New-York tribune., 1875-11-29
OUR SAVAGE WARDS.


CoMMENDABLE PROGRESS MADE IN CIVILIZATION
STATE or THE SIOUX NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ADVISED IN OUR INDIAN sYsTEN-THE BLACK
HILLS.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-The report of the
Commissioner OF Indian Affairs has been submitted 10
Secretary Chandler the following extracts reveal the
important features OF the document:
Attention is invited general encouraging
Of agents reports conveying evidence OF
year OF advance in the civilization Of Indians With few
exceptions, abundantly accounted for by nntoward cir
cunsances their testimony is uniform to tho fact that
the civilization OF Indians is not only entirely prac
ticable but is fairly under way.
PURCHASE FROM THE SIOUX.
BY the treaty OF 1868 the Sioux retained for themselves
the right 10 hunt In Nebraska any lands north Of the
North Platte and on the Republican Fork OF the Smoky
Hill River. BY OF Congress- March g. 1874 s25000
appropriated for the purchase from the Sioux Of the
right to hunt iu Nebraska The negotiations for this
purchase undertaken by special commission in 1874
having failed to obtain the consent Of the Indians they
renewed during the VISIT OF the Sioux delegation 10
Washington in May last, and finally consummated in
agreement signed by the chiefs and head men in the
presence OF their tribe, copy OF which herewith
pended Tue treaty OF 1868 also stipulated THAI the
country north OF the North Platte River In Nebfrsa aud
east OF The summtsOf the Big Horn yomne
should be held and considered unceded indian territory
and that white person p.rson~ should permitted
to settle upon occupy any portion OF same; nor
without te consent tho Indians nrst had obtained,
should pass tbrJuga the same" The Indians at
taehed iyse value to tue rights they were sarrendras
Congress,
except upon the condition that the department would
present their claim to Congress for the additional of
OF Interior they entered into the agreement
above named Good faith with tho Indians viii,
therefore, make necessary 10 lay this question before
Congress aud ask for the appropr alton Of the OF
$4,000 for the purpose specified.
BLACK HILLS NEGOTIATIONS.
The public excitement mentioned In my last report,
casoncd by the discovery Of gold that portion Of the
Reservation known the Black Hills country, IN
creased to such degree in the opening OF the Spring
require action looking toward the purchase
this country from the Sioux propreors and the
ing up the Big Horn Mountain country for settlement
and mining. large delegation Of this tribe, com
posed OF representatives from those agencies,
brought 10 Washington IN May last for an lntrrvc" Win
ne President At t1e request o. thf deegautI"n' u'
". b. Allison of the United States senste was made
Chairman TO NJ gotiate at general council tribe
in their own coupirv No report has Yet been received,
but am inloral@i that the negotiations have fai on
account Oh % wide disagreement the value 0f the
tights be renqushed by the Sioux The report OF the
eUinmis sion sine. received, confirms the statement;
meanwhile, notwithstanding the stringent prohDltory
orders the military authorities and ia the lace of the
large military which has been on duty in aud
around the Hills during the Summer, probably not ess
than 900 miners with the number rapidly IncTeasn2
have made taeir way into tiie sioux country migiat
ing has been organized laws and regulations
have been adopted for mutual protection, individual
CLAIMS sIaked out i'll tue right tO which hoy expect here
alter TO be protected by the government OF TO protect
themselves.
CIyuIzINs. CAPTIvEs.
Congress at its last session appropriated iunds for
experiment Of enforced civilization upon the eaptves
Of the Kowa, Camanche, and Cheyenne tribes Of the
Indian Territory. 1t was proposed to move "A large
number Of these hostllos-from 5000 TO 4,0o0-eway
from their present surroundings; away from The
bu.lo aud raiding in Texas 10 portion OF the
Indian Territory where they could bf dIsafmed di-.
mounted, and prevented from returning e, their od
turn for tine foot and clothing furnished them by the
Government In pursuance Oi this pdD tract OF eoun-
try containing $4,000 acres Was procured from the
Suapis, VINO nave reservation lying III the northeast
ooilc oi tue Indian Territory. such Preparations the
seasn allowed made for the reception OF these
captive hos,s. IN the Drtakns oil ground and erection
buildings; Dui OWING objections raised by military
oc the execution Of the plan is stll in ab,yance,
ana tue indians, with The exception OF 40, are at
their former agencies. These 20 ~'re selected by
the military ohlceg6, rIDgieSders IN m1uu'iing and
guilty OF other eEoTmilies Tor punishment, ana were
coast OF Florida where they are stu held ~ pi-oncrr:
effect Of this treatment most happy Others Of
the tribe. IL IL the rst wholesome lesson which these
Indians nave had in settled purpose oi the Gov
ernment to compel them to cease from murder una
marauding.
OBJECTIONS To THE TRANSFER OF THE BUREAU TO
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
A question has been raised in many forms during the
year to the expedIeney of transferring the indian
Bureau from the Interior to the War Departments In
1868 this subject quite thoroughly discussed
and is treated OF at leugth In the annual
port of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for
that year. During that year also Peace Com
mission appointed by the President, under act Of
Congress. This Commission, composed VI eight
persons, three OF whom civilians OF large acsnant-
OF gh rank ami most familiar with the subject II which
they treated after visiting the most waIke and unan
agcable Of all the tribes and making treaties with them,
declared their opinion Oh the subject as follows:
This brings to consider the much mooted ques-
ton whether the Indian Bureau should belong 10 the
civil military department OF the Government To de-
termine this properly We must hI9t know what Is 70
with Them the Bureau should 90 10 the Sec
retary OF War ii intend to have peace should be
in the civil department In onr Judgment such wars
wholly unnecessary, and hoping that the Govern
ment and the country VIII agree with us, we cannot
advise the change. IL is possible that, in despite
efforts maintain peace, may he forced ON
by tribe or trines OF Indians In the event OF such
occurrence he well 10 provide FOR the revision oi
the Intercourse laws or elsewhere, at that tine, The cyil
If Thought advisable aiso Congress may authorize the
President to turn over 70 the military the exclusive con
troll of such tribes may be continually hostile
manageable. Under the plans which We have suggested,
the chief duties Of the Bureau VIII oe to edu-
words. TO eiviize the Indians. The military arm OF
to discharge duties Of this character have the high.
pos, appreciation OF the officers OF the army and
fly recognize proyerbal integrity and honor bat
we are satisfied thousand would like
Indian children to read and write Indian
military occupations But It is insisted that the present
Indian service corrupt aud this change should be made
get rid OF the dishonest. That there many bad
men connected with the service caunot he denied
Aud this leads s to suggest that Congress pass an aet
liking day mot later thu the LIST OF February, 1852.
the Offices Of all superIntendents, AK nts and spc-
el agents shall be yacsted 1 s"eh rsHon. a. Lave
pointed. Those who have proved unnt viii ind them
ton from their unworthiness by professions OF
party"
The wise expedient recommended for Kidding the
vice OF unworthy agents already IN office not adopted
by Congress but has been virtually put into effect by the
order Of the President requiring the nomination Of all
Indian agents from the several religious bodice
of the country This opinion respecting the transfer TO
the War Department rendered before any we'll
defined plan civilization had been adopted,
aud at a time when the indian service, under
civilian management, in its most unsatisfactory
and hon npgn hoafi isiaa nfa