Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-05-24

sondemu the unconstitutional prectice |
hat has grown up 10 the administration
II Indian affairs, OF farming ont the
various Indian agencies to different re-
ligious denominations and allowing the
church authorities Of such denomina- |
lions 10 name the agent to serve ct each |
agency, and which extends to great |
degree to the highest officers in the In
dian service.
The Constitution Of the United States
provides that The President s.shall nom.
mate and BY and with tho advice and |
consent Of the Senats shall appoint'
public officers Of thu United States.
The grasping church authorities 81
different religious denominations, ever
anxious for power, have been gratiAsd
in their wish to connect the churches
with the administration Of national Of.
fairs until, in this respect, they perform
the constitutional duty Of the President
Of the United States, and he is but I
figure head to announce this will.
That there may be no misunderstand.
ing on this subject and to show the un.
constitutional action is officially avowed,
| quote from the report Of the Com miss
sioner Of Indian Affairs for the year
1877, page 246, the heading Of table
or schedule, covering the pages Of that
report, ~ follows: "Schedule showing
the names Of indian reservations iu .he
United States; agencies: deuouiua tious
nominating agents. tribes occupying or
belonging TO the reservations; area Of
each reservation 10 square miles aud
acres; aud reference to treaty. Law. or
other authority BY which the reserva.
ton was established" Tho three words
denominations nominating apeuts,'
show who perform the constisntionsl
duties Of the President; show . usurpa.
tiou Of power at war with the letter and
spirit of the charter Of our liberties.
The result is that men Who have had
lite. e.long experience with the Indian
race aud understand thoroughly their
character and who are the prpper per.
sons to perform the duties ofSIndian
agent and who alone will understand mot
only their duties but all the peculiari-
ties Of character 10 the Iud,ans under
their charge, and thereby control them
successfully, are totally ignored; n3ne
Of them are in the service for which
their qualifications aud experience pc.
culiarly 6t them.
The Office Of Indian agcut at nearly
ono hundred established agencies 10 GIL
ed bv men totally unfifted FIR the rer.
- y-l-,- cY,.
.o., ""oso ouiy ~uv~!euse ~ Auussus
ls drawn from fancy sketches, who are
totally devoid Of CT perienco in frontia,
Inc. =. Tna;.. ~ u. t.. !.
e ~ Auuiau cna'.S'cl' "no Ano" -
| ing upon them as the devil does about
the abode Of saints, and who is held In
the position that he disgraces BY TIC
church which nominates him. Eyidence
may be piled mountain. high Of the in
efficiency. the intolerance, the corrupt
practices of the favored represen ta.ivs
OF the church; he will still be retained
until there is harvest Of blood aud
rapine, and often thereafter until The
same scenes are repeated.
In this connection let me say, Mr.
Chairman, that 10 the ninta section Of
the bill under consideration is embodied
q fundamental principle which vii.
remedy one OF the greatest evils attend
ing the present administration Of Indial
affairs. The section is as follows:
ssc. That it i. hereby provided sha. iii r.
lgioas denominations shall enjoy fires an
I h"'a,n - sleOs ana IN am'1n ", oru.on an
lions. and shall not bs moiested iu their r.lis
ious or philanthropic efforts to advance the in
.ns . g
couragsd in the proseeutiun of their oivilisin
and educational efforts.
Under the present system Of farmin
out the agencies to different denomina
ItrNuo mnok of tho donnvn IN tsopav ~