, 1857-12-11

general publicity oil the enactments OF con
gress on the subject be given TO the public.
We very modestly suggested to the Indian
agent for this district, Col. SIMMONS, when
he intimated that the publication of the
instructions fonnd in to-day's paper, should
appear, that the '1aborer was worthy Of
his hire, that although, by complying
with bis request we might be subserying
the public veal, we should be recompensed
for the same, particularly, as he gave US
to understand that the Indian department
would not recognize the validity of u claim
Of the character referred to. Taking the
subject under advisement, and recollecting
that, nt present there was a sort Of ''uac'
uual.' in the U. S. Treasury, and remem'
bering, at the same time, that, at present,
the U. S. Government was very lamenta'
bly poverty-stricken, VIC came to the con
cluSon that il Government could not af
ford 10 pay for the publication Of matter
Of common Importance, that we should be
generous enough to shoulder the expense
ourselves, albeit, that we might in conse-
quence, become somewhat round-shoulder-
ed and "bbIe-backed.n
Some Of the provisions Of the laws un-
der consideration, it will be discovered,
affect somewhat the coarse Of procedure
on the part Of few citizens Of the Terri
tory concerning the annuities that the gov
ernment contracted to pay to the only In
dian tribe with which treaty had been
ratified by the U. S Senate. On Christ
mas day, it is understood, that at Squaxon,
the halfyearly instalment of the Nesqual-
ly's will be paid, amounting, probably, to
fifteen hundred dollars. 1t is understood
that there are some persons who will en-
dcavor to defeat the object of the agents
Of government in the payment, advising
the Indians, as we understand, not to re-
ceive their annuities as per contract, but
to demand that their reservations be en-
larged. "A word TO the wise is oil sufIi-
cent."
In view Of the foregoing, we have de-
termincd to publish the laws which will be
found in to-day's issue, for three months
consecutively, and if Government feels in
disposed to pay for the same, we will do it
at our own expense. believing, as We do,
that the public interest requires it,.
For further information concerning In.
dian treaties, &c, we extract the following
from the report Of the Secretary of the
Interior, submitted to Congress at the last
session, amongst the accompanying dOcu
ments of the Presidents Message:
During your administration there have been nego
tlated ffytwo Indian treaties Of these, thirtytwc
have been ratified by the Senate and twenty remain
yet 10 be acted BY these treaties the Indian title
has been extnguished 10, and reacqusiions made Of
lands amounting, in the aggregate, to l74 lS4 7lC
acres Of which, about 50 900 900 are included in the
ratified treaties and about l22 900 600 acres are &c
cured by those now before the Senate besides
800 acres which have been reserved for Indian pur
posses The aggregate money consideration involved
'These treaties are Of three classes Of peace and
friendship; Of acquisition, with view to she COLOMBIA
ton OF the Indians reservations for providing fol
the permanent settlement Of individual Indians Dor
seperate tracts OF land as homestead and extngush
ing at once, or paving the way 10 the inal abandon
nent Of, the tribal character.
The money consideration has varied according tC
the nature the title the resources and value of The
hpH tba all
supposed claims against the United States; the as
being deemed essential 10 the quietude Of the Indians
10 protect the interests Of the Government and pro
mote harmony between It and the respective tribes
Besides the actual money consideration, other i'm
portant benefits guaranteed at times and in the
manner indicated in the treaties which cannot bc es
timated accurately In money.
The object throughout has been 10 do ample justice
to the Indians, and leave room for the complaint
sometimes heretofore made that they had been over
reached by the white men. Whether such complaint
was just or not there is no doubt the Indians beev
ed were persuaded by others, that just grounds ex
sted for its Indulgence. It mast be admitted that In
some cases the talks with the Indians upon which
treaties were based did not correspond with the treat
les Themselves, and that the Indians generally relied
on these talks which they recollected and under
stood, and not on the tpeatiesas reduced to writing
which they seldom CORRECTLY comprehend.
Great difficulty has heretaiore existed, and still cx
lists, IN making even an approximate estimate OF the
population OF the varons tribes OF Indians within OuI
are now supposed to number some three hundred
thousand souls. As we become more familiar with
the remote tribes, we find the representations made
as To their numbers generally exaggerated. The ag
gregale number however, OF the whole Is very large
and although 1t will not probably increase yet II
shows the immense responsibility resting upon this
Government, to which is entrusted their welfare aud
happiness.
The average amount annually expended by the Gen
eal Government for the past six years for Indian pur
poses has been about s2,625,9S2 6$l5 1855 500 81.
Concerning the Indian policy of the
government. we have, in common with 9th
ers, right TO our own opinion. We are
thoroughly convinced that the whole In
dian policy inaugurated at Washington, is
radically wrong and defective The more
we are made acquainted with its workings
the more we are convinced that the mis-
sionary labor and educational instruction
sought to be carried out for the ameliora
tion OF their condition, is simply a Sunke,