| 826 zeal for their eternal welfare, of the 'seed of the promise' made to our fathers, we again approach the subject, for the same object. We have before us the documents accompanying the President's Message, to both house of Congress, at the present session, where the instructions of the commissioner, on Indian affairs, and the reports of sub-agents and others, cover 203 pages octavo;-from which we draw substance for our remarks, and such information as we judge proper for the saints, and all interested in the restoration of Israel.
The greatest object of government seems to be, to remove the Indians west of the Missouri river, though some are located west of the Mississippi ; and some remain in the regions of the north western Lakes.
Government has assumed the fatherly care of a great people, if they did but realize it, as well as a great territory, extending from sea to sea, and from the Gulf of Mexico, to the British boundary north.
It will be seen, that the statement below only includes the Indians under the direction of agencies, leaving as many unnumbered as those numbered.
The following table shows the name and number of each tribe west of the Mississippi:
Appachees 20,280
Arickarees 1,200
Arrapahas 2,500
Assinaboins 7,000
Blackfeet 1,300
Caddoes 2,000
Camanches 19,200
Cherokees 25,911
Cheyennes 2,000
Chickasaws 4,990
Chippewas, Ottowas and Pottawatomies
and Pottawatomies of Indiana 5,779
Chippewas of the lakes 7,605
Choctaws 15,177
Creeks 24,594
Crees 800
Crows 4,000
Delawares 1,059
Eutaws 19,200
Flatheads 800
Florida Indians 3,824
Gros Ventres 3,300
Iowas 470
Kanzas 1,700
Kickapoos 5,88
Kiowas 1,800
Mandans 300
Menomonies 2,500
Miamies 661
Minatarees 2,000
New York Indians 3,293
Omahas 1,301
Oneidas of Green Bay 722
Osages 4,102
Ottoes and Missourias 931
Ottowas and Chippewas, together with
the Chippewas of Michigan 7,055
Pagans 30,000
Pancas 777
Pawnee 12,500
Peorias and Kaskaskias 150
Piankeshaws 162
Pottawatomies of Huron 100
Quapaws 400
Sacs and Foxes of Mississippi 2,348
Sacs of Missouri 414
Senecas from Sandusky 251
Senecas and Shawnees 211
Shawnees 1,272
Sioux 25,000
Snakes 1,000
Stockbridges of Green Bay 207
Stockbridges and Munsees, and
Delawares and Munsees 320
Swan Creek and Black River Chippewas 113
Weas 225
Winnebagoes 4,500
Wyandots of Michigan 75
Wyandots of Ohio 664
The next item that occupies our attention is the
"Amount appropriated for fulfilling treaties with various Indian tribes, for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1843, and ending June 30, 1844, and the amount drawn thereon to June 30, 1844, inclusive, and the balance remaining undrawn, as per statement:
$750,568 00
Amount appropriated for the current
expenses of the Indian Department, &c.
93,300 00
Civilization of Indians, &c. 10,000 00
So it seems that it cost our Government almost a million yearly to civilize and christianize the Indians; though a quarter of a century's experience in religious and political experiments, show but a small profit on such an overwhelming capitol.
The fact is, about one hundred thousand dollars, are expended to a corrupt or office seeking, or corrupting set of agents; five or six hundred thousand dollars go as annuities, but never get further than into the 'Indian traders' pockets for trinkets, or goods that, with them brings one hundred to one thousand per cent profit; or perhaps, the agents retain one half for damage and supposed crimes.
Every person at all acquainted with men and measures on the frontier; knows that offences [offenses],
(page 826) |
