, 1870-03-22

tho opinion, in which I belioSe thoy viii con-
cur, TINT It doex not become = civilized nation !
even to eonssd.v the rrorFtety of adopting IT, !!
barbusities II savage tEbea. an entirely .
eure that it shall finally appear that thore /
haA been wanton hutchcry Of unresistlng
women and children, the condemnation Of
tuch cr7.elsy viii bo as prompt on the part ot
the superior officers Of the army ~ 1t would
kc from ourselves.
It is right, aieo, to say that the statement OF
MIR. Vincent Colycr, Secretary Of the Indian
Commission, to Mr.. Brunei, it's Chairman, uaa
j tin,ple transcript from tho official tnfo5ma-
ton nt that tino received by the Indian Otice,
commission ! look upon ss being the official
advocate Of the Indian before tho nation, Aoa
as il sTcaks for tl.oeo WIN havo neithor news-
lnrxr to slow their aido OF the questions al7s-
ing nor Representatives in Congress- TO nToLec
ticif interests or tell their story, tl.lnk We
slit .usd az carefully preserve the nights OF the
commission to speak as We wonld the right Of
u criminal to appear by his COUNSEL in . court
OF Justice. The integrity and entire dis1ntcr-
cstednCEs Of tho members Of the commission
arc beyond al possible question.
The great caree of all our difficulties with
tho wild tIibcB is the fact that cur civilized set
tlctucuts and our internal improvements arc
constantly narrowing the boundaries OF their
hunting grounds, aud c1owding them out OF
tegious Which they have, BY immeInoriA TIA
difion, regarded ~ their own. while no thor
ouehly consistent good faith is kept in redeem
ing the promites which We make to them as
tie condition Of their acQuicsccnco in the now
order Of things. -.
The Federal Government finds it almost I'm
possible to be a Just judge between the Indians
and tho settlers who are constantly enctnach-
ing even upon their reservations. Ne haro m
Instance Of this in the fact that, in the Terri
tory OF Montana, where the recent attack was
made, the very capital Of the Territory il To-
Gated upon the land to which the lndian title
hae never been c1tinguished, and Which has
never s.een formally opened by the government
for settlement
the past year has been to inspire the Indian
tribes with the belief that tho etrictest good
faith would bo kept with them. and that they
should be protected from Ill unlawful en-
cro.chments upon their rights. The Commis-
sioncr Of Indian Affairs, as well as tho COM
epect the work Of The 1ndian Bureau, are thor
oughly convinced that rigid adherence on
our part to treaty sipulations, a Just punish-
uc1it Of violations, committed by white per-
song, Of their rights, aud such provision
for their maintenance Ii may eaye them
from starvation in tho rapid dininution
Of game aud their restriction in the range OF
their hunting, would secure peace; but it is
essential to any Fuccess, tlas the treaties al
ready made should be Tgidly enforced and
strictly performed on our part, until by mutual
consent, new ar1angcments can be made. I'm
der your Instructions, and in accordance with
my own views and those Of the Conmis.
eioner OF Indian Anaira, no new treaties have
Leen negotiated during the year past, except
those previoasly ordered, and every effort has
been Innde to prepare the Indians for policy
IN which government Of tho tribes by law
and in accordance with contracts to be
made under system OF general leg.
;eJ~ lxvT aEVT S1,fH}1tt1}nf fOI
| the existing condition Of things, in which trea
| ties have bcen mado with them a. il with for
| eiCn powcrs; hut, as a condition OF success
ful change in policy, I repeat, it il absolutcl,
tssentinl that all existing agreements shout
tc faithfully kept, until the 1ndians 1hall them
ee.ves be brought to accept tho new AEzsnSe
mint. Ar ! hnve intimAted above, the FAC
| TIN. trcst:cs arc looked upon as less bintlinl
| Il an they formerly were, III known among Al
tic tribes in the inicr;or Of tho continent IN,
the diatr,1st naturally arising, ic the creates
obstacle to policy Of peace with which "
| have to contend. ...-
The .hjcetit ns which have heen raised i
ConFEess TO ca1rNng out thu trcotics Of 1866
4 aud those made subsequently, have been nis
understood or vilgully misrcprcsented, 20 az I
cast doubt over Cur good faith in nj tre:tic
lhAt lssvc been made. Az to these more Il
ccnt srcatire, and especially 10 those made b
the Peace Commission OF 1867, cannot hcl
believing tlat there has been no little misn1
ticzHtalt1ing Of their History, and Of The autho1
ity under which they wero negotiated. 1t na
Hcn frequently INSERTED that the Hoase Of RcI
resentatives Was in no eenBc responsible for, c
by reference to the statutes, that this is
nsapprchcnsion Of the fact. On the Goth da
Of July, 1867, IN set WAS passed entitled "a
act TO establish peace with certain hosGl
lndian tribes" The first section OF this a
reads as follows {Statutes at Large, vol. l!
aEe i enacted BY the Senate and House {
Representatives. ef the Lni!td STATES Of Amer
ca, in Congress assembled, That the rresidc1
Of the United States Ike, md he is hereby, n
uorizc1 to appoint u commission to consist {
three ofticers Of the army, not below the rar
Il. Taylor, Commissioner Of indian, Anain
John Il. Henderson, Chairman Of tho Con
mi,tee on Indian Affairs Of the Senate; s
Tapran Ind john u Sandborn, tlan lA,
power and authority to call together tho Cl,ie
ard head men Of such lands or tribes Of L
Clans as E1e now wagiug war aragainst the Unite
states, or committing depredahons u?oa Il
people thereof, TO ascertain the alleged re
.oLs for their acts Of hostility, md in tic
: s'iscretiou, under the direction Of tho Pro-
dent, to make and conclude with said bands
:riNys such treaty Atip1latioEs, subject to t!
astit Of the Senatc, as may remove all tu
carscs Of complaint on their part, and, nt Il
;iamc time. establish security for person al
I tzorcrtv along the lines Of railroad now bel,
Constructed TO the Pacific, and other thoroug
D fares CT travel to the Western Territories, u
t +l,ch ~ will mcst likely insure civilization I
$ the Indians and peace and safety for Z
!, nhites."
: Ey this act it will be seen that not only Y
the Peace Commission itself authorized
: law, and 3 majority Of its members named
] tho statute itself, but they were explicit
: authorized to mako treaties under the dirt
80 =
: ton Of Tie Senate. The treaties madc we
5 culy ratified, and as confess myself unable
9 Fec how = more complete obligation On t
. rat Of the Government OF the United Stat
i could bc created By Law, think the India
may veil bo pa1doncd II they Erga
Of those trcAties as breach Of faith on o
. Ea1t but, Il ans great REASONS Of pu
9 lie policy sl,11 be held to prevent the rocog
h tion Of tho national obligation, it ie, 1t lesl
9 essential that tho c1act meaning Of the e
Q ernmcnt rhould be defined, aud these simp
y minded tr1bcs made to understand prccis.
a what they may expect, and bc relieved
q every doubt as 10 The PURPOSE and policy
Il tic government. Ciless this matter
Q tins completely le:inedVand clearly
+ plsiretl 70 that the Indians may be a
e 10 understand our full purpose and intent
s Garling thern. no human power eau long r
d vent a general Indian war Gu the frontier
l. ea11y OFT fully the ttipulations Of those trc
e les. until others eau lie IEatlc may take e, o.
5, TO. III addition to the appropriation contain
q in :hc bill which has recently parsed the Hot
lc OF Representatives. think no officer Of
l. ltrilncc would estimate the cost Of n yea
\ s7.rfs1e Of the Kind likely to eneac, for lhck
It E1orcr action on cur par, ut less than Il
II tGo.t0a. I would. therefore. most q
y rcstly recommend that the attention OF c.
G. 6rcss ec called TO the necessity Of imme<li
= Lrd explicit definition Of the purposes Of |
Il government en the subject Of Indian treati
E. LEd 10 auch action As in their wisdom may
a likely to avert the evils which now seem iu1l
4 nent. II We we1e 10 waive all inquiry as
10 the moral obligation Of a Christian nation
E der such Crcumstances, l think it would 6
h lie demonstrAl,ir clear that 4s = mere quest
Ii Of pecuuiaty economy, it will be cheaper
% feed every adult Indian now liyi
r tyen to sleepy surfeiting. during
+ natural life. while their children arc c.
ID Gated to kelf-euprort ty aEricllsu1o, than
G. single ye1r. 1ha shocking ba.ba1itics, ,
e mutiiations Of tho dead and Of prisoucrs, VII
r sle often referred TO. a1o tho usual .rcon,I,s
r uents Of Indian war. Ey preserving pes
CT We may hope 70 Ayuid them, and cannot
&c lieve thtt Il is tcyond the wisdom and the
u kanrccs Ct great nLtion like o,lr own to s
by a Geace. policy thorough trial With 81
he 7tslect,y our ol clitnt servant,
IN J. D. Coz, Secretar.
Is, Ike Ireeident.
Of THE TARIFF BILL