Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-09-27
THE REMNAN Ts or THE ABoRIGINEs.

THE OF THE ABORIGINES.
From the statistics derived from the
archives of the Indian Bureau, it APP
pears that there are 300, 900 Indians re-
manning within the limits of the United
States exclusive of 10000 in the new
territory of Alaskan who, upon the I'M
portant question of subsistence, may be
divided into self-supporting tribes, $780,
600; partly supported by the Govern
ment, $4,000 entirely supported by the
Government, 31,000; living by hunting
and marauding, $4,000. To such small
numbers have the native American race
been reduced, a race which occupied all
the vast territory now belonging to the
United States.
In Mexico there are 1000, 600; in
>Central America, 100000; in South
America their number is probably not
far from 100000 who are mostly civil
lied and converted to Christianity. In
the scale of civilization the little rem
nant of our own Indians is thus classi
fed civilized, $1,000; semi-ciyilized,
5000; wholly savage, $1,000.
In regard to the self-supporting tribes,
the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws
Creeks, Seminoles, etc, of the Indian
Territory, are included under this desig-
nation. The tribes partly and wholly
supported by the Government are those
on the reservations outside the Indian
Territory. The maraudes are those still
roaming at large, and mostly along the
range of the Rocky Mountains, between
the British provinces and our Mexican
frontier. The Indians living under
treaties are 10000; on reservations
without treaties, 40, 900. The main
bodies of the civilized tribes are in the
Indian Territory. The general distri-
button of the aborigines may be thus
given:
In Minnesota and east Of Mississippi. ..... - ll0
In Nebraska, Kansas and Indian Territory . 7G,G5u
In Dekota, Montrna, Wyoming and Idaho. G5,o00
In Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and
Arizona. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81 ,OOC
In California, Oregon and Territory of Wash
hgton ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1859
1t further appears that the Indian
populations occupy reservations OF land
amounting in the aggregate to l37, SIG,
81 acres, or about AGO acres each. 1t
is these extensive tracts of country
which tempt the cupidity of the whites,
and which it will be difficult to hold
against the encroaching settlements of
strong and INSCRIPTIONS neighbors. The
idea of ultimately settling all the I'M
settled tribes and roaming bands in the
Indian Territory is said to be ertentain-
ed by Gen. Grant, with view to adj
vancing them in the usages and the
capabilities of a civilized life, and
OF avoiding the embarrassments re.
sulting to the States and Territories
concerned from the numerous and
widely-scattered Indian reservations and
wandering bands Some prompt and
satisfactory solution of the Indian prob
lem, compatible with justice to the
Indians, is demanded by the interests OF
both races. Whatever the scheme. il
should not fail to embrace what has
often been urged as essential to future
safety and quiet, the making of Indians
amenable to the same criminal law anG
tribunals as the whites. 1t may be adj
ded that in the rapid disappearance OF
the red men from our limits, and after
making all allowances for the wrongs
they have suffered, we see that it is i'm
possible for tribes which refuse to be
civilized and pursue the paths of pro-
ductive industry to preserve their exist
ence side by side with superior and
enterprising race.