The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-23
Department Reports.
Report OF the Commi>sioner Of Indian
Affairs

various Tribes win wnOm we nave nau treaty
stipulations.
The whole number Of Indians within our
limits is estimated To be about $50 900.
The whole number OF tribes aud separate
bands is us, with A Of which we have
treaty engagements. The number OF ratified
Indian treaties since the adoption OF the
Constitution, is 1893, near y all Of which con
tain provisions still in force. The quantity
of land acquired by these treaties is about
5Sl, l63,lSS acres the entire cost OF fulfil
ing these treaties will be S49,Sl6,3A.
From part OF these lands the Government
received no pecuniary advantages, because
they were ceded to the respective States,
within whose limits they were situated.
From those sold the Federal Treasury re-
ceived not only the whole of the expense in.
CURED for their acquisition, survey, aud SAX;
but a surplus OF al least one hundred millions
OF dollars.
The amount applicable for the fufllment
of treaties, and for other objects connected
with the Indian policy Tor the present fiscal
year, was 81 ,852 4073i, Of which sum S2Oi,-
662 SO was derived from investments OF trust
funds. The whole amount OF trust funds
held on Indian account is Sl0.590,64 .G2 Of
which SO, SOP 24l 80 has been invested in
stocks of various States and the United
States the remainder, viz: SI,068, 407.S0,
is retained in the treasury, ~ d the interest
thereon annually appropriated by Congress.
The Commissioner thinks it worthy OF con
sideration whether it will not be advisable,
when the national treasury shall he in a con..
dition to admit of it, also to invest the above
amount OF S7,Oe8, 4O7 80 in like manner with
the other Indian trust funds
The aggregate amount appropriated by
Congress for the Indian service during the
present fiscal year was 81 $50 $3.50, Of which
81 1909, O54 was required for the lulflment
of treaties, leaving only 81 1903 for re-
cognized and established objects Of expendi-
turc connected with our Indian policy, over
which economical discretion could be exer
cised. The Commissioner hopes, by sys.
TEN Of retrenchment already commenced in
the colonzng policy in Oregon, California,
and Texas, to reduce materially the expenses
of the remainder Of the present, and during
the next fiscal year Every item in the es-
innate submitted for the aforementioned pc.
Rod has been carefully scrutinized and the
sum estimated is less by $7i4s29 81 than
the amount appropriated for the present IFS
cal year.
The Commissioner points out three fatal
errors which have marked our policy to-
wards the Indians from the very beginning
viz:
l.. Their removal from place to place as
our population advanced
2. The assignment Of too great an ex.
tent Of country TO be held by them in com.
mon.
3. The allowance Of large sums OF mon
ey rs annultles.
lie recommends that the tribes should be
permanently located upon reservations, en-
bracing not more land than is necessary for
actual occupancy to divide the land among
them in severaliy; to require that they
should live upon and cultivate the land thus
assigned to give them, in lieu Of money an.
nuities, stock, animals, agricultural imple
meats, mechanic shops, and manual labor
schools ; and. inasmuch a. most OF the older
treaties provide for monty annuties, he re-
commends that CoDgess shall enact u law
empowering the Department TO commute
the money annuities, whenever the Indians
assent, as above set forth.
The Indiana in Oregon and Washington
number about $4,000, aud are divided into
thirty five tribes and bands. Those in Ore
gon, who formerly occupied the Rogue river,
Umpqua, aud Willamette valleys, are now
| living upon two reservations one on the
western, the other on the eastern side OF the
| coast range Of mountains. The country to
which their title was extingushed has rapid
ly filed up with an enterprising and thrifty
population.
The policy Of concentrating Iudsns on
small reservations, and of sustaining them
there Tor limited period. until they can b.
| fitted N sustain themselves, was initiated in
| 1853. The number and location d reser-
vations established to carry out this policy
| is as follows 10 California 5, with ,239
Indians in Oregon 2. with 5000 Indians
| and in Texas 2, with | ABB Indians. The
whole amount thus far expended upon the
reservations. has been Sl,l73000 10 Cali
fornia, and 1901 1913 % in Texas The
amount expended in Oregon FOR rescfvA-
tions has not, "a yet, been ascertalped. bu.
| the whole amount expended since 1882. IN
Oregon aud Washington. for Indian pur-
poses. Was 81 $4,000. The amount dis
| bursed in New Mexico, for the same period
ami purpose, was s2l2 SOC and in Utah
since 1853. $4,000.
Thus far the operations for carrying on,
the reservation system have been merely eI-
perimental ser Gus errors have been al
really detected which will lie 10 iuture pro
| perly remedied 10 Oregoo TOR instance. a
great mistake was made in ihh location d
| the resrves; IN California a greater mum
| her OF ressrye~ was established, aad OF
course grsater exI.nss were incurred Than
Circumstances repaired. IL w0 eEpecta!
that the expstlSss Of all the reserve. would
b. dimuished from var to wear, a. the To-
disos wosld progress in the arts of cyiliz d
life. &c. &c. tie al.n recommends that the
authorit,t- Of California should h. appii-d
| 10 for the f,qu ste state legislation 40 tba,
the iuterctur-e ass cDuI b. enforced upor
! the RESERVATIONS n that STATE. and the H.
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