The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-03
INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Report Of the Secretary cf the Interior,
WAsuJwGroN Nov a-

/
WAsHINGroN, Nov. q.
The following are the main points of
the annual report of the Secretary of the
Interior to the President on the Indian
question. The report bears date Oct. 81,
1874.
Tie operations Of the Indian Bureau dur
ing the past year are highly gratifying. They
furnish conclusive evidence Of the justice,
wisdom and practicability of the policy in
augurated by the present Administration.
The success Of this policy Is no longer prob
lem. II steadily pursued; we shall soon see
oil rowing tribes located upon reservations
The disposition Of the more restless and tur-
bulent to leave such reservations on hunting
and marauding excursions win rapidly dis
appear, and the improvement of the semi
civilized Indians, already so apparent in many
localities, will be greatly accelerated. We
may reasonably expect nccasinral disturb
ances in the iuturc caused W Individuals, or
by disorderly bodies Of Indians, but with a
judicious and efficient execution of the pres
ent mode of treatment it is not believed that
we shall sec another general, or even serious,
Indian war.
The present method OF dealing with the
Indian race aims to induce, and when neces.
sary to compel, the roaming tribes to accept
reservations rs rapidly as possible. On such
reservations they are Instructed in agricul
ture and in other pursuits incident to civiliza-
ton, and with the aid Of our Christian organ
izations their intellectual, moral and relig-
ious culture is advanced as rapidly as practi-
Ia <,;I
ervatIon, and continues to violate the laws of
civilization, 1t is treated with ell needful
severity, and thus made to appreciate the ad-
vantagcs Of accepting the Find ard humane
treatment which thc Government surely ex-
tends to such as are disposed to peace. II
those who have accepted reservations leave
their homes and commit depredations, they,
also, are treated as offenders and taught
the necessity, us well as the advan-
tage to themselves, Of obedience and good
behavior By the judcious exercise of
power and persuasion, as thus indicated, it is
the aim of the Government to deal kindly and
justly with this unfortunate race, and to make
them appreciate, as speedily as possible, the
real motives and purposes of the Government.
The execution of this policy Is necessarily at
tended with difficulties which cannot at once
be entirely overcome. To distribute the sup
the Indians fscatterea as they are ovet Il vast
extent OF territory in such manner as to be en-
tirely just and most useful, is a very difficult
undertaking. Agents employed to do this
work must surrender without adequate con-
sideration the advantages and comforts of
civilized life and endure hardships and pr-
vations which are not often appreciated
Nothing but high sense of duty is sutficien.
to induce men Of proper capacity and right mo-
tives to undertake this task. ! feel it n duty
to repeat here what have said on this sub
jcct in former reports, that the welfare OF this
service would be greatly promoted by in
creasing the salaries of these agents; and in
my judgment, it would be measure OF econ
omy, as well as Of justice, to make such in
crease Immediately. | am happy in being
able to say that the earnest, active and cordial
cO-operatiOn OF several Christian OrXaniza-
tions to which the right Of nominating agents
has been assigned, and upon whose nomina-
tions alone such agents are appointed, is con-
stantly improving this class Of employees, and
thus we are, each year, to some extent, ad-
vancing the service by obtaining agents
more experienced aud intelligent, and of
greater capacity for their secular as well as
their moral and religious work.
The Indian population OF the United States,
since the first occupation of otr territory by
white men, has been compelled to recede rs
the White population has advanced. The
natural result has been the creation OF a
feeling among Indians that they have suffered
great injustice at our hands. They have
streiaa lasai sa Ina attasrsssts and "a ,are With
once occupied without. disI te vast regions
Of country which !. .hesal wrested from
them. Under ne eircu.nstssss.s can it be sup
posed that they will accept the complete
change in their modes of life and in their
management by the Government which is
now being effected without complaint and
.fcfn, .rhi oh oil
the employment of force; nor can it be sup
posed that time is not required for the accom-
plishment of such change. The complete
success of this policy requires the cordial CO.
operation of the War Department, which has
always been unqualifiedly given. 1t needs
the support and sympathy OF the leading
officers of the army, who are necessarily
charged, occasionally, with executing military
orders for the purpose Of compelling, on the
part Of the Indians, compliance with the
wishes Of the Government. | am happy to
say that such support and sympathy have, as
rule, been freely given But this policy cam
not be carried on successfully without the
favor and support of Congress- The Indian
race cannot be induced to abandon nomadic
habits, where subsistence has been procured
by hunting, and be placed upon reservations,
unless supported and sustained by the Gov
ernmcnt, while being taught the arts Of civili-
zation and habits OF industry sufficiently to
be sclf-supporting. The present policy, there
fore, requires, i'll order to be successful, Hb-
eral appropriations.
To aid in prosecuting the work of Indian
civilization | recommend the extension of
the Homestead laws to Indians, with certain
notifications hereafter to be more fully
stated These laws at present apply TO citl-
zens of the United States only, and their
provisions cannot be enjoyed except by that
small portion OF the Indian race who are
legally entitled to the privileges Of citizen
ship.
This department has frequently been com
PEELED to consider and determine the rela-
tions held by the Indians to the General Gov
ernment, and their rights under the Home
stead laws.
The department has arrived at the con-
clusion that when an Indian tribe is dissolved
and its tribal relations ended, with the consent
of the United States, either by treaty or leg
islative enactment, the members of such
tribe become ipso facto citizens of the United
States, and entitled to all the privileges and
immunities belonging to other citizens.
The department has also decided that an
Indian cannot voluntarily dissolve his rela-
ton with his tribe, and thereby become a
citizen of the United States; that before
citizenship can be created the tribal relation
must be dissolved by the tribe as q tribe, and
that, too, with the consent of the General
UONernmcHt, as eHoWH Wy tIcaIy VI act VI
Congress.
Reviewing these opinions, feel assured OF
their correctness. 1t was, in my judgment,
inconsistent with sound law, as well as with
public policy, to permit an individual Indian,
by voluntarily Withdrawing from his tribe, to
become a citizen without some act Of the
Government recognizing his citizenship.
Under these circumstances, and in view OF
the importance of this subject, l deem it prop
er to invite the attention of Congress to the
recommendation of the Commissioner of the
General Land Office in favor of legislation in
behalf of Indians who desire to withdraw
from their former associations, become citi-
zens of the United States, and avail them
selves of the benefit of the Homestead laws.
An extension to the Indians of the benefits
of the Homestead laws, under the safeguards
mentioned, and such others as the wisdom OF
Congress may suggest, will greatly facilitate
the work Of their civilization. 1t will rapidly
break up tribal organizations and Indian
communities; it will bring Indians into sub
lection to our laws, civil and criminal: it will
induce them to abandon rowing habits, and
teach them the benefits of industry and in
dividual ownership, and thus prove highly
advantageous in promoting their prosperity.
The condition Of the Indian population is
anomalous, and their relations to the General
Government underlined This is the result OF
necessity, but the time has arrived when, in
Inc progress OF events, IL sAouiu DC Tcnieuieu
1t may not be possible, at present, to devise
system Of laws which shall perfectly define
the relations between Indians and the Govern
ment or that will cure all the defects now
existing for want of legislation, but it is pos
siblc to remedy many existing evils, and
thus facilitate the work we have under
taken.
The time has arrived when some general
law regulating Indian citizenship is, in my
Judgment, Indispensable. Occasionally treaty
stipulations with Indian tribes are expiring,