Year: 1879

pronriaton for the Department of Justice at previ-
Gus sessions has uniformly contained the following
clause And for defraying the expenses which may
be incurred in the enforcement OF the act approved
February o. 1870 entitled AN act to amend an act
approved May 30 1870. entitled An act tY enforce
the right citizens OF the United States vote in
the States of the United States and tor other
mentary thereto" No appropriation was made for
this purpose the current year. general eec
tion of members OF Congress occurred. the omission
was matter Of little practical i'm portance Such elec
ton WILL however take place during the ensuing year
and the appropriation made for the pay OF marshals
and deputies should be sufficient to embrace compen-
saton for the services they may be required to per-
form at such election.


INDIAN QUESTION.


After referring to the Indian outbreaks the
President says that while these occurrences, in
which a comparatively small number of Indians
Of our Indian population have ful justified the ex-
pectatons of those who believed that by humane
abandon the habits of savage life and to develop
capacity for useful and civilized occupations. What
they have already accomplished in the pursuit OF
agricultural and mechanical work. the remarkable
success which has attended the experiment. of en-
ploying as freighters class OF Indians hitherto
counted among the widest and most In
tractable. and the general and urgent desire
expressed by them for the education of
Gent Y proof that they viii be Af found capable
of accomplishing much more if they continue to be
wisely and fairly guided. The Indian policy sketched
in the report of the Secretary of the Interior-he
object of which is to make liberal provision for the
education of Indian youth. settle the Indians
u
to their farms, inalienable for certain number of
years and when their wants are thus provided for
to dispose by sale OF the lands their reservations
rot occupied and used by them. fund to be formed
out of the proceeds for the benefit OF the Indians,
which will gradually relieve the government of the
expenses now provided for by annual appropria-
tions-must commend itself just and bene-


fetal to the Indians. and also calculated to
those obstructions which the existence Of large
reservations presents the settlement and develop
ment of the country. He therefore earnestly
mends the enactment OF law enabling the govern
ment to give Indians title in fee. inalienabe for
twenty five years. the farm lands assigned to them
by allotment He also repeats the Recommendation
made in his first annual Message that law be
passed admitting Indians who can give satisfactory
proof of having by their own labor supported their
families for number OF years. and who are willing
to detach themselves from their tribal rela-
tions. to the benefit OF the Homestead act,
and to grant them patents containing tho
same provision of inalienabiiity for certain
period. The experiment of sending number
ct Indian children of both to the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute, in Virginia, to
ceve an elementary English education and practical
instruction in farming and other useful industries.
has led to results promising that it thought
expedient to turn over the cavalry barracks ut Car
Isle, in Pennsylvania. to the Interior Department
for the establishment of an Indian school on
larger scale. This school has now 1853 pupils ST.
lected various tribes and is in full operation
Arrangements also made for the education of
number of Indian boys and girls belonging to tribes
Grove, in Oregon. These institutions will commend
themselves to the iberality of Congress and to the
philanthropic munifcence of the American people.


WASHINGTON MONUMENT.


The Message concludes with the repetition of some
previous recommendations relating to the public
lands and for the completion of the Washington
National Monument. massive layer of masonry
has been introduced below the original foundation,
widening the base, increasing the stability of the
structure and rendering 1t possible to carry the
shaft to completion. 1t is earnestly recommended
that such further appropriation be made for the con-
tinued prosecution OF the work may be necessary
for the completion OF this national monument at an