The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-11-27

on the Comanches and Cheyennes in the In
dian Territory originated largely in a failure
to observe this rule. The military force sta
toned around and among these wild Indians
is deemed sufficient for their restraint, and it
Ia confidently believed that this class will di-
minish in number year by year.
The Commissioner treats of the In
dams in class 2 novitiates in
civilization. They have generally aban-
doned the medicine dance, aid have
come directly under the influence and con-
troll of religious teaching. The agents are
very hopeful for the future of these people
The implements and adjuncts of advanced
civilization are needed for them, but all
bounty and aid from the government should.
in the opinion OF the Commissioner, come to
this kind OF Indian ward in The form OF pay
ment for labor performed. Here the Com
missioner puts in a short plea for additional
appropriations.
The third class embraces the majority Of
the Indians of the United States. They may
be called civilized, and have been greatly as
sisted in attaining to this condition by the
long-continued religious teachings of mis-
sionaries. They need to become American
citizens. Yet most of them hesitate to take
any steps which would lead them out OF the
tribal condition.
- Pride of nationality, dread of COMPETE
ton with the enterprise of white men, and
fear CT loss OF property by taxation or suit for
debt, cause this hesitation among the mass of
the less educated, while the more forehanded
and better educated among them, being gen.
orally the government de fdcto and thus in
trusted with funds and power are in no haste
for a change. Both classes appeal most
strenuously to the letter of their treaty. which
requires the United States to treat them as
sovereignties forever and the question will
sooner or later arise at this point, as in the
case of cash annuities, whether the govern
ment will hold itself bound forever by
the liberal terms of its bargain with its wards
to the palpable damage OF both contracting
parties
or the $4,000 vagrapts little can be said.
They are as harmless as Migrants can be in q
civilized country. The Commissioner justly
remarks that "they seem to serve by their
continued existence but single useful pur-
pose-that of affording living illustration of
the tendency and effect of barbarism allowed
to expend itself uncured."
The Commissioner regrets the Black Hills
excitement, but believes that the undesirable
ness of the country to white people and the
total absence Of mineral wealth in that region
will preserve it for the Sioux. Scarcely greater
evil he thinks, could come to the Sioux people
than the disturbance and Generalization incl
dent to an attempt to dispossess them Of their
country.
The Commissioner deprecates the course
of the government in relation to Satanic and
Big Tree, believing that they should have
been summary punished when they were
first captured. Expeditions for plumber and
murder have grown rankly out OF the belief
on the part OF the Kiowas and Comanches
that there Was little to fear from the govern
ment. These tribes have, however, been
chastised lately, and will have more respect
for authority hereafter. He thinks that they
have forfeited all their treaty rights, and that
they should beremoved to a reservation, cattle
given them for their ponies and arms, and
labor required in return for their rations and
clothing.
He states that the Indian Territory is with
out law, and that white thieves and buffalo
hunters have things their own way. The
United States District Court of Arkansas ad-
minister's what scarcely deserves the name Of
law, on account of the impossIbiity of two or
three United States Marshals being of much
account in an area of 30, 900 square miles.
The Indian Territory has population at
present averaging little over one inhabitant
to the square mile. The unoccupied portions
of this country are sufficient in extent to fur
nish a homestead to every Indian family in
the United States.
He believes the need of the following Con-
gressional action to be immediate:
l. A suitable government Of Indians-by
providing that the criminal laws of the United
States shall be in force upon Indian reserva-
TONS and shall apply to all offenses, incud-
ing offenses Of Indian against Indians, and
extending the jurisdiction Of the United
States courts to enforce the same by declar-
ing Indians amenable to the police laws of the
State or Territory for any act committed out
side reservation by comforting upon the
| President authority at his discretion, to ex-
! tend the Jurisdiction of the State courts, or
any portion OF them, to any reservation when
! ever in his Judgment any tribe is prepared for
such control; by providing sufficient force
! of Deputy Marshals to enforce law and order,
both among and in behalf of Indians by CIV
ing authority to the Secretary OF the Interior
to prescribe for all tribes prepared in his
! judgment, to adopt the same, an elective gov
eminent through which shall be administered
all necessary police regulations of a reserva
ton and by providing district territorial
government or United States court. wherever
Indians are In sufficient numbers to justify 1t.
q Legislation for the encouragement of
individual Improvement by providing way
| into citizenship for such as desire il by pro-
viding for holding lands in severalty by allot-
ment for occupation, and for patents with an
ultimate fee, but inaenabe for q term of
years by providing that whenever per capita
distribution provided by treaty has proved in
| furious. or without benefit to its recipients, a
distribution of the same may, in the discretion
of the President, be made only in return for
labor of some sort.
The Commissioner takes occasion frequently
in the report to remark upon the value of re-
| ligious influence among the tribes, concluding
! as follows
1.-The main difficulty, 80 far as the govern
ment is concerned, lies in the fact that the
Indians deepest need is that which the
government, through it's political organiza-
ton and operations, cannot well bestow the
Iirst help which man in barbarism requires
is not that which can be afforded through
political party but that which is offered by
a fellow-man, wiser than himself, coming per-
sonally and extending hand of sympathy and
truth. No amount Of appropriations and no
government machinery can do much toward
lifting an ignorant and degraded people, ex-
cept az it works through the willing hands Of
men made strong and constant by their love
for their fellow-men. If. therefore, it should
be possible to continue the sympathy and aid
of the religious people Of the land in this
work, and to rally for its prosecution the en-
thusiasm and zeal which belong to religion,
and also il it shall be possible to procure the
enactment of such laws as will recognize the
essential manhood and consequent capabili-
ties and necessities Of the Indian, and pro-
vide reasonably adequate appropriations, which
shall be expended both honestly and wisely
for their benefit, and hold steadily to
well.defned and carefully prepared method
OF treatment, every year will witness steady
decrease of barbarism, and its consequent
danger and annoyance, and constant Access
sion to the number Of peaceful and intelli-
gent Indians who shall take their place and
part as subjects Of the United States. surely
this cannot be too much to ask and expect Of
the people of the great republic The record
of the past is not pleasant to recall, and it
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