The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-12-19

of their annuities. The motives which
incife men to acq uire wealth and inheri-
tance for their families, would then
operate in them with appropriate effect.
they might fitly receive and assume, all
the privileges and duties OF the
| citizen."*
| These facts and conclusions are of
great significance and interest in the
present condition of the Indian ques-
ton among some of the tribes West of
the Mississippi River, and reference will
hereafter be made to them in that con
nection in this report.
The attention of the Committee has
been vigilantly and feelingly directed to
the melancholy condition Of Indian
affairs among many of the tribes West
Of the Mississippi From every portion
Of our Western Border, we hear OF In
dian ware and massacres, and on part
Of the whites, there is cry for ven-
geance and determination.
"The Indians everywhere. with the
exception of the tribes within the Indian
Territory, are rapidly decreasing in
numbers from various causes: by dis
ease; by intemperance by wars among
themselves aud with the whites; by the
steady and resistless emigration Of white
men into the Territories of the West,
which, combining the Indians to narrower
and narrower limits, destroys that game,
which, in their normal state, constitutes
their principal means Of subsistence;
and by the irrepressible conflict between
q superior and inferior race when
brought in presence of each other."t
"We have reached a point in our
national history when there appears to
be but two alternatives left as to what
shall be the future of the Indian, namely:
swift extermination by the sword and
famine, or preservation by gradual con
centration on territorial reserves. and
civilization. As now situated, the In-
dian tribes are in the way Of our toiling
and enterprising population. and, unpro-
tected, they will soon be inevitably sub
merged, and buried beneath its continent
surges. Possessing originally the whole
continent, they roamed at will among
its mountains, valleys, and broad plains,
free and untrsmmelled. the proprietors
and lords of them all. But, rapidly
our race has relieved them of their vast
domain and the remnants of the ancient
Red nations, encircled by the pressing
millions of our people, maintain pre-
! caIious foothold on their last hunting
grounds. These millions will soon
| crush them out from the face of the
| earth, unless the humanity and christian
philanthropy of our enlightened states
men, shall interfere and rescue them II
Delegations of the Committee have,
on different occasions during the past
| year, visited the Indian Department,
| Members OF the Committees on Indian
Affairs of both Houses of Congress, and
number of the influential members Of
these bodies, In an endeavor TO promote
the interests of these greatly wronged
and suffering people.
The efforts Of the Committee have
been directed, principally, besidcs labor
| ing for the restoration Of peace, and q
kind and just treatment Of the Indians
| by Government, to prevent tile return
/ of the Indian Bureau to the War Depart
| ment, of which it was formerly branch,
and to induce the Government TO settle
the Indians on Reservations, of ample
dimensions, to be secured to them for
ever, where they will be protected, and
| all their just rights be respected and
held inviolate by the National Govern
ment.
We fear that the re-transfer of the
Indian Bureau to the War Department,
would be Injurious to the Indians and
their interests. Still. difficulty Of no
small magnitude exists in the present
position OF tie Iadian Bureau, s,me-
times occasioning serious conflict of
Jurisdiction and action between the civil
and military authorities. greatly to the
disparagement of the interests Of the
Indians, and involving, q it would
appear. the loss of many lives. On
Emature and deliberate re6aEtion upon
the subject, the Committee are Of the
opinion, that the Indians and their in
terests should be entirely under the di
rection and control of one general head,
as the Secretary Of the Interior, upon
whom the responsibility Of the correct,
humane, and just management of all the
affairs connected with them, should i'm
mediately rest.
III relation to the subject Of collect
ing the Indians upon reservations, it
may be again remarked, that they cannot
remain as they are. As recently stated
by one of their number, .sthey are fast
dwindling away; falling like the leaves
of the forest, to rise no more"H Some
thing must be done. 1t is argued with
much reason, that 80 large tract of
country as they at present occupy,
should not be retained by the Indians as
hunting grounds. upon which precari
Gus subsistence is derived, and thus
stand in the way of the progress of civ
ilization, ii they can be Instructed to
obtain supply, a. liberal, and more Ger
tain Of animal food and other articles OF
subsistence, on territoiy oil greatly
diminished extent, and at the came time
be in condition much more favorable
TO secure their civilization and enlieht.
enment. This, it is believed, can be
done by the National Governments, the
natural and enlightened guardians OF
the Red Race, assigning to them a mum
ber of fertile tracts of we'll watered
country, as permanent resercok;oss, to be
solesssly secured to them f0rscev, and OF
ample dimensions for the liberal accom-