The New York herald., 1862-12-02
Ths oaslal Rspsrt UPsa SAdiaa A.
fairs.

/ ~~s->@A@~ssN~A VAAfoM hvtc w sAiv ~Se'SN~s.S
OF the Interior upon Indian Affairs. The report,
with its accompanying documents, treats of the
present condition Of most Of the Indian ma
] tions and tribes within our borders their wants
and prospects, and their adyanoements in civil
lization, as we'll - the operations Of ths va
rious superintendsnts and agents Of the govern
ment located among them.
Commissioner Dole says that the policy re-
Gently adopted of condnin. the indians to reser-
vations, and from time to time allotting public
lands to them, is the best method yet devised
for rsclamng them to civilization. The chief
difficulties which attend this plan arise from the
contact Of the white and red races. Where the
Indian reservations are surrounded by white
| settlements, tue red men are regarded as in
truders subjected TO insults and annoyances.
and exposed to the grasping cupidity Of their
white neighbors who seem to forget that the in
| trusion Is all on their own side. Compelled TO
abandon all their former modes Of gaining a
livelihood, adopting pursuits with which they
are totally unacquainted, brought into compe
| tition with their superiors in education and in
telligcnce amenable to local aud federal laws
which to them are almost uninielligible, obliged
| to submit to long and cruel delays if they are
! wronged, swiftly aud severely punished If
! they commit crimes many Of the Indians cannot
be induced to see any hope in tho future. or to
abandon their vicious and idle habits. That a
large number Of them are acquiring the
habits and the arts Of civilization is no less
gratifying than wonderful. Greater unanimity
between the federal government and the
governments Of those States within which In
dians are located and more generous State
| legislation, by which the disabilities under
which the Indians now labor may be gradually
| removed and the free rights OF citizenship
conferred, are suggested as strong incentives
to improvement no. likely to fail OF beneficial
| effects.
| Commissioner Dole thinks the condition of
the California Indians one of peculiar hardship.
| Previous 70 the white Immigration the indians
| of California were free, contentad and happy,
nature supplying all their wants with her pro-
fuse abundance. When the white immigration
began the whole State was soon oyerrun. and the
| Indians were disposscsed OF their homes. their
hunting grounds and their fisheries and were
at once reduced to the most abect dcpen-
dence. Now they have no means Of subsist-
ence. no treaty with OF recognized claim upon
the United States government no place to
which to migrate e,>and arc forced to become
vagabonds, to steal or to starve. Upon dis
honest and dishonorable prctexts the whites
invade even the. scanty reservations set apart
for the use Of these l6or people, and there is
literally no place in California where the Indian
can live III safety and security. As a remedy
for this state OF affairs Commissioner Dole
recommends the government to recognize the
Indians usuiructuary right in the soil, aud
treat with them for the cxtingushment of this
right, and the establishment OF the same system,
in our management of the Indians in California
| as in other States and in the Territories
| In regard to The Indians of the Southern super
intendency, Commissioned Dole states that the
rebellion cut off almost all communication with
thi; portion Of MS charge. II was always be-
lcved, and has recently been demonstrated,
however, that strong Union sentiment existed
among these Southern Indians. In no part Of
the country have greater snffcrngs and riva-
iions been endured and greater sacrifices been
made for loyalty's sake. The rebels early en-
dcayored TO scdace these Indians from their al
legiance and. a the Indian agents first appoint
ed by the present administration soon turned
traitors. the effort was partially successful
Every means was resorted to and all sorts Of
extravagant stories told to mislead these In.
dians: and the withdrawal Of our troops and the
interruption OF communication gave plausibility
to the secession inventions The Indians soon
divided into loyalsts aud sccessionists and the
latter party assuming the aggressive there was
an appeal 10 arms. In December last considerable
forces OF the Greeks Seninoles and representa-
tves Of all the other tribes, except the Chocsaws
and Chickasaw,, met twice in battle. aud in both
conflicts the loyalists were successful
About that time The War Department ordered
Major General Hunter to send force Of four
thousand loyal Indians into the Indian Terrific
ry to enforce the authority Of the government.
Commissioner Dole went out to Kansas 80 assist
HuDter, and learned that, in third battle the
loyal Indians had been defeated by the rebels.
who had been strongly reinforced from TEXAS.
IT would be impossible to give an adequate idea
Of the sufcrings endured by these loyal people
after this defeat and before their arrival on the
Southern border Of Kansas, where they were
Immediately relieved by General Hunter One
hundred and forty Of tie Greeks died of exposure
aud want, and over one hundred frosted limbs
were amputatcd within two weeks after they
reached Kansas. In consequence Of causes not
yet fully understood, the expedition to reinsia.c
these Indians in their homes did not set out
until the lst OF July last then only penetrated
as far rs Talequah, and soon retreatcd, on ac-
count OF difficulties between the officers OF the
white regiments detailed by General Haleck
to accompany the Indians. The Union scnti-
ment still existing among the inhabitants of the
Indian country was manifested by the enlist