Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-03-18
SENATOR WILSON'S INDIAN
III

rights and duties Of citizenship" This
measure relates to a subject that is
scarcely more creditable to the United
States, than the condition of Ireland is
to the Government of Great Britain.
1t provides for the appointment, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, ola Board Of Inspection forthe
protection of Indians, in amity with
the United States. The Board Is to
consist of five persons. well known for
their intelligence and philanthropy,
chosen from civil life, together with
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
and the Secretary Of the Interior-the
latter to be President Of the Board,
and to have general direction of Its
business and proceedings. These III
spectors are to have the supervision of
all expenditures Of moneys appropri-
ated for the use of the Indians ; they
are to visit the Indians and investigate
their condition, and also inquire into
the qualifications and conduct of all
officers and employees having relations
to Indian affairs, and Of all traders and
others having permission to reside IN
or visit the Indian countries. They
are to see that all treaty stipulations
are faithfully executed, and all COM
mmications with the Indians relating
to the mo- ification or abrogation of
existing treaties are to be made through
the Inspectors and to be submitted
by them to Congress. They are to
have power to suspend officials and
others when the public interests
require such action, and to
make temporary appointments to the
vacancies. Whenever practicable the
Inspectors are to be present at the
semi-annual distribution of goods or
moneys to the Indians, and to examine
and supervise all books. vouchers and
accounts connected Herewith. They
are empowered to frame simple codes
of laws for the Indians, and to propose
such notifications or abrogations Of
existing treaties or contracts as will
tend to ciyilize the Indians, and make
them intelligent and productive citi-
zens; all such codes of laws or propo-
sitions to be submitted to Congress.
All claims against the Indians fol. dep
relations or other accounts are to be
examined by the Board, and zone are
to be allowed unless so examined.
They are to consider all complaints
made by the Indians against officials
and other employees of the Government,
or traders, or others residing in the
!udian country, and they are empow-.
cred to expel whites or mixed breeds
for drunkenness or vice, and the mill
tary authorities are required to give
them aid. And, to sum up, the bill
gives the Board Of Inspectors full
charge of the welfare Of the Indians
in amity with the United States," to
locate them on farms to be held in sew
crafty, and generally to adopt such
measures rs will tend to civilize them,
and make them productive, selfsup-
porting people. 1t will be observed
that the foregoing measure deals only
with such Indians as are in amity with
the United States. The hostile tribes
are LEFT very wisely to the War De-
partment. If the measure shall be
adopted, and we trust it will be, and
shall be carried out in the spirit in
which it is manifestly framed, the
number Of tribes in charge Of
the Board will soon become greater,
and the number Of tribes left to the
War Department will gradually dimin-
isl. until eventually all will be brought
under the jurisdiction Of the Board.
The bill strikes at the root of most of
the causes of trouble between the H.
dians and the border people. Carrying
out the new policy Of d~iscarding all
the old machinery Of Government In
tercourse with the Indian tribes-get-
ting rid Of the perpetual succession of
agents and other officials whose chief
business has been to cheat and rob the
Misunderstanding the traders under the
vigilant supervision and rigid control
of men of intelligence and integrity
requiring all matters pertaining to
treaties, lands and contracts to pass
through the hands of the Inspectors
aud in one sense, what IS of far more
practical importance, requiring all
claims against the Indians for depre-
dations to pass examination by the
Board-this bill, If enacted into a law,
is well calculated to do more TO prevent
hostili;ies by the Indians, and protect
them from depreciation, and guard the
border country against wars, depreda-
lions, rapine aud massacres, than any
measures yet adopted. General Will
son., the Secretary Of the Interior and
Colonel Parker will merit the graft
tude Of both the whites and the red
men if they succeed with their benefi-
cent measure, and see that it is exc
cuted in the same wise and humane
spirit in which 1t Is conceived.
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