The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-16

punishment, IN case OF conviction OF only !
slight nhe, While the parties accused ara
harrtssed by an enforced aftendaDea ,,,,,,,1
courts held hundreds of mil 5 frem fheir
homes. II poor and frien,liess. tbev ara
Obliged to remain in jail months perhaps
that elapSe before a session OF the fourf X
hs.ld, and are finally brought TO trial Snr
rounded oy strangers, and with but little
opportunity for defense.N In the meantime.
frequently. the Marshal Mas charged aerainSf
the Government his fees fer am arrest tha
transportation Of the accused and the ex
pense OF the same, AMI for sammoninx Wit
neSSe> b fore a Commissioner a C.ranl /
Jury and a c urt. the Witnesses have been /
paid tnln the public f1nlS large fees and |
travelling expenses. and the Commissioner /
and District Attorney have also made their
charges against the Government This |
abuse in the administration of our criufnaI
law should be remedied. and If the pian /
ABOVE suggested Is not practicable some
other should be devised
INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
Iae report Of she ) .cretarv of tba Tnta
rior, containing an account of the operation
OF thIs important depart1n ant. ami luuel in
tereSting Information. VIII b. submitted for
your consideration. The most intr.ca+a /
ana dihlcIit Sualcet in charge Of this de- /
partment Is the treatment and management |
TIE INDIANS
l am satisfied thai som, progress NAV be |
noted in their condition a q result of a |
prudent adm m.niStration OF the present laws
an REGULATIONS for their contIol but il i |
submitted that tn re j. lack OF a fixed pur-
pose OF policy on TINS u CT whicA should
be supplied. Ii * u4rirSs to dIlafe unon
the wrongs of the IhdiSnS, and rs useless To-
lad lre in the heartleSS beiief that becauS
their wrongs are revenged in ,he.ratrociaus
m naer. Therefore they should be eXtermi-
mattel.
I icy are within the care of our Govern
ment and their II shts are, or Sh uld De pro-
tec. ell from invasion by the most solemn
I ob igatio1S. They are properly enough
lsaft "a 4r ffNsa(
| should be borne in m nj that tins guardla lan-
/ ship involves on our part efforts for the i'm
I provemrnt OF Their condition and the ELI
/ IOrcement of their rights.
| There Stem> To be general concurrence i'm
| the proposition tnat the uliimtte obi ct of
their trealm mt should be their civilization
| and citiZ nshIp. FltJed by these to keen
pace in the march of progress with the al
| vanced civil ZItion about them, they will
/ readily ASSN late with the mass of our
pOpu alton. assuming the responsibilities
and receiving the protection incident To
! this condition. The difficulty appears to be
/ in the selection of the means tn be at pres
ent emp Dyed toward the attainment OF this
result.
Our Indian population, exclusive of those
| in Alaska, is repOrtadEas numb ring 260 000
| neariy all being located on lands set apart
| for their use and occupation, aggregating
over -, 100000 of acres. These lands are
| lnciuued III boundaries of seventeen, reSer-
| vatlOns OF different d menslons, scatter in
tNtiltN zone DtstitS ana lFIIlItTlcS, present.
ing great variations in climate and i'll the
| kind and quality of their soils. Among In
| dams upOn these several reservations there
exists the most III rked difference in natu-
raj traits and disposition. and in their prog
reSS toward c.viiIZatlOn. While some are
lazy vicious and stupid, others are indus
triouS, peaceful ANA intelligent. While
portion OF them are SeitSupportng and in
dependent and have 30 far advanced in
civilization that they may make their own
laws adm flTOIIurh nf1lpprS of fhpir
own choice, and educate their children in
schools of their own establishment and
maintenance, others still remain in SqualOr
and dependence, aim 1st the savagery of
their natural state In dealing with this
question the desires manifested by the In
diaIis should not be ignored. Here again
we find a great diversity. With some the
tribal relation is CHI riSted with the Il most
tenacity, While its hold up n Others IS con-
siderably relaxed The love of home Is
strong with all, and yet there are those
whose attachment to particular locality is
by no means unyieding. Tue ownership
of Their lands in severaiity is much desired
by some, While by others. and Sonetlm =
! tn most civilized. sucn adiStrihution would
| be bitterly opposed. Tie variation of their
wants growing oift of and connected with
| the character Uf their several locations,
should be reg rded. Some are upon reser-
! yatiOnS most tit for grazing, but without
| hDckS or nerds, and SOM on arabic land
| have no agrcu u.lulal implements, whit
| some of the reservations are double the size
necessary to maintain the number of In-
| dianS now upon them. In a few caSaS, per-
! hapS, they should be enlarged. Add TO all
| this the difference i'll the administration OF
the agencies. While the same duties are
| devolved upon ali, the diSp bsltion of the
| agents and the manner of tnelr contact with
| the Indians have much to do with their con
| dltlOn aud welfare.
The agent who perfunetionarily performs
| his duty and SlOthfulty neglec.S all oppOr-
tunlty to advance their moral and physical
| Improvement, anu fails to inspire them with
! desire ior better things, Will acco mp Ish
/ nothing in the direction of tneir civil ZailOn,
| while he who feels the burt.en of an lmpOr-
/ taat trust and has an Interest In his WORK
will, by constant example, firm, yet con-
| Slderate trealm nj, ami well directed ald
| ald encourage mcnt, constantly lead those
/ under his charre toward the light OF their
| Embarrassment. The history of all the
progress whic has been made in the civil
ZatIon of the Indian, L think, Will disclose
| the fact that the beginning mas been relglous
| teaching followed py, or accompanying,
| secular educ ttlon, wAIle the se1-sacrInclnS
ana plouS men and women who have aided
| i'll tnlS good Work by their independent en-
| deayOrs, nave for ,ileir reward the beneh-
cent results of the,r LABOR and CONSCIOUS
| ness OF CLriStidn duty well performed.
| Their valuable services should bc FULLY ac-
| knowledssed by all wAo, under the law, are
caarLed with the control anu management
/ or our Indian wards.
w Utl HIS Dttll Sttlu liittiCdltS Lildl III IN
present colditIon or the India 5 no att mpl
| should be made to apply fixed and uil-
yielding law OF action u Their varied ad
| varying needs and circumstances. The In
| dian BGrcau, burdensd as IL is with this
| general oversight, and with the details OF
| Tie eStabilshm cnt, can hardly possess itself
| OF the minute particulars OF cases needin-
| treatment, and thus the proprlety OF Great
ing an inStTumentallty auxiliary to tno>e
already estaonsned Tor the care of the lu-
dlans, suggests itself. L recommend the
| passage OF IL law authorizing tine appoint
men. of SIX comm S>lOners, three or whom
snail be de.aiIs-d from the army, to be
charged with the uu1y OF careful lnSp C.
tion from time to time of ali the Indians
upon our reservations or su ject TO tue care
and control of the Government, with aYIew
of discovering their eXscb conditions ana
needs, and de e mining what steps shall be
taken on benaf of the Government to I'M
prove tnelr situation III the direction oI
their self-Support ana compete c.VlliZatlon.
That they ascertain from spcl Inspection
what, II any, OF the reservations may DE re-
duced III area, anu in Such cases what part
not needed for Indian occupation, may b,
purchased by the Government from the In
dIans anu disposed OF tor their ben nj;
what, il any, Indians may, with their CON-
sent, be removed to other reServat ons,
with view of Their concentration, and tne
SAFE on their behalf of tneT abandoned
| reSeryatiOn; what Indian lands now held III
common should be allotted in seyeralIy;
in what manner and to what extend the In
: dians upon the reservations can be placed
, ! under the protection OF our laws anu sub
jected to their penalties and which, If any,
Indians should b invested with the rlgnt
! of citizenship. The powers and functions
of tie commissioners in regard TO these sub
jecis should be c.eariy defined, though they
| should III Conjunction with the Secretary OF
the Interior he given ali the authority to
deal definitely with the questions present-
| ed deemed safe and consistent. Iuey
; should also be charged with tine duty or as
certainlng the Indians who might properly
. be furnished with implements OF agricu4-
ture and OF what kind; IN what eases the
support of the Gov rnment should De with
drawn; where the present plan OF distrl-
, buting Indian supplies should be changed ;
/. where schools may be established, ana
|, where discontinued; the conduct, M tnod
. and fitness OF agents IN charge OF reServa-
tions; the extent to wincl sUch Tcserva-
, tions are occupied or intTuded upon BY uii-
, authorized persons, and generally ali mat
tiers related 10 the we fare and improve
ment OF the Indian. They should adVise
with the Secretary of the Interior conceri-
. ing these matters of detail III management,
. and he should be given power 10 deal VITA
! them fully, If he Is not now invested with
! such power. This plan contempates tine
selection of sucI per>siis pr commissioners
who are int rested in tie lRaiaH question,
and who nave practical luets on the subject
! Of their treatment
SURVEYING INDIAN LANDS.
The expense at HE Indian BHrsau durins
! the last fiscal yer ). mere THAN s6JOO,Vu
J believe m7ch OF this expenditure mas De
v saved under the plan proposed, that rs
: economical eff els w0uid be Increased Will
! its con inuance. that the safety of our from.
: tier setti.rs wauld be subserved under its
: ! operation, and that the nation w0ilid De
n | saved through its r-sultS from the impu a.
: lion of humanity iaja~tic. anu mi i>Ialn. ge-
a | meat. In order T. carry out the policy oi
: allotment of Indian lands in seysralty,
: when deemed expedlent, II viii be neeeS-
| sarv IN hav Va s,yrv " conuittt of the reser
: / vations an | no ,e hat provision will De
! | made for tn. nr lsacu I.ln of this work