Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-03

The Indians in the United States and Territories


The Choctaws and Chickasaws have adopt
ed republican forms Of government. asslmila-
ted to that of the United States, 10y which they
are possessed of political power, properly
distributed i'll three separate departments
legislative, executive, aud judicial.
What a grand epoch is this in the history
Of the Indian race, when We behold the deS-
pendants of those who in former Years, raised
the war-whoop against the whites, clothed
with the peaceful dignity Of governors legs
lators and judges in the appropriate depart
ments of their own government, under ma
tiona constitution. and under the protection
of the flag Of our country, as quasi States.
The civilization of the Indian tribes. gen
orally, is being rapidly accelerated by the
present policy of assigning lands TO the mem
beers thereof in severalty, from which each
individual will reap the fruits OF his own m
dustry, surrounded by the brig int examples Of
the white mans farm, smiling with the rich
products Of honest toll.
The following points will embrace the eS-
sential elements which have been incorpora-
ted in the present policy Of managing our
Indian affairs. viz:
lst Ample protection is given to the var-
Gus tribes to preserve them from the arar-
cious spirit Of unfair speculation, by provi-
ding them with comfortable houses, mills
farming utensils, &c, instead OF paying
them large sums of money to pass INTO the
pockets of sharperS i'll exchange for beads,
trinkets, and other articles Of little or no
value.
2d. Schools are established for the edura
ton Of the Indian youth, and suitable teach
! erS provided to mpart instruction to them
in the elementary branches Of useful study,
and the manual exercises 80 essential to the
industrial department of agricultural life
and i'll this way the plastic mind OF youth
is impressed with the stamp OF sound morale
", which canmut be- 81 readily detaced aS
the memories of ripper wears.
Sd. Reservations of land susceptible Of the
highest state Of cultivation have been appro-
priatcd to their use. and assigned to the ind-
yidunl members Of their respective tribes, III
sevrralty; with view to enable them, 10y ac-
tive industry, To support themselves, instead
of depending entirel y upon the Government
for n subsistence.
4th. The Indians of the semI-ciyli!ed
tribes are now established ia fixed and per
mancnt homes, where it is hoped that they
will be permitted to remain until the last
representative of each tribe shall be peace
fully buried i'll the graves Of their fathers
The former practice of removing the Indians
from one locality 10 another, as the tide vi
emigration would sweep round their lands,
was founded i'm an error most fatal To the
best interests of the tribes, and most expen-
siye To the Government. from the tuct that
wien thousands Of dollars had been eXpen-
ded in the partial civilization Of II little band
in each tribc-to form living moral nucle-
Us around which the more youthful members
/ of each nation would gather to learn the art
of peace-they were then removed farther
West, among the wild tribes, where, perhaps
they lost every vestise Of civilization. - Cam
! Stiiuiiou