Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-15

piled also to Territories. Thus Law seems to
have remained IN force until the revision Of Ike
statutes when provision for the Terrific les was
dropped. | am not advised whether this alter
alton was intentional or accidental, but ~ II
seems to me that the Territories should be
offered the protection when Is accorded 10
safes by the constitution, suggest legislation
to nat end.
II seems to me that whatever views NAV pre-
vail az to the policy Of recent legislation BIZ
which the army has ceased TO be part Of
posse comitatus. an exception might well be
made for permitting the military 10 assist the
civil territorial authorities IN enforcing rue
laws Of the United States This use of the
army would not seem to he within the alleged
evil against which that legislation was aimed,
fro 4 spslseness Of population and Other cir
cumstances. Il is often quite inpracticable 10
summon posse In places where officers OF
justice require assistance, and where mill
tary force Is within easy reach.
THE REPORT OF the SECRETARY OF THE IN
TERIoR,
With accompanying documents, presents an
elaborate account OF the business If that dc.
partmont unlmary Of il would be too ex-
tended for this place. as6 your careful atten-
ton to the report itself. Prominent among
h matters which challenge the attention uf
Congress at It's present session is
TnE MsNAaEMENr OF OUR INDIAN AFFAIRS.
y hlle tbs question has been d cause Of
ltpail and embarrassment from the infancy
OF the Government, ii is hut recently that any
effort hiss been made for its solution. at once
serious, determined, consistent and promising
success. II has been easier to resort to convel-
l. 1T mgkesbifts for tidng over the temporary
difieuiues than 10 graphic with the great per
maneut problem, and accordingly the easter
course has almost invariably been pursued
1t was natural at time when the
national territory seemed almost illimitable
and contained many millions of acres far
south OF the bounds of civilized settlement,
that rolicy should have been initiated
which, more than aught else, has been the
fruitful source of our Indian complications
| refer. Of course, to the policy OF dealing
nth he various Indian tribes as separate
nationalitles Of regulating them by treaty
supuatlons to the occupancy of immense
reservations in the West, and of encouraging
them to live undsturbed by any earnest
ana weli-dlrected efforts, and to bring them
under the influences of civilization The
unsatisfactory results which have sprung
from this policy are becoming apparent to ali.
AS the white settlements have crowded the
borders OF the reservations the Indians, some
times contentedly and sometimes against their
Will. have been transferred to other hunting
grounds. from which they have been again dis
lodged whenever their new-found homes have
been desired by the adventurous settlers.
these removals, and the frontier collisions by
which they have often been preceded. have led
10 frequent and disastrous conflicts between
the races. ii is prohtless to discuss here which
OF them has been chief responsible for the dis
tnfb4nceS whose recital occupies so large a
space upon the pages of our history. We have
10 deal with the appalling fact that though
thousands Of lives have been sacrificed and
hundreds Of millions Of dollars expended IN the
attempt TO solve tho Indian problem. it had
until The asst few years seemed scarcely nearer
a solution than It was half century ago. But
tie Government has of late been cautiously
hut steadily feeling its way to the adoption Of
a policy which has already produced gratifying
results, aud which, in my judgment, is likely,
II Congress and the Executive accord in Its
support 70 relieve us ere long from the diff
Gu ties which have hitherto beset u.s.
For the success of the efforts now making to
introduce among the Indians the customs and
pursuits OF civilized life and gradually TO alb
serb them into themass of our citizens. sharing
Their rights aud holden to their responsible
ties, there IS imperative need for legislative
action. My suggestions in that respect
wall be chiefly such as have been already
called to the attention of Congress, and
have received, to some extent its considers
ton. FIRST, | recommend the passage of an
act making the laws of the various States ana
Territories applicable to the Indian reservations
within their borders and extending the laws of
the state Of Arkansas TO the portion Of the In
dan Territory not occupied BY the five civilized
tribes. The Indian should receive
THE PROTECTION OF THE LAW.
He should lie allowed to maintain Ia court hie
rights Of person ana property. He has re-
peatedly begged for this privilege Its exer-
else would be very valuable to him in his prog
ress toward civilization. Second, OF even
greater Importance, Is "A measure which has
been frequently recommended by my rede
cessors Ia office, and IN fuTtherance Of
which several bills have been from time
t. time introduced in both houses Of Con
gle = The enactment of general law per-
mis- ing the allotment III severaitv to So ID
Indians at least IS deserve it. Of a reasonable
quantity o. land, secured 10 to Tia M By patent
an for their Own protection made male II be for
twenty OK twenty-five years. i demanded for
theil present welfare and their permanent ad-
vauccment. lnretu,n forsuch considerate action
on tie part OF TIE Government, there is reason
to believe that the Indians in large numbers
would be persuaded to sever their tribal re
lati0ns aud 10 engage at once in agricultural
puf- u!ts and that 1t is now for their best
nte.csts to conform their manner of life
to t Z new order of things. BY no greater
nducemeut than the insurance of permanent
tile to the soil can they be led to engage IN
the occupation of tlllmg. The well-attested
reports % Their increasing interest in husband
" justify the hope and belief that the enact
ment of such statute as | recommend would
be at once attended with gratifying results A
resort TO the allotment system would have a
drect and powerful influence in dissoiying the
tribal bond, which is prominent feature OF
savage life snd which tends so strongly to
perpetuate il there.
| advise literal appropriation for the sup
port OF In han schools. because of my confident
belief that such a course Is consistent with the
wisest economy even among the most uncut
tured Injlan tribes. There Is reported to lie
general and urgent desire on the part Of the
chiefs and the older members for the eduea-
ton Of their children. Il is unfortunate
in view of this fact, that during the
past year the means which have been Mt
the command Of the Interior Depart
meut, for the purpose of Indisn instruction.
have proved to be utterly j. adequate. The
success OF the schools which are IN operation
at Hampton, Carlisle aud Forest Grove
should not only encourage a more generous
provision Tor the support OF these instliu
tons, but should prompt the establishment
of others of a similar character. I heg are
doubtless more potent for good than the
day schools upon the reservation, rs the
pupils are altogether separated from the
surroundings Of savage life and brought
into constant contact With civilization. There
are many otner phases OF this subject which
are OF great interest but which cannot be in
cluded within the becoming Limits OF this COM
muncation. They are DISGUISE ably in the
reports of the Secretary OF the Interior and OF
the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs.
Fer many years the Executive, IN his anDua
message to Congress, has urged the necessity
for stringent legislation for
THE SUPPRESSION OF POLYsAsY
in the Territories. especially IN Utah. The ex-
stiDg statute for the punishment of this odious
crime, so revolving to the moral and religious
sense OF Christianity, has BEEN persistently
and contemptuouaiy violated ever ince its en-
actment Indeed. in spite OF commeniable
efforts on the part of the authorities who
represent the United States in that Terri
tory, tie law has, III very . rare in
stances. been enforced, and, for cause to
which reference will presently be made is
practically q dead letter. The fact that ad-
herents of the Mormon church, which rests
upon polygamy as its corner stone, have re-
csatlv been peophng in large numbers Idaho,
Arizona. snd other Of our Western Territories,
Is well calculated to excite
the LlvELlEsT INTEREST AND APPREHENSION,
imposes upon Congress ana tire Executive
the duty q opposing 70 this harbarous system
all the power which under the constitution and
Jaw taly caa WELD for its destruction Refer
euee has been already made to the distractions
Whscl. tho United States officers have encOuu-
tered u tie efforts to punish the yiost]onl Of
Tia iaH, Prominent smong the obstacles Is
tie diHes 4 II procuring legal evidence sufd-
csest 70 IA rant convection, even il the case
Of the most 1toTious Offenders.
YoSu attention il called 10 the opinion OF the
sHprene Cours Of the United States explain
NJ. Is juSCFna NJ Of reversal IN the case Of
u lev, FAo had been convicted Of biganly in
Jtsh. Ine court refers to the fact that the
secet r attending the celebTstlon Of marriages
is hpt Territory makes the suppression Of that
part os poyganay very difficult, and the proprie-
4 IS : g, sted Of modifying that law Of evi-
& c. Asf1lcA now makes N1fe incompetent TO
tezssiy against Ter husband. This sug-
efsiion Is approve 1 recommend also the
passage Of sii at providing that Ia the Terrific
IIs- Of tsa,seI I'd states the fact that woman
t.aer etre sd