Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-02

In the public pres. thai is remarkable 10.
c'denis need not be stated here In detail.
y 10 expected that the settlement Of this |
difficulty will lead to such arsanxsmspts q
viii prevent further hostile contact bstWssn
the Indians and the border s~estlsments in
Weatern Colorado.
The other disturbance occurred at the
Aescalsro agency, in New Mexico, where
where Victoris, the head of 81
small band Of mssaudsss, after
committing nsnv stroclues. being vigor.
ously chased by . military force, msde his
way across the Mexican border and 10 now
on foreign soil. m
While these occurrences, 10 which Q COM
psrs,ivsly ANAL plumber OF IudlsAs were en-.
gagged, are most deplorable, . vast majority
Of our Indian population have fully justified
the expectations OF those who believe that
BY humsns aud peaceful influences the Indi.
On can DO led To abandon the habits Of sav-
age life and to develop . capacity for useful
and civilized occupations. What they have
already accomplished In the pursuit OF agri.
cultural and mechanical work, the remarka.
BILE success which has attended the expert.
meat Of employing % freightsrs q class Of
Indians hitherto. counted among the wildcat
and most intractable, and the general aud
urgent desire expressed BY them for the ed.
ucation Of their children. may be taken %
sufficient proof that they will be found ca2a.
BILE of accomplishing much 10 If they
continue TO be wisely and fairly guided.
The "Indtan policy" sketched in the report
OF The secretary of the interior, the object
of which Is to make liberal provisions for
the education of Indian youth, to settle the
Indians upOn farm lots, In severslty, to give
them title in fee to their farms. inalienable
for . certain number Of years. and when
their wants are thus provided for, I o dispose
BY sale of the lands on their reservations
not occupied and used by them. . fund
formed out of the proceeds for the benefit Of
the Indians, which will gradually relieve
the government of the expenses nov previ.
ded for by annual appropriations, must COM
mend itself as just and beniicisl to the In.
disus, and as also calculated to rsmove those
obstructions which the existence of large
reservations presents to the settlement and
development of the country. l therefore
earnestly recommend the enactment Of . law
enabling the government TO give Indians a
title 10 fee, inalienable for twenty five
years, to the farm lands assigned to them by
allotment. I also repeat the recommends
ton made 10 my frat annual message. that
q law be passed admitting Indians who can
give satisfactory proof of having, by their
own LAHORE. supported their families for q
number Of years, and Who ere willing to de.
tsch themselves from their tribal relations,
to the benefit of the homestead act, and to
grant them patents containing the same
provision of ~ipalienability for q certain pc
Rod. .
The experiment OF sending a number OF
Indian children, Of both sexes. to the Hamp.
ton Normal and Agricultural Institute, in
Virginia. to receive an elementary English
education and practical instruction 10 farm.
ing and other useful industries, has led to
results so promising. that it was thought ex.
pedient to tura over the cavalry barracks al
Carlisle, in Pennsylvania, to the interior
department for the establishment Of an In.
dian school on q larger scale. This school
has now n hundred and 6fty.eight pupils,
selected from various tribes, and is in full
operation. Arrangements are also made for
the education Of q number of Indian boys
and girls belonging to the tribes on the
Pacific elope, in a similar manner, at Forest
Grove, in Oregon. These institutions will
commend themselves to the liberality
Of congress, and 10 the p%hilanthropic mu.
ni6cence of the American people.
Last spring, information was received of
the organization of an extensive movement
in the western states. the object of which
was the occupation by unauthorized persons
of certain lands in the Indian Territory
coded by the Cherokees to the government
for the purpose of settlement by other In.
dian tribes.
On the 29sh Of April, I issned a procla-
nation warning all persons against particle
patton in such an attempt, and, by the CO.
operation of a military force, the invasion
was promptly checked. 1t is my purpose
10 protect the rights OF the Indian inhabit
ants of that territory to the full extent Of
the executive power. But it would be IN.
wise TO ignore the fact that \ territory 40
large and 90 fertile, with . population 90
sparse and with 90 great q wealth of unused
resources, will be found more exposed 10
the repetition Of such attempts ~ happened
this year, when the surrounding states are
more densely settled. and the westward
movement of our population looks still more
eagerly for fresh lands to occupy. Under
such circumstances the difficulty of main
tanning the Indian territory in its present
state will greatly increase, and the Indian
tribes inhabiting it would do we'll to pre-.
pare for such . contingency. 1, therefore,
fully approve Of the advice given to them
BY the secretary of the interior on a recen,
occasion, to divide themselves in severalty
Is large . quantity Of their lands as they
can cultivate, to acquire individual title in
fee, instead Of their present tribal ownership
in common, and to consider in what man.
ner the balance of their lands may be dis.
posed of by the government for their benefit,
By adopting such = policy they would more
certainly secure for themselves the value o.
their possessions, and at the name time pro
mote their progress in civilization and pros
perity, than by e%ndeavoring to perpe,uate
the present state of things in the territory,
The question whether . change in the
control Of the Indian service should be
made, wa in the ferty.ifth congress referred
to a joint COMMITTEES Of both houses fol
inquiry and report. In my last annual mes,
sage 1 expressed the hope that the decision
Of that question, then in prospect, would ar
rest further agitation Of this subject, such agi
tation being apt to produce Q disturbing effec
upon the service % we'll % the indiana
themselves" Since then. the committe,
having reported. the question has been de-
cided in the negative BY . vote 10 the house
of representatives.
For the reasons here stated, and in view
Of the fact that further uncertainty on thil
n>i.r u,:Il ~ ooVo,,(aAol - nhsse,,nH oehA,