National Republican., 1877-12-04
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.
ICentinssd from sirtA Paqe.l

t
l.pSl..ie. ish.s,u, We md in the Indian que.;
.hort period OF time q least appears unst,ainable.
&c adopt and follow q plan Of Systematic action
calculated TO mitigate the evils Inherent to the ex
istence ofan incongruous population among Us,
limits by improving the condition OF the Indians as
much as II is capable Of Improvement and rcmov-
Ing the causes Of hostile collision between the In.
IL my opinion, our efforts should be mainly d.
rected 10 the following points:
keep good faith with the Indians in every respect;
We should never promise them more than we are
able and willing 70 perform, and then perform
. The pursuit Of hunting is as much {. possible
to be discouraged among the Indians.
,ns IN nspt AZ iess non hpntips ,or ,Sar snsien.
ance. their wants must be provided for In another
way. They should be gradually gathered together
culture and cattisraising can be carried on with
success. and where they can easily be supplied with
their necesseries until they are sclfsustalning
L While Indians cannot be expected TO become
successful farmers at once several tribes have al
ready made progress u. mat .Sspeft
cumstances and judicious management
s. The enjoyment and pride Of the individual
ownership Of property being one Of the most eiec-
ofiand .Soaa Ss made 70 tSs heads Of families S on
all reservations 70 be held In severalty under
proper restrictions, 80 that they may have fixed
6. To protect the security of life and property
among the Indians the laws Of the United States,
TO be enforced by proper tribunals, should be ex-
tended over the reservations, and body Of police,
composed Of Indians, and subject TO the orders OF
the Government Officers, should be organized on
4. The establishment ofschoos for the instruction
Of the young 10 gradually being extended among
the Indian tribes under our control.
g. At many OF the agencies farmers are employed
and salaried by the Government The farms should
youths at school. Besides this, the farmers are to
latter practical instruction In their work and aid
them ~ IS M far as may be in 5heir power ,, !.
to be I dispensed PEI with and Indian labor 10 be en-. a.
some Of these reforms have for
course Of preparation. Thclf accomplishment re:
quires time and patient labor and, above all
things an honest and efficient Indian service.
THE INDIAN SERVICE
has in some of It's branches long been the subject
importance to vague rumors allegations, II must
be said that frequent investigations have shown
quiries Instituted by I'm myself since T was charged
with the conduct Of this department have con-
vinced me Of this fact
dence Of fraudulent practices Of gross character
came to my notice, which justified me In handing
tice for criminal prosecution as well as civil action
While following the principal object OF discovering
abuses at present existing, have thought y my
duty TO extend, incidentally, such Investigations
over past transactions believing II well to impress
officers Of the Government with the fact that they
will not escape responsibility when they leave their
ofces, and contractors that neither their plunder
nor their persons will be safe, although their ac
counts may have been closed and the money gone
o iher sTGh @ ro, Ssys sSsn mhd y ie
some effect and, indeed II is most necessary one
with regard to the Indian service whose extensive
qualifications render minute supervision extreme
ly diicut There Is doubt that fraud In the per
formsnce Of contracts, and dishonest practices in
the delivery and distribution OF supplies and an.
nuity goods, have frequently been the cause of Just
discontent among the Indians, sometimes resulting
IN trouble and disaster.
! do not deem the present machinery Of the In.
dian service sufficient for the prevention OF discoy
cry OF abuses and fraudulent practices.
INDIAN AGENTS.
That the office Of an Indian agent Is a very re.
sponsi ible one, requiring high moral qualtiesend
81 300 year. without fair prospect Of ad, ance.
ment is under ordinary circumstances, made luatc
to induce men Of such calibre to expose them elves
and their families to the discomforts and privations
Of frontier life has too frequently been stated by
my predecessors In their reports TO need repetition
omy is apt to lead need scarcely be described The
| report Of the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs fur
nishes some interesting Illustrations. cannot toe
urgently commend to the attention Of Congress tn,
graduation in the salaries Of Indian agents which HI
| suggests.
| Even hlghCr salaries thnn ne recommends mlRn
| be paid and prove wise economy In the end, The
proposed graduation In salaries is not only Just y
itself by making pay correspond with responsi
bility, but will also have the advantage Of holding
out to an agent who distinguishes himself in Tho
performance Of bis duties the prospect of promo. RON.
The selection Of Indian agents Is one OF the mos
difficult tasks of this Department. No man Of ex
perence in public life need be told how little oidi
furnish mem we'll i,ted for I she ed discharge Sf cpmpii
Gated and delicate duties and responsibilities. Th'
present system which permits religious societies Il
nominate candidates for Indian agencies Is In son'
respects undoubtedly an improvement upon th'
former practice OF making appointments In th'
Indian service on political grounds. But that th'
| present system Is by no means perfect Is demon
strated by the frequent necessity Of changes.
| The Indian service isvery much in need OF the el
ement of stability; An arrangement enabling th,
| into the service to a place OF minor Importance
and then to promote him In grade OF duty and pa!
that want, and in the course 81 time give US bod
Of far more experienced. efficient, and t-ustworth!
agents that any mode of selection heretofore Ii
| practice can ever be expected TO furnish.
| II gives me great pleasure to acknowledge tn
valuable service rendered by the Board Of IndaI
Commissioners IN The supervision Of purchase. & an
by some OF Its members by visiting Indian agcneie
and tribes. and by inqIiring into and giving sh
| their condition and needs.
PUBLIC LANDS.
| stract ofthe operations Of the General Land Ofic
under the laws relating to the survey and disposn
OF public lands during the fiscal year ending Jun
| 30, 1877:
| Acres
cash sales. ........................ 7ioSss.5
| Military bounty land warrant locations
under acts of lSi7, 1850, 1851, and 1856 I4s0.0
Homestead entries Observation-Disclosures. 2l7sO9s l
Timber culture entries. s................ 52O673
| Agricultural college scrip locations..... l2sO.0
| Approved to States as swamp. .......... 3209S5,0
Certified TO railroads. ads................... 7O070i 9
Certified for wagon roads. .........,.. 81 ,543l
Certified for agricultural colleges....... CO i430
| Certified for common schools. ......... 27,9T3s
Certified for universities. ................ 3,23ls
Internal improvement selections....... 6O,OSt.s
Sioux halfbreed scrip locations. 2,655..
Chippewa halfbreed scrip locations...: b,t22s
1850 and isT2. Observation-Disclosures. 6o46Ol
Entries under the mining laws.-"." l4,lOS'
Total. 4s49. .767
Disposals for previous year .......... 6,52i 326,