Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-12-05

have been harmonized notwithstanding the
general reduction by Congress Of their com
by the appropriation for special
facilities The railway post Office lines have
been greatly extended, especially in the
Southern States. The interests of the rail
way mail service and of the public would be
greatly promoted and the expenditures could
be more readily controlled, by the classified
ton Of Of the employees of the railway mail
service as recommended by the Postmaster
General. the appropriation for salaries with
respect to which the maximum limit is al
ready fixed by law, to be made in gross The
Postmaster General recommends an amend
ment of the law regulating the increase of
compensation for increased service and in
creased speed in star routes, so as to enable
him to advertise for proposals for such in
creased service and speed He also suggests
the advantages to accrue to the commerce of
the country from the enactment of a general
law, authorizing contracts with American
built steamers, carrying the American flag
for transporting the mails between ports OF
the United States and ports Of the West In
dies and South America. at a fixed maximum
price per mile the amount to be expended
to be regulated by annual appropriations, in
like manner with the amount paid for the
domestic star service. The arrangement
made by the Postmaster General and the Sec
rotary of the Treasury for the collection Of
duty upon books received in the mail from
foreign countries has proved so satisfactory
in its practical operation that the recommen-
datlou is now mad that Congress shall ex-
tend the provisions Of the act of March 3,
1879, under which this arrangement was
made, so As to apply to all other dutiable ar
ticles received in the mails from foreign
countries.
THE INDIAN WARDS.
The reports of the Secretary Of the Interi-
or and of the Commissioner Ol Indian Affairs
setting forth the present state Of our relations
with the Indian tribes on our territory. the
measures taken to advance their civilization
and prosperity, aud the progress already
achieved by them, will be found of more than
ordinary interest Tho general conduct of
our Indian population ha, been SO satisfac-
tory that the occurrence of two disturbances
which resulted IN bloodshed and destruction
Of property, IS all the more to be lameuted
The history Of the outbreak on the White
River Ute reservation. in Western Colorado
has become SO familiar by elaborate reports
in the public press that its remarkable Incl
dents need not be stated here in detail 1t is
expected that the settlement of this difficulty
vent further hostile contact between tn, In
dians and the border settlements in Western
Colorado. The other disturbance occurred
at the Mescalero agency, IN New Mexico
where Victoria. the head OF a. small band Of
mRrauders after committing many atrocities
being vigorously chased by military force
made his way across the Mexican border, and
is now on foreign soil
While these occurrences in which a com
pAratlyely small number Of Indians were en-.
gagged, arr most deplorablt ii vast majority
Of our Indian population have fully justified
the expectations of those who believed that
by humane and peaceful influences the In
dian can be led to abandon the habits of say
age life and to develop a capacity for useful
aud civilized occupations. What they have
already accomplished IN the pursuit of agri-
cultural and mechanical work, the remarka-
bic success which has attended the expert
ment OF employing as freighters elias. Of
Indians hitherto counted among the widest
and most intrActable, and the general and ur-
gent desire expressed by them for the educa-
ton of their children, may be taken as sufi-
Client proof that they will be found capable of
accomplishing much more If they continue 70
be wisely and fairly guided The Indian pol
icy sketched IL the report OF the Secretary Of
the Interior, the object of which is to make
youth, to settle the Indians upon farm lots in
seyeralty, to give them title in fee TO their
farms, lnalienable for Il certain number Of
years and when their wants are thus pruyid-
ed for, to dispose 10y sale of the lands on their
reservations not occupied aud used by them.
Il fund to be formed out Of the proceeds for
the benefit Of the Indians, which will grad
ually relieve the Government OF the expeu-
ses now provided for bv, annual anpraI,ria-
- - a,YV Il
fetal to the Indians, and a. also calculated 10
remove thosy distractions which the exist
ence OF large reservations presents 10 the set
tIement and development of the country ]
therefore earnestly recommend the enactment
Of law enabling the Government to give In
dlans title IN fee, IHaiienable for - years,
to the farm lands assigned TO them by allot-
ment. l also repeat the recommendation
made in my first annual message that d law
be passed admitting Indians who can give
satisfactory proof of having by their own la
Dor supported their families for 4 number Of
years, and who are willing to detach them
selves from their tr.ba. relations, to the ben
cit Of th, Homestead act and to grant them
patents containing the same provision Of in
ali inability for a certain period. The exper-
lmcut OF sending IL number Of Indian chill
drcn OF both sexes to the Hampton Normal
aud Agricultural Institute il Virginia 10 re
cciye AZ elementary English education and
practical instruction IL farming and other
useful industries, has led 10 results so prom.
Using that It WAS thought eXpedient 10 turn
over the cavalry barracks at Carlisle, il Penn
sylyauia, to til, Interior Department. for the
establishment Of al Indian school on a larger
scale. This school has now ljs pupils. Sc
lected from various tribes, and is in full op-
Grafton. Arrangements are also made for the
OF a number of Indian boys and
girls belonging 10 tribes Oh the Pacific slope
IL similar manner, at Forest Grove, in Ore
gon. These institutions will commend them
selves to the hbcrality of Congress and to the
phiiauthrupic munihcence of the American
people.
Last spring information was received Of
the organization of al extensive movement
IL the Western States, the object Of which
was the occupation, by unauthorized persons.
of certain lands in the Indian Territory, ced
ed by the Cherokees to the Government for
the purpose of settlement by other Indian
tribes On the 10Th Of April, l issued proc
lamation warning all persons against partici-
patton IN such an attempt and, by the CO.
operation of a military force, the invasion
was promptly checked. 1t ls my purpose to
protect the rights Of the Indian inhabitants
of that Territory TO the full extent Of the Ex-
ecutive power but it would be unwise TO ig-
moro the fact that Territory 80 large and 30
fertile, with Il population so sparse and so
great wealth of unused resources, will be
found more exposed to the repetition of such
attempts as happened this year when the sur
States are more densely settled and
the westward movement of our population
looks still more eagerly for fresh lands 10 oc-
cupy. Under such circumstances, the diff
Guilty of maintaining the Indian Territory il
its present state will greatly increase, and the
Indian tribes inhabiting it would do well to
prepare for such a contingency. ! therefore
fully approve Of the advice given to them by
the Secretary Of the Interior, on a recent oc-
casion to divide among themselves in sever
atty as large quantity Of their lands as they
can cultivate, to acquire individual titles in
fee, instead Of their present tribal ownership
il common, and to consider in what manner
the balance Of their lands may be disposed of
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