American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-12-07
NUMBER AZ.

|
s!ppY fns the deficiency by hunting. Afte
an arddot,s p hrs tfit By the troops of the Unit
| ed States, ana several engagements, the hos
tile Indians were reduced to subsection. ant
! the larger part of them surrendered them
| sei9es AS prisoners. In this connection, de
| sire to cali attention to the recommendation
| sufficient fund be placed 1T the disposal o
| the Executive, to be used, with proper ac
! ehHnta''ility, at discretion, in sudden cmer
gencies OF tho indian service.
The other case % disturbance was that OF
band of Northern Cheyen"es who suddenly
left their reservation in the Indian Territory
and marched rapidly through the States q
Kansas and Nebraska in the direction of theii
old hunting grounds, committing murders
an, other crimes on their way. From
documents accompanying the report OF the
tins disorderiy bsnd vas as fully supplied
with the necessaries OF life rs the 400 Other
Indians who remai4ed quietly ON the feseTya
men of a restless ard rTischievOtrs disposition
among the Indians themselves. Almost the
WHOLE Of this band have surrendered to the
military authorities, and it is a gratifying fact
that, when Come 2f them had taken refuge IN
the camp OF the led ,3ud Sd9gx with whom
held them as prisoners and readily eave them
up to the officers of the United States, thr=
giving new proof of the loyal spirit which
alarming rumors to the contrary notwith-
standing, they have uniformly showed ever
since thf wwtsiies they expressed at the
council Of September, 1877, had been com
Both the sesretdry of the Interior and the
ton that provision be made by Congress for
the organization of a corps OF mounted Gin
the Army, and to be used for the purpose OF
Keeping the Indians on their reservations
the on n his
mendation. 1t is be1isfea that the orgsniza-
ton of such a body of Indian favclry. re-
es,vg %ond o Weaken
the restless element among the Indians, by
withdrawing from it a number of young men
fvrfv han 1Jol
der the Government, 1t being a matter of ex-
periente that Indians In onr service almost
without exception Are faithful N t., the per
such in organization would materially aid
tic Army II the accomplishment OF task
for which IS nnInerfcal strength is some
times found insufficient.
But, while the employment of force for the
Prevention or repression OF Indian troubles
is CO occasional necessity, and wise prepara-
lance must be plae5d in Humane and civil:
what is called the Indian problerii. IL mary be
very difficult, and require much patiefft ef;
fort, to curb the unruly spirit Of the ga! savage
experience shows that it is not impossible.
Many of the tribes which are now quiet and
safage as airy that at present roam over the
plains or in the tiountains of the far west.
and were then ccnsideted Inaccessible to
White W ff ropalation OF the United states; bit
t%e snoa et that saun they an rs
called the soil their Owl on which
our people have grown rich, powerful, and
happy. We owe it to them as a moral duty
to help them in attaining at least that degree
of civilization which they may be able to
interest to do so. Indians who have become
agrlculthrists or herdsmen, and feel an in
terest in property, will thenceforth cease to
be a warlike and disturbing element. 1t is
also a well authenticated fact that Indians
are apt to be peaceable and quiet when their
know. from tile Expressions of Indians them
selves and from nifty etncurring reports,
that there is steadily Interesting desire,
even among Indians belonging to totffpara-
lively wild tribes, to have their children ed I,
ucated. invite attention to the reports oil
missioner Of Indian Affairs, touching the ex-
pertinent reeettly tnaugurated, in taking fifty
Indian ehiidr9 en- Hnay1 aa gsrls from d1er
turaI Institute, in Virginia. Where they are to
receive an elementary English eoucht ION snd
to be returned to their tribes. after the com
p1eted course, rs Interpreters, instructors,
chafgbd nth the selection of those children
might have had shotisands of young Indians
sent with him had 1t BEEN possible to make
provision for them. agree with the Srere-
tary of the Interior in saying that " shs re.
suit of this interesting experiment., ~
favorable, may be destined to become an i'm
rorta nt factor in the adyancement of ciyili-
cation among the Indians"
The Question, whether a change in the con-
troll of the Indian service should be made,
was lit the last session of Congress, referred
to a committee for INJURY and report. With
out desiring to anticipate that report, l ven
ture to express the hope that, in The decision
of so important question, the views en-
pressed above may not be lost sight OF, anu
ttt,et the decision, whatever it may be, Will ar
rest fu,tt1sr agitation of this subject, such
agitation being ~. ~ produce disturbing
effect upon the service - well as on the In
dams themselves.
THE HOT SPRINGS.
In IN eprollmept nj the hill making aDprO
priations for sundry civil expenses, at the last
session of Congress. that portion WHICH pro
Commission As5 omitted. As the commits
sion had completed the work of taking testi-
suspension of their labors, before detertnin.
ing the rights of claimants, threatened, Tor q
time, to embarrasS the interests, not only OF
the Government, but also of large number
of the citizens of Hot Springs, who were
waiting for final action on their claims be-
fore beginning contemplated improvements.
were apprehendedi and at the s0lieita.
ton Of many leading citizens OF
the welfare of the town. the Secretary OF she
Interior vas authorized to request the late
of their proceedings. aud TO perform such
workas could properly be doiiS by them I'M
Dire suchcircumstancesto facilitate NC tnturS
adjudication of the claims at an early day, an,
to preserve the status of the claimants until
their rights should be finally determined.
The late commissioners complied with that
refiuest. and report that the testimony, in all
the cases, has been written out. examined,
briefed, and so arranged as to faciitate an
early settlement when authorized by law. 1t
is recommended that the requisite authority
be given Mt as early day in the session as
possible, and that fair compensation oe ta
incurred and the labor performed Dy them
since the 25th OF June last.
PRESERVATION OF FORESTS.
I invite the attention of Congress to the
recommendations made by the Secretary OF
the Interior with regard to the pre- servation
ed States. The protection of the PUBLIC prop
erty is one of the first duties of the Govern
ment The Department OF the 81 INFERIOR lt,ftaDt
appropriations to enforce the laws in that
respect. But this matter appears still more
important as Il question OF public economy.
The rapid destruction of our forests
is an evil fraught with the gravest
consequences, especially IN the mo IA famous
ed of their trees, will remain so forever
There the injury, once done, can not be re,
the Interior in the opinion that for this rea-
son, legislation touching the public timber IN
the West, should be especially well consider
ed, and that existing laws, in which the de-
struction of the forests is not sufficiently
guarded against, should be speedily modi-
fed. general law concerning this important
subject appears to me to be Il matter OF ur-
gent public necessity
OUR AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS
From the organization of the Government,
the Importance of ging, by all posi-
BILE means, the increase of our agricultural
productions has been acknowledged and
urged upon the attention of Congress and
the people as the Surest and readiest means
of increasing our substantial and enduring
prosperity.
The words CT WASHINGTON are as applicable
to day As when, in his eighth annual message,
he said at is not to be doubted that, with
reference either to individual or national
welfare, agriculture is of primary import
ance. In proportion as nations advance in
population and other circumstances oil ma
becomes IT,,
and renders the cultivation OF the soil more
and more an object of public patronage. In