, 1857-12-11

ton. assumed by the U. .. GoVernment,
connected with its relations towards the
various Indian tribes within the jurisdic-
ton and upon territory claimed by our
home government.
On The fourth page Of to-day's paper
will be found transcript Of the instruc-
tons enacted by our Congress, approved
June SOlh, 1884; also, In connection there
with, an act supplementary thereto, passed
March 3, lS47. We have no inclination
TO endeavor to be scrSre in criticising the
policy pursued by our government in the
enactment Of laws as between the white
and the red man. Justice to both, how
ever requires that they should be plain and
emphatic. The members Of the U. S.
Senate in the year 1916, entered into ne
gotiaiiOns with the government Of Great
Britain. whereby oil that portion Of the
Pacific coast south Of the 49th parallel of
north latitude, was made the boundary
line as between the two governments. AZ
tsrwards, whilst this Territory was an in.
tegral portion Of Oregon, in 1850, the
Congress. in its wisdom, enacted law
known as the Donation Act, the provisions
Of which guaranteed to all citizens Of the
United States, as well as to those who had
taken an oath to become such, that they
should be entitled to certain portion Of
the public donation, and, as il was under
stood, clearly vouchsafng to them that
they should be protected and defended in
their occupancy and right 10 the same
The question arises, ITO whom did these
lands belOngiD Did our treaty with Great
Britain give to our government an undis-
puted right to them1 If not, why the
passage Of the donation act alluded to- or
why the assumption on the part Of govern
ernment to donate property that did not
belong to III The disposition evinccd by
Congress demonstrates very eOnclusively
ia the passage Of this act, that the Indian
rights to lands in this locality, was very
poorly regarded.
In the carrying out Of the policy Of the
Indian bureau it so transpired that Gov
ernor was appointed for this Territory,
clothed with authority to enact treaties
with the various Indian tribes, with in
struetions not to transcend bounds therein
prescribed. Accordingly. treaties we're
framed with nearly oil the Indian tribes
between the coast range and the Rocky
mountains. Indeed, treaty Of amity wns
concluded between the Blackfeet and their
natural enemies, tho SpOkanes, CGur d.
Alones, Nez Perces, &C., on this side In
dian agents were appointed in the mean
time, to adjust excesses and abuses com
mitted BY one race upon the other. In or,
der the better to enable the Indian agents
todischarge their duties, and act justly in
the premises, fsiv volumes of general in
structions were sent to them-it appearing
to be taciuy understood that that would be
al that would be necessary to the end that
each individual member Of community
white and red-would be thoroughly pos.
ted up as to their obligations one with the
other.
Afew months ago, Col. NJ. I. SIMMONS,
Indian agent for the Puget Sound district,
called upon US with a request that we
should publish the several acts passed by
Congress in relation to Indian affairs.
Knowing full well that the Col. had ever
endeavored to discharge his duties faith
fully to the Indian, the citizen, and govern
ment, we were at loss to know why be
should ask Of us the performance of labor
for which he could give US 10 assurance Of
compensation. However, be placed in our
possession a volume Of general instructions
OF government relating to Indian affairs,
and we confess that we were in no slight
degree astonished at our own ignorance in
the matter. Without endeavoring to be
specific, We recommend that all good and
law-abiding citizens should read the enact
ments and determine for themselves wheth-
er or not they are not more or less enlight-
ened and astOnished Mt their provisions.
We are are led to believe that large
per centage Of the difficulties that have
been encountered in the intercourse be-
tween the white citizen and the Indian
race, has arisen in consequence Of an ignor-
anee Of the law on the subject. We verify
believe that il our population were thor
oughly acquainted with the Instructions
sent to the various Indian agents, that
much better understanding would exist be-
tween them and the Indians.
1t would seem TO be the idea Of govern
ment that the few volumes Of instruction