The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-20
CORRUPT MANAGRMEST OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS.

From period dating way back in our ear
ly Colonial history, there has been a sys,e m
of managing our relations with the India IN
Tribes, which has never practically undef
gone asy serious change. The general idea
has been to buy the friendship of the Indians,
and their land, at the cheapest ralAs And
the plan adopted to effect these objects, has
been to appoint, and pay an Indian Agent q
round salary, to attend to the interests OF the
Indians, in connection with the Government;
and, to make the matter run perfectly smooth,
the Agent was empowered to select his
"Right Bower who was licensed by the
Government, as an Indian Trader.
These two important personages then took
up their line OF march to the Indian country
with cords OF whiskey, tobacco, and musketa
aud commenced operations. By the exp;rs
ton Of n year, or in less time, the period for
an Indian payment would arrive; and the
Agent, with his funds, would open up, an
ample supply OF liquor, for the tribe, havng
been provided for the occasion. The In
dams would all be on hand, of course, bu.
some how or other the money was ell paid to
the Trader.
A recent Congressional investigation has
brought this system out ON record, and under
oath, and vt is possible remedy may be found
for it By the time the Indians are pretty thor
oughly exterminsted.
Col. SrGAGCE, of the 7th Infantry, in al.
swer to investigation, said:
A. Money annuities should be discontinued to
the Indians
Q. Is. VIVA, proportion actually rescbesthe In-
dams
A. Very little, If any.
q. 10. That proportion is received BY the ira
der 70, goods and supplies already advanced
A The whole, " he can wreet il from the Indian.
During the period previous to paying the annuity,
liquor is often sold to Indians and entered
upon his account calico, shirts, blankets.
stroudinR, beads, dc.
Brig Gen. JAMES Fl. CARLTON replied to
Investigations
Q. IL What proportion is squand<red for in
toxca'ing drinks or in gambling"
A. Ncsrly or quite all that the Indian gets over
and above what be owes, and what Is literally
grabbed from him. at "the payment" by the
trader.
J. H,sLAs, United States Agent for the
Cherokees says
Of tac amour. paid TO the Indians nominally
by The Government, think it would be safe to
say moss tnan ninety mine per cent. was actually
paid e tbv trsders and less than per cent. To
the Iniians only saw seven dollars paid to an
Indian When an Indians name wa. called 4
trader sta'ei his claim; the Indian said " Uh.'
Wheth-s sbs. sas yes OF no, | could not say, but
the ,no4ry 3. ,spsid to the trader
q L.. IL he only payment | ever saw made,
the proportion sss A. l stated in the preceding
answer Ii MAS all claimed, and nobody disputed
il. for gpoi- aud supplies already sdyAnced.
There is abundant testimony to the same
purport, and none whatever to contradict il.
But We think the general character and re-
| suits Of the system have been known In
Washington, by every Administration, from
WAsHiSerox down, and that it has been
growing worse, instead of better, all the time.
| And we tLink it has been notorious. not only
| to every Administration, but to the public at
| large, for two generations past, that the man
agemea, OF our business relations with the
Indians has been stepped in fraud and cor.
ruption; and that there has not been single
| redeeming feature in the business, from the
| beginning.
The entire system, in all its manifestations,
should be thoroughly ventilated, and abol-
ished, and reconstructed on sound basis of
common honesty aud common sense.