—Senator Windom has introduced a bill providing for the colonization and distribution of the colored people of the Southern States in new States and Territories as they may select. Some interest and sympathy with the project has been expressed by prominent colored men, though we think the great majority of the most intelligent of them are persuaded that by patience and industry they can conquer peace and a place for themselves anywhere.
—Henry M. Stanley, the explorer, was present at the recent meeting of the Conference on the Civilization of Africa, and said that he would lead the Belgian Exploring Expedition, which is soon to start for Africa.
The Indians.
—The Board of Indian Commissioners held its regular yearly meeting for the preparation of its annual report in Washington last week. Besides the members of the Board there were representatives of the religious bodies interested in the management of Indian affairs through their missionary operations among the different tribes, and also because many of the Indian agents are appointed on their recommendation. From the tenth annual report of the Board to the President, it appears that more than one-half of the Indians have discarded the blanket and donned a civilized garb; that about one-half have moved out of their lodges and wigwams into houses, the number of which has increased nearly threefold in ten years; that the number of pupils in Indian schools has more than doubled; that nearly one-sixth of the Indian population can read; that the number of acres of land cultivated by the Indians is about five times as great as ten years ago; that the production of wheat has increased nearly fivefold, of oats and barley nearly fourfold, and of hay nearly ninefold; and that the Indians own about three times as many horses and mules, six times at many cattle, seven times as many swine and about seventy-five times as many sheep as they did ten years ago. The Board remarks: “This exhibit of results is certainly encouraging, and presents a strong argument against any radical change of policy.” The Conference urge three measures upon the President and Congress: 1. That courts of law be established on Indian reservations, with jurisdiction in all cases where both parties are Indians. 2. That common schools be provided for Indians the same as for white children, under some regular system. 3. That the homestead law be so modified that an Indian may select his homestead within the limits of the reservation to which he belongs.
—The joint committee, consisting of three Senators and five Representatives, to whom the question of the transfer of the Indians to the War Department was submitted, being equally divided, have made two reports. Congressional experts have been trying to decide which of the two should have precedence as a quasi majority report.
Senator McCreery and Representatives Scales, Hooker and Boone favor the transfer. Their report claims that the present system actually prevailed even before (in 1848) the Indians were given in care of the Interior Department, as the War Department neither appointed nor supervised the agents, but only received their reports. All past evils are therefore traceable to this system. The peace policy in 1868 was a confession of its failure. The army control will be better, because of the high character of army officers, and the system of accountability to which they are subject, because it will cost less money and avoid wars.
Senators Sanders and Oglesby, and Representatives Stewart and Van Voorhes report against the transfer, because of the abuses when the management was in the hands of the War Department down to 1849; because the Indians and the army officers agree in personally disliking the proposed transfer; because of the progress in civilization already made; on the ground of economy and appropriateness; and because not one-third of the Indians need military supervision in any form. They ascribe the failures of the past to the unwise recognition of the tribal relation, exclusion from the protection of civil law, and of landed rights. They recommend that the Indian Bureau be made a distinct department, with a Cabinet officer at its head, and that the President be authorized to transfer temporarily the control of hostile tribes.
The proposal to transfer was rejected by a vote of 101 to 88.