made,
contrary obligations to the Cherokees and which
tract they willing dispose of in order to obtain the
means of qudating their considerable national debt,
and to augment their insufficient school and orphan
| funds. 3a iEt4E#".-.. 80
large tract of land in Kansas years ago set apart
for the New York Indians who then expected to
there but subsequent arrangements have settled
the great body Of them reservations IN the State Such
of them have removed should be assigned the three
hundred and twenty promised to them, and the
ander of the lands be brought into market for the
benefit Of citizens who rapidly filling up the
Territory 9a
Preliminary measures have been adopted for cooizing
possible the tract Of country leased from
the Chocaws and Chickasaws for the purpose the Witch
ita and other Indians intended to be located there
The colonization OF the Indians Of Texas the reser-
vaons apart by the State for that purpose progress
sing favorably and rapidly the difficulties and OBJ
staces incident to such will permit The su
pervsng agent represents with much confidence that the
several colonies will soon be in condition to support
themselves. In the time there will be gradual
and material decrease Of expense The amount requisite
for next year SOL T07 co. The officer estimates
that that for the succeeding year will not be SO great by
This is the only practicable system for reeening the
wild lawless and roaming tribes within our borders II