, 1875-11-10

Total number nj InAlsps. Observation-Disclosures. 2i2s21
THE 8ECAET CInCr1AR or THE BOARD OF INDIAN
COMMISSIONERS.
Tho following is the full toxt Of tho eotrct
circular sent iast summon By tho Board Of In
dian Commissioners to al 1ndian Agents. aakiug
for information against tie u1tny. Whlle hoa-
tisy Of purpose is not decidedly Bet til. botns
who tlare received tho paper have beeu ndyised
TINT thu ,utont Ut the inquiry is to furnish argu-
1nents with which to defeat MY sttcmpt to
change tia present method oE dealing With lu-
diana:
Bonn OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. wlsn,saToN.
desire specific Information than Il now In
their losHeaaion touching the extent the military
1 1 y s n
70 pronoto the eiclcucy md purity Of tho service.
your casie.. conreniencc, forward to suc facs
arc within your own knowledge, or which can be ob-
esa .as S ry y ..on
upon, or In iiis vicinity Of. your reservation, aud
within whas dtstance os your Agency.
Sre1rAi--FUr what purpcaa are tho troopa 20
stationed, employed or needed In connection with tito
dIsn. and what, IL your Judgment il their nauensa
n RESPECT 70 morality goud osdtE. and progress iu
fotrth--Would ths organization Of an armed 1ndi-
m Police under proper restrictions And d1clrue for
the enforcement Ut oscy, arrtst Of criminals aud tho
your resetv4tion progs sats o. ad,it.llo: rad 10
what extent would aueh NJ Organization supstaods
tie necessity Of i, t1sy terse; ,,,,.
edgo besring upon tue Wisdom. Of t1creaains III
nnalfna tI's uas Of the army in the management Of
statun,tata from persons not In Government en-
pluy rhoss position md e1psrisnce In 1adtan mastcrs
ses s.snestly s aesIred '''D' ~ s''1s'1'' Af' ''''
reaae address thu Hen, F. Il. Smith. Secretary
Very respectfully. CLINTON u. Fax, Chairman.
Ills uolablo exhibition Of oiticousuess bus
proved to be sorry ononslse IN army-circlaB, and
II Ia mt hoiioy0d that 1t IL received with favor
| by tho President. Tho Board OF ludian Com
nlisYionGts Is At best Al anomalous nody, haug-
tng oil tho verge Of tho Interior Department,
aud hus not boon notable eor the success Of it's
! administration, or for its BOUND advice. In ttH
| attempt to EeEulate contracts. 1t hss mads
almust ns 1nRuY errors through ignorance Is the
Indian 0ilco has by Intent. G1u. Clinton H.
Flak, President Of tho BoArd. hns not beau noted
| TOT his enthusiasm in hnntlng down tho lnlian
| Ring; aud thB ''lIon." +. u. Smith, ss he wishes
hlnself to bo called, has been chiefly conspicuous
~ The holder Of . valuable contract uadoE tho
! District ltug, and for hB advocacy Of that Rind
OF civilization for The Indians which LAS an init
| mate re!xtiou to fat cnntracss.
TUE INDIANS or MICHIGAN.
Spte1hi Laspotth II This EhIeaao ,y.bunt.
LAsalso. Mich. Nov. ls.--In lattor ad-
d. csscd 10 F. II. Smith, Secretary Of tho board
| Of ludau Commissioners, It Washington. by
G0org0 J.. ljett5 Indian Agoot for this btate. Mr.
Batta says, respecting the present Indian policy.
| that THO u3iyersa! Testimony Of the Indiana OF
his Agency. Ard u! who have oceas.ou 10 Oh
| servo, iB, that our Indians have never bofore
| been 50 sAtialfed and prosperous u thsy have
boon DUNG the !aBt four or Aya years. Que OF
| the moat dlscouIagtug sansimeuts taat he found
a,npnY thc 1ndianH. "hen he l1st became
| IudiaN Agent, aud Indeed long befoso,
| wuIe tp MAS laborlng among them
as Superintendent of Christian Missions,
wns their want Of confidence IN the tntegtIty mad
generosity OF the Unitoi bsstos Government,
| This fsitAteasness t,ad ylo!ous And parAlyzing
| influence upon tho Indian mind and character,
But 31r. Detts IL happy to say that he observes q
I greut improvement Ill this regard among the
/ indians. lle canuot say as much elucAtlnnaly.
| Tie exhaustion OF treaty funds hAs cloAed Ill
| hut cue o1 tha Government echoole 4mouR tue
Ottawas; but tho schools With the Chippewaa
| Of LnAs Superior, aud Of 8agluaw, Swan Crssk,
aud Black 1lher, arc doug better than eyor be.
foro sll,ee tho lands have been allotted to them
| in asvaralty, thnre taa beau great improvement,
| The experiment OF offering % Tor each acre tAoy
would propaie for aoed. and tho soed 10 plnnt 1t,
| was successful List fall they harvested 30 pei
cont moro than thor over did before, Hunting
| aud tlshuK 10 diacoursgea, ip o1daE to develop
| Tho pai susa Of agrloui4ure. TIE Indians have
| &duttea tho COSTUMES of civilized life. Tha
| tr1hal relations OF tue Ottawss and Ch1ppawas
arc dissolyo1. They humber 8,0G0. and theil
/ Couucil determined to sock such legislation ol
| t;uugtees ~ Will mako them clt:z Many noH
hold municipal oalees. Ho fully ,ndosssy the
| present IudAu policy.