Daily national Democrat., 1859-04-24
Indian Citizens.

There is very strong desire in the South
ern and Western portion of the Union to in
corporate the Indian Territories, lying along
the waters of the Missouri and Arkansas,
into the American Confederacy and to make |
by sweeping act of legislation, all its Indian |
inhabitants citizens of the United States
The subject has not only been discussed in |
the public prints but has been considered in |
the halls Of Congress, at various periods since |
1854. Among the more recent discussions of
the question (Which will enter largely ere
long into the politics of the country we find
avery strenuous advocacy Of the policy by the
Southern Superintendent of Indian Affairs,
stationed at Fort Smith, Arks., to-wt: Ma
jor Elias Rector. Speaking of the Territory
occupied by the Cherokees, Greeks, Semi
noles, Choctaws and Chickasaws, he SAYS, in
his report to the Department at Washington
The country is equal in size to one of our
largest States Within it are the rich allu-
vial valleys of the upper Arkansas, the Cana
dian and its branches, the upper Red River,
The Neosho, the Verdigris and many smaller
streams; vast eXtents of the most beautiful
and fertile limestone praire=; ranges of
mountains abounding in minerals; lovely
valleys between incalcnlable wealth of coal
limestone, and marble; salt springs, water
power; everything in short that is needed to
make great and hourishing State, IA great
grain producing, stock raising, vine growing
country
He adds:
The country possessed by them, picturesque
and fertile, must at some day become a state
of the American Union 1t is useless for
white man or Indian to shut his eyes to that
fact; and the only problem worth consider
ing in regard to it is how it can be effected
with a due regard to the rights of the Indians
and the honor and good faith of the United
States
This ought to be effected by making the
Indians citizens of the United States. bv piv-
ing them the tile in fee and right of dispo-
tion of their lands and securing to them the
right of selling them for their own benefit in
such quantities, for such prices, and to such
persons as they please An ample quantity
OF land ought to be reserved for every indi-
vidual OF each tribe, with prohibition abso-
Lutte against alienation or lease for thirty
! years, In order that spectators and swim
dlers might have no temptation to prey upon
the improvident If this were done there is
not now nor ever was on the face of the
earth people as fortunate, prosperous and
wealthy as these Indians would be. What
prouder position could they, as individuals,
seek to occupy than that of citizens of the
United States, Nth privileges and rights
equal to those of any man in the whole great
republic? In comparison with that how in
significant their petty nationalities and halt
lndependeneies, and quasi ownership of the
soil which they cannot alenate! Citizens OF
the United States, their rights could be as
serted in the national courts; their lands
over and above ample reservations for them
selves and for schools and railroads. would
if judiciously sold, make them all wealthy
and their descendants would sit, perhaps, in
the high places of the nation