, 1874-08-29
LITERATURE,
Tho ltitlllM Question,

Indian tepnation, Indian citizenship, anl At
Account of tho Tribes, which compose Tho vol
utno under notice, tho porploxing and irritating
query, how to diaposo Of tho 1n]n1,, ia discussed
fully md frankly, and with commcndablo h,..
tna1itv ai'a Bagncitv. Mr.. Walker l,aH carefully
ana impartial1y investigated tho anbjcot III Nil
Its bearings, and, by tlse light OF OK
rorionco and Of canlid roaaonug, rrolfora
opinions, TINT merit earnest considora-
tion. Tho United States finds i.aolf bur-
tlonod with tho caro- and responsibility of n
Troublesome and peculiarly -uuproI'tablo people,
TO- whom 1t owes q sacred obligation Of patlcnce.
protection. subsistence oven, with littlo or io
prospect OF future compensation It ffiltls ttsolf
III tho frkaonlo c1Etltlion OF ono who mlHt pny
for past privlogea 10 long onJoycd tlioy Boem
like rights which 1t is p,ro oxtortlon To bo COM
'pcllcd to roner any oluiyn!ont for. Dut tho III
tlian owned and occupied the American soil
when tho white man tliak set hls foot upon It,
and, by Ito right Of discovery anl of superiority,
laid olaim to It. Tho Indian l,ap, by trcaty, by
troachory, by the inoyitablo law OF tho progross
of civilization, boon driven, stop BY step, away
from tho far-roachinR aud fortilo lantls OF
his inheritance, until now, dosroiled, impover-
ishod. rolucud. llon,mcd in, and ,oolnorod lo
aeona IN tho eye Of tho proud md thrifty usurror
to hold by sniToranco merely, Iy simple decd Of
CLARITY. tho noagro and ronloto acres Btfli ro-
served 10 hin. bit tlts is mistake Tic poo
plo oF The United States arc under un obligation,
which they cannot honoraby do,ly or disregard.
not only 10 provide li,eraily for tl,o temporal
ioodaoi tho remnants Of Infllan Tribes llat haso
thus far escaped oXiornnalinn, but to incur all
requisite oxponso aud Inconvenience to elevate
their HociRl, 1nDrnl, md mental condition. Wo
hive risan to imperial greatness. OIL. territory
Which WAS thoir ancestors: We havo acquirotl
prosperity at tho cost Of hcir beEgary.; It ls but
1nstco--1lot mcroy, nor charity, nor sentiment
tI,rktn L. ~
tho wisest .way their gleat loss which has boou
our great gain. -.
There arc nus within tho limits OF. the United
States exclusive Of tAlaska, approximately,
Aliuncsota and Statos east OF tho Mississippi |
River; 0,050 In NobraslA. Kausaa, and tho ID |!
diiu Territory; 95,000 in Dakota. Montana, VIZ.
oging, mud Idaho Torritoros; 81, ,000 in Nevada.
4S, 600 Oh tho Pacific Slope. or tic whole nnn1-
bur, about 130, 900 support themselves Oh their
reservations. receiving nothing from Govorn-
mont except tho interest OIL toir own monoya,
tho ceseion of their lands to the United States;
$1,000 aro entirely supported by tho Gov
or1,ment; $1,000 aro: in part : supported;
aad about $4,000 aubaiat by either aayago
nroperly applied to this exceptionally-wild raco,
" 0u0 uiny 10 rechoucd rs civilized, 1125 0UO ny
aoM,i-ciyllzcd, and Il. 00o ~ wholly bArbatoua
The lntans pronounced eiyi'izod aro confined
hy |
cotisit, kas'sas,, Nebraska. minnesota, tile Ill
dian Territory. md on tho paciGo Coast. Ac.
cording to Mr. Walker. tlcso Intnus will bear
comparison tn points Of industry, frugaIity, and
Eobr!aty, with tho nverNgo population Of the
Southern or Border StatcH. III general intoIli-
gonce and pol itcal aptitude, they uro aill much
below the common lovcl Of American citizen
ship. OF tho condition.: OF tho CherokeeB, WHO
wore rcmoyed from their ltRtiyo homes. in Geor-
glas AlabanlR, and Tenncssec, under tho nroyis-
iona OF tho treaties Of 1877 a.ltl 1895, tlo follow
lug encouraging statement il ,nado:, -, !
They 1aEe nov rescrvation nf nearly 1905, ,o9o
Munter about 600. and are illcreukfng Tluy lyo
shcir own written langa.ge, their National Cols!iiu-
mics, their Judges and Courts. Their dwellings, con-
s,s q soo frame and 5oo log o.o, During lie
large quantities nf wleas. oats mud potatoes s-hcirag-
grsgats e'rops being grcasr than those Of Now Mexico
aa oan q os TnT @ sosk consists al
s crops, ~ thss ta' only snnport ptosf
sixty achoola in operation, with an aggregate atenj
maintained fur to instruction Of hcir former negro
slaves All orphans Vi tho tribe supported at tIo
e United States In lilo sun Vi sl,;ioaoo on scrount m
d lands sud clan,a easlcl and raiqutahcl by thr1n
y o une a s,s, T. % % y
ne Chcrokco Natinn to he iHe, unler tho lirnetou
u lo National Cpnuci for obce.s prescribed by law
From tho statements mailn a}ore, MI mon tbe MI.
hosty Of official raposfa, 1t will douaeas nplcar 10
70 ranked Among civilized cnlnmllteA. Their cot-
1i1o s iar better than .lat ol thu agricultural classoa
u ENGLAND anu they ara ant imfarior III Intelligence
'r IN tnp ahllity to assert their rights. -!
Not all tue tribes Of Indians reckoncG Az civil !
i1ed tase advanced, by any meAB. as tar NJ tile
jh1erokees; but they are, iii tho nau ponccablo,
nus1'ou Wa n slow1y t progressing III the nti
Eiauct nnnlBtakAhlc HtGp from barI,nrian Il IL | Y