National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-19

tion which casts the least shadow upon his per-
many marked by the want Of that vigilance,
astuteness and decision Of eharacter.which should
belong to the head of that important bureau.
We have already had occasion, in the progress Of
this report, TO comment upon acts Of the Commits
sioner which exhibit a want Of due diligence and
cunnipg and upprincIpled men. II Is unnecessary
TO max further reference to these facts here; but
in addition to such have been specially referred
to in the preceding part Of this report, we would
say that the forms Of contracts prepared in the
Indian Once, do not seem to us to be marked by
that clearness and precision, those earefelly-
guarded provisions, minute specifications Of terms
Of performance which should distinguish contracts
Of such magnitude and interest to the public.
We think also Il was inexcusable to permit so long
q time to elapse without ascertaining the precise
distance between the railroad and the agencies,
and especially as the contract Of transportation
was based upon an agreed compensation per mile.
II was an error not to have aseertained whether
Sidney was not a shorter and more economical
point for wagon transportation from the railroad
than CHEYENNE. We think II an error TO have let
at New York the contract for the wagon transpor-
tation from the railroad to the agencies 1t pre-
vented the freghters from entering into any com
petition for that transportation, and LEFT the
bureau n prey to specializing contractor. We
believe that better arrangements could be devised
than those which now exist, and which necessitate
upon the great highways of eommerce-the rail
roads. which extend from the Eastern cities to the
Western. Wethink he erred in paying to McCann
the full amount of his transportation claims based
upon the supposed distance OF ~ miles from the
railroad to the agency, relying upon new con-
from which the Commissioner believed the Gov
eminent could be Unidentified against possible
iTs MRen Such 5y tSe
boreau are irregular and pernicious as precedents
We think he erred in authorizing DR.. Saville to
select an Inspector of -four at Cheyenne instead of
exercising that important function himself We
think he erred in supplying pork to the Indians
instead Of bacon not simply because tine 1000 dis
wolves the needless cost Of the transportation Of
the brine and barrel, they forming one third Of
the cost of transportation thus paid for.
provement in the Indian service under Commits
sioner Smiths administration. Whether this is
due exclusively to him or conformity to him and
the Board of Indian Commissioners we need not
attempt TO determine. Each is, no doubt, entitled
to q proper share OF credit Tor TINS gratiiylng
executed, and so far as our visit afforded us the
opportunity of observation, the recent supplies
have been Of an unexeeptiOnable character.
1t is equally apparent that the temper and feel
ings of the Indians have undergone a very favor
able change towards our people and Government.
Whether this has resulted from their growing
perception of the irresistible power Of the Govern
ment, their decreasing means of subsistence upon
snnnSV their animal wants, or the meritorious
efforts to extend the blessings Of Christianity and
civilization among them, or to all the causes CON-
opinion; but that the fact is so is attested by the
uniform opinion Of every officer Of the army, and
Of every trader and other person who was exam;
their tribal organization is rapidly weakening,
and the most eminent and distinguished chiefs
hSe their S baa %eS
able Indian war can ever again occur In this
country.
GENERAL OBSERVATION.
The policy Of the Government in its relations to
the Indian population of this continent could not
fail to attract the attention Of this commission in
the course of the Investigations which they have
been conducting From the earliest settlement of
this ntrvv o haaO n he habit Of
the Indian tribes as sovereigntes, or quasi soye-
reignties-of entering into treaties with. them as
ating our intercourse with them by the provisions
of such treaties. This was very natural course
upon our part, when they held and occupied so
large portion of the territory embraced within
the limits of the United States; when the tribes
are so numerous and powerful as to command such
emit subsistence so largely abounded upon the
plains. But different state Of facts now exists.
Their entire number, throughout the wide extent
bred thousand persons, scattered over its terri
tory. The extension Of our settlements is driving
them into the inarable plains and mountains their
means of independent subsistence are rapidly dis
appearing, and they are becoming more and more
every day mere pensioners upon our charity. 1t
is readily seen that we have now but two courses
left open to us-to keep them as they are at pres
ent in their large reservations, where they are
unable to support themselves by agricultural
labor, and where we must continue to feed and
clothe them at an oppressive cost to the people
Of the United States; or to remove them, If
neeu De DIV compassion, Ine lnulln IerrltOry
or to other suitable localities where, by industry
and the cultivation of the soil, they may provide
themselves amply with the means Of subsistence.
The recent act Of Congress, declaring that no
more treaties should be made with the Indians,
shows that our Government is now fully awake to
our Changed relations to that population. 1t is
the virtual announcement that new policy is to
be inaugurated, and that hereafter the Indians
are not TO be negotiated with tribal sovereign
ties, but treated as Individual inhabitants of the
Republic within whose territory they reside.
Treaty obligations, whenever and however made,
should be rigidly observed. So far as they have
been made with the Indian nations who inhabit
the territory set apart for them south of Mis-
souri, and who are cooperating with the views of
the Government, they are not likely to be dis
tuTbed. But ii would be idle to talk about the
obligations Of treaty with the wild AMI nomadic
tribes of the Northwest, who, without any stipu-
lation to that effect, are fed and clothed by our
bounty. A suspension of our humane supplies to
them would readily cause the surrender of any
treaty stipulation that might interfere with the
fixed policy Of the nation.
We believe the time has arrived when the policy
foreshadowed by the act Of Congress above re-
ferred to should be vigorously inioreed by addi-
tional legislation. The criminal laws of the
United States should be extended on the reserva-
ton, and when an Indian outside of a
reservation shall commit an ofTense, he should
laws Of the State in which such offense
is committed. Some form of territorial policy
should be established for their government when
the number and compactness Of their population
would, under such an organization, prosper. The
individuality Of the Indian as a member Of the
fiction of tribal sovereignty in which that indivd-
uality is now merged, should be abolished. Courts
should be organized for the administration Of JUS
tice over such territory. The individual owner
ship of property should be encouraged under tenn
porary restrictions alteration, and the privileges
Of citizenship made accessible upon such terms as
from the absence of provisions like this are ap-
parent. Community Of property is fatal to indus
try, enterprise and civilization, and exemption
from legal responsibility for crime has stimulated
depredations, robbery, murders and assassina-
tion.
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, concurrence
in many Of the views above expressed, and we feel
fortified in our opinions by the authority of one
whose opportunities for studying the Indian char
acter have been extensive.
We look with great favor upon the efforts
which have been made, and especially Of late
years, to ciyiliZe and ehristianiIe the Indians.
The policy is wise, noble and magnanimous, and
while with the untutored Indian, reared In his own
superstitious belief and false religion, progress
must necessarily be slow, yet the Indications are
sufficient TO encourage persistent efforts in that
direction. We are pleased to hear Of the erection
of school houses, by which the rising generation
may gradually be weaned from their savage in
stincts and trained to the blessings of ciyiliZa-
tion, and we heard with great satisfaction Of the
advent and successful operations Of the mission
aries, by which churches are being erected, Sun
day schools established and the blessings Of
Christianity made apparent TO the heather mind
Civilization can only spring from wellregulated
law, and in every effort to ciyiZe the Indians the
irst lesson to be impressed upon his mind Is his
step is to impress upon him the necessity Of in
divldual property as the only incentive to indus
try and thrift. There can be no civilization ex-
cept when the law is supreme, equally obligatory
upon all, and when property is held in Individual
right The community Of property now existing
under the tribal organization is fatal to any ad-
vances in civilization, and while the commission
maintains the Importance of IndividuallLing
property in those communities, they, neverthe-
less, recognize the fact that some proper re-
straints should be imposed upon alienation until
the Indian has acquired greater advances In
civilization.
In this connection we would respectfully recon-
mend to Congress the expediency Of employing
in each of the States and Territories, where the
number of Indians rendered any such provision
proper, a man learned in the law, whose
duty IL shall be to guard and protect
the rights and interests Of the Indians in such
State or Territory. 1t should be his duty at all
times to keep q yigilant eye upon the contractors
and agents; to initiate prosecutions for injuries
enforce all law for their protection against frauds
He would stand forth there as the acknowledged
protector of the Indian, who would thus have some
one always within reach to whom he could Apply
for the redress Of his wrongs. This would grad
ually habituate the Indian to rely upon the law
for his protection, and not upon the arm Of assas-
sination and murder, and would be one OF the most
powerful instrumentalities towards opening his
eyes to the benefits of civilized life. The cost Of
single investigating committee would pay for
sufficient salary for years for such law oficer,
and II would become q measure Of economy II In
connecton,with It the Offices Of Superintendents Of
Indian Affairs were abolished, which fromiour OBJ
servation of their duties and services might be