National Republican., 1885-12-09

the Indians upon our reservations or sibiect |
To- tie care aud control Of the government,
with view Of discovering their exact con
d.lon and needs, aud determining what
stCTs shall lc taken On behalf Of the gov
ubmeut TO improve their situation iu the
objection Of their self-support and complete
civilization that they ascertain from such |
irsitt,iCn what, II eny, Of the reservations
Cfh lie reduced IN area, and In such cases
what part, not needed for Indian occupl-
ton, may lie purchased by the government
irt tie Indians. ind disposed of for their
luncft; what II any, Indians may, with
their tCnsent, he removed 10 other rescrva
tons, with q Wow o. their concentration aud
tie role On tlcir behalf Of their abandoned
lCECivatiUIs; what Indian lands now held In
tCn nntu should I've allotted in sevcralty
IN what manner aud to what extent the
lLdiBls upon the reservations can be placed
VI Der tie protection Of our laws aud sub
ittttd 10 their penalties: aud which, II any,
indians should he invested with the right Of
c'il?Crsldp. The powers and functions Of
tic commissioners IN regard 10 these sub.
iects should DO clearly defined, though they
should, In conjunction with the Secretary
Ct the Interior, be given oil the authority
to deal definitely with the questions pre-
scnled deemed safe aud consistent.
They 81 Uuld lie also charged with the duty
Cf tecci ittining the indians who might prop
uly lie furnished with implements Of agri-
culture, Cud Of what kind, IN what cases
the surroit Of the government should be
witlGrGwn; where the present plan of dis
trilutlrg Indian supplies should be
changed; where schools may be estab-
lishCd, and where discontinued; the con.
Cuct, methods and fitness Of agents In
chnIrc OF reservations; the extent to which
such rCsCtvGtiOns are occupied or intrudod
upon by Unauthorized persons; and gener-
| ally all matters related to the welfare and
| Improvement Of the Indian.
| They should advise with the Secretary Of
| the Interior concerning these matters Of de-
| tail In management, aud he should be given
| power TO deal with them fully, II he is not
now invested with such power.
This plan contemplatcs the selection Of
| persons for commissioners who are inter
ested In the Indian question aud who have
| practical ideas upon the subject OF their
| treatment.
| The expense Of the Indian bureau durng
the last fiscal year was more than So 10000
believe much Of this expenditure might
| be saved under the plan proposcd that its
economical effects would he Increased with
| It's continuance; that the safety of our from
tier settlers would be subserved under It's
operation, and that the nation would be
| saved through its results from the imputa-
tion OF inhumanity, injustice, and mis-
management.
| In order to carry out the policy OF allot-
| ment OF Indan lands in severlty, when
deemed cXpedieDt II will be necessary to
have surveys completed Of the reservations,
and hope that provision will be made for
the prosecution of this work.
In May Of the present year n small por-
ton Of the Chiricnhua Apachcs on the
White mountain reservation in Arizona,
| left the reservation and committed num-
ber Of murders and depredations upon
settlers in that neighborhood. Though
| prompt and energetic action was taken by
the military, the rcnegadcs eluded capture
and escaped into Mexico. The formation
Of the country through which these Indians
| passed, their thorough acquaintance with
the same, the speed Of their escape, and the
manner In which they scattered and con-
| cealCd themselves among the mountains
near the scene Of their outrages, put our
soldiers at great disadvantage in their
| efforts to capture them, though the eXpec-
tation Is still entertained that they will be
ultimately taken aud punished for their
| crimes.
The threatening and dlsorderly conduct
| Of the CheyennCs IN the Indian territory
| early last summer caused considerable alarm
and uneaslnoss. Investigation proved that
their threatening attitude was due In great
| measure to the occupation of the land of
their reservation by immense herds of CATTLE
| which their owners claimed were rightfully
there under certain leases made by the In
| diane. Such occupation appearing upon eN-
animation to be unlawful, Notwithstanding
these leases, the intruders were ordered TO
remove with their cattle from the lands of
| the indians by Executive proclamation. The
| enforcement of this proclamation had the
effect of restoring peace and order among
the Indians, and they are now quiet and
well-behaved.
BY an Executive order issued on Feb. 81,
1885, by my predecessor, portion OF the
tract Of country In the territory known as
the Old Winnebago and Crow Creek res
eIyations was directed to be restored TO the
public domain and opened to settlement
under the land laws Of the United States,
and large number OF persons entered upon
those lands. This action alarmed the Sioux
Indians, who claimed the territory as be-
longing to their reservation under the
treaty Of 1858. This claim was determined,
after careful investigation, to be well
founded; and consequently the Executive
order referred to was by proclamation OF
April II, 1885, declared to be imperative
and Of no effect, and all persons upon the
land were warned to leave. This warning
has been substantially complied with.
The public domain had Its origin In ces'
sions Of land by the states to the general
government. The first cession was made
by the state Of New York, and the largest
which in area exceeded all the Others, by
the state Of Virginia. The territory, the
proprietorship of which became thus vested
In the general government, extended from
the western line OF Pennsylvania to thu
Mississippi river These patriotic dona
tions of the stUtes were incumbered witt
no condition, except that they shoIld b,
held and used "for the common benefit o.
the United States" BY purchase, with thu
common fund OF all the people, addition,
were made to this domain Intil II extended
to the northern line of Mexico the Pacific
ocean, and the Polar sea. The Origina
: trust, "forthe common benefit Of the United
States," attached to all. In the execution o
that trust the policy of many homes, rathe
than large estates was adopted by the govern
, ment That these might be easily obtained
and he the abode of security and content
ment the laws for their acquisition were few
easily understood, and general In their char
, acter But the pressure Of local interests
combined with speculative spirit, have IL
which marred the harmony OF the genera
; many instances procured the passage of law
J plan, and incumbered the system with
multitude Of general and special enact
| mcnts, which render the land laws compll
Gated, subject the titles to uncertainty, anC
the purchasers often to oppression ant
wrong. Laws which were intended for tn
"common benefit" have been perverted 81
! that large quantities of land are vesting Il
single ownerships From the multltud
and character Of the laws, this consequence
5 seems incapable Of correction by mere ad
, ministTation.
II is not for the "common benefit of tn
United Statesn that's large area OF the publ
lands should beacquired, directly or througl
} fraud, in the hands of single individual
The nations strength is in the people. Th
nations prosperity is in their prosperity
| The nations glory is in the equality Of he
. justice, The nations perpetulty is in tn
J patriotism Of all her people. Hence rs ia
posal OF the public lands should have II
| viow the original policy, which encouraged
! many purchasers of these lands for homes
; and discouraged the massng of large areas
| Exclusive of Alaska about three-lf q