Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-04

close contact With the daily life of the people.
Almost every one uses the service it offers, and
every hour gained in the transmission of the
great commercial mails is actual and possible
value that only those engaged in trade can I'M
detstapd.
The saving of one day in the transmission of
mai S between San Francisco and New York,
which has recently been accomplished, is an
incident worthy of mention. The plan sug-
gested of Il supervision OF the Postottices in sep
arae districts, that shall involve instruction
and sugges ton and rating of the efficiency of
the Postmaster would have no doubt, greatly
improve the service
a pressing necessity exists for the erection of
building for the joint use OF the Department
and the city Postoffce The Department was par
TALLY relieved by renting outside quarters for
part of the force, but it is again over-crowded.
The building used by the city office never was
fl for the purpose and is now inadequate and
unwholesome. The unsatisfactory condition OF
the law relating 10 the transmission through the
mail OF lottery advertisements and remittanees
is clearly stated by the Postmaster General, and
his suggestion as to amendment should have
your favorable consideration
NAVAL MATTERS.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy shows
a reorganization of the bureaus OF the Depart
ment thst VIII, l do not doubt, promote TIE
efficiency of each. general, satisfactory pro-
gresS has been made in the construction OF the
new ships of war authorized by Congress. The
first vessel of the new navy, the Dolphin, was
sub ected TO very severe trial tests and very
much criticism but il is gratifying To be able TO
state that Il cruise around the world, from
which she has recently returned, has demon
strated that she is rst-class vessel OF her rate
| The report of the secretary shows, that While
the effective force or the navy is rapidly in
creaSing by reason of improved build and arm
ament of the new ships, the number of cur
ships fit for sea duty grows very slowly. We
hau on the 4th of Narch last. thirty-seven
seryiceahe ships, and though four have since
beeu added to the list, the total has not been
decreased. because in the meantime four nave
been lost or condemned. Twent!-siI additional
vessels have been authorized and appropriated
for, but it is probable that when they are com
pleted, our st will be increased only to forty
two, gain of FIVE The old wooden ships are
disappearing almost as fast as the new vessels
are added. These facts carry their own argu-
ment one of the new ships may in fighting
strength be equal to two OF the old, but it can
not do the cruising duties of two. 1t is ioport-
| ant therefore that we should have more rapid
increase in the number of serviceable ships.
concur in the recommendation of the Secretary
that the construction of eight armored ships.
three gunboats and five torpedo boats should
be authorized.
THE SAMOAN DISASTER.
An appalling calamity befell three of our
| naval vessels on duty at the Samoan Islands in
the harbor of Apia, in March last, including the
loss of four officers. forty seven seamen and of
| two vessels, the Trenton and Vandalia, and the
disabling of third the Nipeic.
Three vessels of the German navy were also
| in the harbor and shared with our ships the
| force of the hurricane and suffered even more
heavily. While mourning the brave officers and
men who died facing with high resolve the
| perils greater than those Of battle, it is most
| gratifying to state the credit of the American
navy for seamanship, cour ige and generosity
was magnificently sustained in the storm in the
harbor OF Apia.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
the report of the Secretary of the Interior ex-
| hibi's the transactions of tDe Government with
| the Indian tribes. Substantial progress has
| been made III the education of the children OF
| sphOOl allotment lands
| adult Indians.
| 1t is to be regretted that the policy of break
| ing up the tribal relation and of dealing with
| the Indian as an individual did not appear ear
| lier in our legislation.
| Large reservations held in common, and the
| maintenance of the authority of the chiefs and
head men, have deprived the individual OF
every Incentive to the exercise OF thrift and the
annuity has contributed an affirmative impulse
towards state OF confirmed pauperism.
Our treaty stipulations should be observed
with fidelity, and our legislation should be
highly considerable of the best interest of an ig-
| norant and helpless people.
| The reservations are now generally sur
| rounded by white settlements. We can no lon
| ger push the Indian back iuto the wilderness,
| and it remains only, by every suitable agency,
| to push him upward into the estate OF self
| suppO ting and responsible citizen. For the
| aQulI the ilrst step is TO locate him on farm.
| and for the child to place him in school. The
| school, attendance should be promoted by every
| moral agency and those failing to attend should
|
| Indians have been very successful, and should
| be multiplied and as far possible should be
| so organic d and conducted as to facilitate the
| transfer of the schools to the States and Terri
| tories in which they are located, when the In
| dams in q neighborhood have accepted citizen
| ship aod have become otherwise fitted fer snch
a transfer. This condit on of things will be at
| tanned SLOWLY but il will be hastened by keep
| ing ii in mind, and in the mean-
| time that cooperation between the GOV
eminent and the mission schools, which has
wrought much god. should be cordially and
| impartially sustained.
! The last Congress enacted two distinct
| las reIsting TO the negotiations with
the Sioux indians of Dakota for a relin-
| quishment of a portion of their lands to the
| United States, anu for dividing the remainder
| into separate reservations. Both were approved
| on the same day, M>rch ID. The one W As sub
| mitted to the Indians as a specific proposition,
| while the other Section of the Indian Appro-
priaton Act) authorized the President to appoint
| three Commissioners to negotiate with these Ia
| dams for the accomplishment OF the same gen
| eral purpose, and required that any agreement
made should be submitted TO Congress for its
| ratification.
| On the 10Th dav of April last appointed Hon.
| Charles Foster of Ohio, Hon William Warner oil
| Missouri and Major-GeDeral George Crook of the
| United States Army, Commissioners under the
| law named They were, however. authorized
| and detected, first to submit to the indians the
| proposition made to them by the Act first men
| toned. and only in the event of failure to Sc
| cure the assent OF the requisite number to the
| proposition, to open negotiations for modlhed
| terms under the other Acs. The work OF the
| Commission was prolonged and arduous, but
the assent of the requisite number was it is
said, finally obtained to the proposition made by
| Congress, a though the report of the Commits
| sion has not yet been submitted OF these facts
| Shall not as at present advised, deem it neces-
| sary 10 submit the agreement TO Congress for
| ratification. but it will in due course be submit
| ted for lnfomstion. This agreement releases
| to the United States about 100000 acres OF
! land.
| The Commission, provided forby Section II of
| the Indian appropriation bill, to negotiate with
| the Cherokee Indians and all other lnolans
! owning or claiming lands lying west OF the
ninetg-siXth degree of longitude, for the cession
| to the United States of all such lands, was con-
| stituted by the appointment OF Hon Luelus
| Sairchild, of Wisconsin, Hon John +. Har'-
ranfs of Pennsylvania, aud Hon. Alfred NJ.
| ADDISON, of Arkansas. and organized on June
10Th last. Their first conference with the repre-
| sentatives of the Cherokees was held at Iahle-
| quah July 29sh with no definite result. Cen
eral John f Har;ranft, of Pennsylvania, was pre-
vented by i'll health from taking part in the
| conference. and his DEATH which occurred re-
| Gently is Justly aud generally lamented by a
people he had served with conspicuous gal
! iautry III war and with great fidelity III peace.
| The vacancy thus created was filled by the APP
poiniment of Hon. Warren &. Sayre. OF Indiana.
| A second conference between the commission
| and the Cherokees was begun November 9th,
! but no results have yet been obtained, nor is 1t
| believed that conclusion can be immediately
} expected.
| The cattle syndicate now occupying the lands
for grazing purposes is clearly one OF the agen-
cies responsible for the obstruction OF our nego-
| tiatinns with the Cherokees. The large body of
| agricultural lands constituting what is known
| as the Cherokee Outlet ought not TO be and
| cannot long be held for grazing, and for the adj
| vantage of few against the public interests,
| and the best advantage of the Indians them
| selves. The United States has now, under
| the treaties certain rights in these lands. These
| will not be used oppres>ively, but it cannot be
| allowed that those who by sufferance occupy
| these lands shall attempt to defeat the wise
| and benefcent purpose of the Government |
cannot but believe that the advantage and
/ character of the offer made by the United States
| to the Cherokee Nation, for full release OF
| these lands, as compared with other suggestions
now made to them, will yet obtain Tor II afaVor-
| able consideration
| Under the agreement made between the
| United states and the Muskogee(o Creek Nation
of Indians on the 10Th day ofJanuary. 1855, an alb
solute title was secured by the Upited States to
about 8 900 acres of land. Section IL of the
General Indian Appropriation Act, approved
| March 2 1883. made a provision for the pur
chase by the United States from the Seminole
! tribe OF certain portion OK thelr
land The delegates of the Seminole Nation
having hrst dul' evidenced TO me their power
| 10 act fl that behalf, delivered proper release
| and conveyan to the use OF all the lands men
toned in the Act, which was accepted by me
aud certified TO be in compliance WITH the stat
ute BY the terms Of both The Acts referred to
all the lands so purchased were declared to be