tion of 4,000-a larger proportion of scholars Indian, namely: swift extermination by the to the total population than obtains in most sword and famine, or preservation by gradual white communities. The health of the people concentration on territorial reserves and civilihas generally been good during the past year, zation. As now situated, the Indian tribes are and notwithstanding the ravages of the small-in the way of our toiling and enterprising popupox among the Tonawandas, by which 44 per lation, and, unprotected, they will soon be insons died, the aggregate number of births inevitably submerged, and buried beneath its the agency has exceeded the deaths," so that confluent surges. Possessing originally the the whole population is increasing. whole continent, they roamed at will among its The Governor of the State of New York, in mountains, valleys, and broad plains, free and his last annual message to the Legislature, untrammelled, the proprietors and lords of says: "These Indians in the State of New them all. But, rapidly our race has relieved York, living upon reservations, have steadily them of their vast domain; and the remnants increased in population for the last 25 years, of the ancient Red nations, encircled by the without being indebted to immigration for the pressing millions of our people, maintain a preresult. This growth of the aboriginal race is carious foothold on their last hunting grounds. opposed to the theory of their final extinction; These millions will soon crush them out from and their gradual improvement in intelligence the face of the earth, unless the humanity and and thrift, even induces the hope, that, when-Christian philanthropy of our enlightened statesever they shall have conformed to the usages men shall interfere and rescue them." of civilized people in respect to the marriage Delegations of the Committee have, on dif relation, hey will be prepared to receive their ferent occasions during the past year, visited lands now held in common, as individual prop the Indian Department, Members of the Comerty, and the principal of their annuities.mittees on Indian Affairs of both Houses of The motives which incite men to acquire Congress, and a number of the influential memwealth and inheritance for their families would bers of these bodies, in an endeavor to promote then operate in them with appropriate effect, the interest of these greatly wronged and sufand they might fitly receive and assume all the fering people. privileges and duties of the citizens."

These facts and conclusions are of great significance and interest in the present condition of the Indian question among some of the tribes West of the Mississippi River, and reference will hereafter be made to them in that connection in this report.

The attention of the Committee has been vigilantly and feelingly directed to the melancholy condition of Indian affairs among many of the tribes west of the Mississippi. From every portion of our Western border we hear of Indian wars and massacres, and on the part of the whites, there is a cry for vengeance and extermination.

The efforts of the Committee have been directed, principally, besides laboring for the restoration of peace, and a kind and just treatment of the Indians by Government, to prevent the return of the Indian Bureau to the War Department, of which it was formerly a branch, and to induce the Government to settle the Indians on reservations, of ample dimensions, to be secured to them forever, where they will be protected, and all their just rights be respected and held inviolate by the National Government.

We fear that the re-transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department would be injurious to the Indians and their interests. Still, "The Indians everywhere, with the excep- a difficulty of no small magnitude exists in the tion of the tribes within the Indian Territory, present position of the Indian Bureau, someare rapidly decreasing in numbers from various times occasioning a serious conflict of jurisdiccauses by disease; by intemperance; by wars tion and action between the civil and military among themselves and with the whites; by the authorities, greatly to the disparagement of steady and resistless emigration of white men the interests of the Indians, and involving, as into the Territories of the West, which, con it would appear, the loss of many lives. On fining the Indians to narrower and narrower mature and deliberate reflection upon the sublim ts, destroys that game, which, in their nor-ject, the Committee are of the opinion, that wal state, constitutes their principal means of the Indians and their interests should be ensubsistence; and by the irrepressible conflict tirely under the direction and control of one between a superior and inferior race when general head, as the Secretary of the Interior, brought in presence of each other."* upon whom the responsibility of the correct, "We have reached a point in our national humane, and just management of all the affairs history when there appears to be but two alter-connected with them should immediately rest. natives left as to what shall be the future of the

* Report of Senator Doolittle, Chairman of the Joint Special Committee of the two Houses of Congress, dated Jan. 26, 1867, page 3.

In relation to the subject of collecting the Indians upon reservations, it may be again re*Senate Ex. Doc. No. 13, 40th Congress, 1st Session, page 5.

"If the New York Indians could live, and pass the crisis, and begin to thrive and to increase in population steadily and permanently, as shown by the reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, by the census returns, and by the message of the Governor of New York, there can be no ground for despairing of like results anywhere where kind treatment and honest regard for their rights can be extended to the Indian race, for a sufficient length of time to give them faith in the permanence of such a policy."*

The number of Indians in the States and Territories numbered in the census, 36,662.||

Making a total number of Indians in our country in 1860, 331,093, which shows a decrease of the Indian population for the intervening ten years of 69,671, or more than onefifth of the whole population existing in all the States aud Territories of the United States in 1860.§

marked, that they cannot remain as they are. As recently stated by one of their number, "they are fast dwindling away; falling, like the leaves of the forest, to rise no more."* Something must be done. It is argued with much reason, that so large a tract of country as they at present occupy, should not be retained by the Indians as hunting grounds, upon which a precarious subsi-tence is derived, and thus stand in the way of the progress of civilization, if they can be instructed to obtain a supply, as liberal, and more certain of animal food and other articles of subsistence, on a According to the census of 1850, the whole territory of greatly diminished extent, and at number of Indians of both sexes, and of all the same time be in a condition much more ages, within the limits of the territory of the favorable to secure their civilization and en-United States, was 400,764 † lightenment. This, it is believed, can be done The Census of 1860 gives the Indian popuby the National Government, the natural and lation in the States and Territories, not euumenlightened guardians of the Red Race, assign-erated in the census, and retaining their tribal ing to them a number of fertile tracts of well- character, 294,431.‡ watered country, as permanent reservations, to be solemnly secured to them forever, and of ample dimensions for the liberal accommodation of the whole number of Indians in all the Western Territories, giving them a good supply of cattle and other stock, farming implements and mechanics' tools, and placing among them suitable, peaceable, enlightened, and conscientious persons to instruct them in agriculture, manufactures, the mechanic arts, and household duties, as well as in all the necessary school learning, and protect them from the intrusion of all other persons. Then, in a little time, instead of the precarious dependence, as at present, upon the buffalo, the deer and the bear in the forest for their subsistence, they would have the ox, the sheep, and the swine in their fields at home, whence they can be at any time procured. This is the present condition of the Indians in Western New York, as has been represented in this report, who, but comparatively a few years ago, gave no more hopeful promise of improvement, or of their present condition, than do now the tribes west of the Mississippi. Here is great ground of encouragement and hope for a brighter future in store for our Red Brethren of the West, if only our "Government will calmly weigh the result of the experiment of kind treatment and fostering care of the Indians in Western New York. There are enough thousands of these Indians to make the experiment of real value; and the more so because they have been and are divided into separate bands-miniature Dationalities-encompassed about with destructive influences, in addition to the inherent tendency in small communities to become ex'tinct from the intermarriage of blood relations, and to lose heart from the numerical weakness of their respective communities.

A change of our Indian policy on the part of the Government is, therefore, demanded by every consideration of humanity, justice, and Christianity, to save this noble race from total extinction; and all experience, observation and reflection, point to the plan that is working so well with the New York Indians, of collecting them on reservations, and surrounding them with the fostering care and protection of the Government, as the true solution of this part of the difficult Indian problem.

The startling events among the Indians west of the Mississippi, and the great number of lives lost both of Indians and whites during the past year, have awakened the attention of most reflecting minds to the Indian question, and the Committee have therefore been induced to present in this report the two prominent points, after peace shall be secured, and a dis position again prevail on the part of the Government to do the Indians justice, to which we think the efforts of Friends and of those who have the true interests of the Indians at heart

*Letter from Asher Wright, the benevolent Missionary who has devoted some thirty years of his life to the interest and welfare of these Indians, to the Secretary of the Committee.

† Census of 1850, page xciv.
Census of 1860, page 136.

|| [b., page 135.

The Territory recently acquired from Russia, contains a number of Indians, but how many has

*Enmegabbowh, in a letter appended to this report. I not been ascertained.

should be directed, in order that the Meeting the Christian white man, in behalf of my may express its judgment thereon.

The Committee have received a number of letters o affecting interest from the Indians west of the Mississippi, and the principal contents of one of these from Enmegahbowh, of Minnesota, an Indian, and a Missionary among his people, we think it right to append to the present report, as being calculated, by its touching eloquence, and stirring appeals to our race, to keep alive a feeling in favor of the poor Indian-the Red Man of the forest-in the hearts of our precious young people:

"WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 24th, 1867. "Dear Sir: 1 was very sorry to have so short a talk with you in the Indian Department. There are many things that I wanted to say, and make known to you. It always interests us (Indians) whenever we meet with the friends of the Red Man ;-especially with the people of him who first shook hands with the Indians on this continent-Wm. Penn, the great and noble man, the Red Man's friend. We know that his descendants are yet living, scattered throughout this great country, who have yet the same mind and the same heart to do the Red Man good.

countrymen. I am alone, standing before my dying countrymen. I stand here and there, (they are so scattered.) I am doing all I can, to tell them about the Saviour of the world, who came to save that which was lost. Sabbath after Sabbath, I stand before them, and point them to the Lamb of God, who take.h away the sins of the world. I am happy to say, that many of our people are now turning their attention to the Christian religion; and many are now earnest, praying Christians. But I cannot reach them more than few in number, they are so scattered in Minnesota. I am the only missionary now living to such vast num bers of my people. I have no one to assist me in the work.

"I now come to explain one reason which brought me down to the white man's country. I brought three of my own children into the State of Minnesota, to go to school among the whites, and be educated for usefulness in the future for their own people. I left them in the hands of good teachers, but without any means, trusting the Great Spirit to hear my prayersthat the Great Spirit would give good minds, and good hearts, to those who have the means to help the poor Red Man.

"I came here with this delegation of my poor people, partly, to assist them in making a "My desires and wishes also are, and I treaty with this great Government, and partly, wanted to speak to the proper authorities for -which concerns me most dearly,-to forward my Christian Indian Brethren, to this effect: my mission work amongst my own people, ou That some means may be adopted so that those the head waters of the Great Mississippi. To Indians who have become Christians, and the day, we feel the pressure and the rapid march wild ones, may not be obliged to live together. of civilization towards us. The white man, The Christian Indians naturally work hard, till with his rapid speed, is crowding us out of our the soil, and provide for their family comforts, own country, and pointing us towards-appro| pursuing industry, in the hope of gathering the priate words-the Setting Sun. harvest of their labor. The wild ones destroy the property of the industrious Indians. Our fences are destroyed and burned by them. Our little crops are destroyed before they are ripe for harvest. To sum up the whole, we cannot live with them; it is impossible.

"As I sit in my poor wigwam, with broken heart, I meditate over the past, and the future The at!! Oh! I cannot recall the happy days! They are gone: gone, forever and ever!! The future! all is dark before me? My path is obscure; my destiny inevitable. I refuse to be "When I started from my Christian Brethcomforted, because I am unpitied and unloved. ren, what I intended to do further, was to ask "And now we turn our weeping hearts the Government to give us a tract of land, say towards the Christian white man, to wipe away one or two townships, exclusively for the Christhe tears from our eyes, to make strong our tian Indians, or those who may follow in the broken hearts, and to lighten our paths. Our way of Christianity and civilization. But everyonly hope of salvation in the future, is (to be- thing looks dark before us. I do not think I come civilized.) to embrace the Christian re-shall venture to do anything of the kind. ligion in hand and in heart, and to pray to the "As I return to my country west of the God of the white man.

Mississippi, I may venture to stay a few days
in Baltimore, but I should feel more at home in
the city of Philadelphia; I know there lies
the hearth-stone of the great and noble man,
Wm. Penn, the Red Man's friend.

Your unworthy brother,
JOHN JOHNSON.
Whose name among his own people is Enmegahbowh.
BENJ. HALLOWELL.

The Committee sent the writer of this letter

$100 from the Indian fund, to assist in the education of his children, to whom he refers. Signed by direction and on behalf of the Committee.

BENJ. HALLOWELL, Secretary. Baltimore, 10th mo. 31st, 1867.

To the Editors of Friends' Intelligencer :

I am pleased to see an increasing desire of giving place in your columns to more freedom of thought and expression in maintenance of the principles we advocate; and for myself, I would like to see a continuance of what you have begun. I am well aware of the intricate position in which as Editors you are placed, and know that it is almost impossible for you to please all men in all things; but I trust you will be stimulated to press onward. Our Society being bound by no creed, and led by no forms, has an individual right to think and let think; and in submitting the fruits of our more serious thoughts to others of our persuasion, we should not feel bound to receive them on the one hand, nor hastily to renounce them on the other, and not at all censure the Editors who publish them, but rather prove what is the good and acceptable will of God concerning them; for in thus doing, we may preserve that which is good and cast the bad away. The concerns of the Society's outward state and in ward purity should be equally examined and regulated, for both have a considerable influence in advancing or retarding the things which belong unto its peace; and to do so, such a public medium, through which its members can freely speak, is certainly necessary; and I think if the Intelligencer were more devoted to this thing it would be of lasting good. Not for strife, contention and vain arguments, or even questionings and answerings, am I in any way favorable to, but only for the thoughts of those who submit them in the spirit of love and of meekness, desiring only the growth of the! body in the knowledge of the Lord and the wisdom of his ways.

11th mo., 1867.

This is the wish of
A READER.

LITTLE THINGS.

Great virtues are rare, the occasions for them are very rare, and when they do occur, we are prepared for them; we are excited by the grandeur of the sacrifice; we are supported either by the splendor of the deed in the eyes of the world, or by the self-complacency that we experience from the performance of an uncommon action. Little things are unforseen; they return every moment they come in contact with our pride, our indolence, our haughtiness, our readiness to take offence; they contradiet our inclinations perpetually. It is, however, only by fidelity in little things that a true and consistent love to God can be distinguished from a passing fervor of spirit.-Fenelon.

Selected.

Can you drive a man by the letter of a hard creed into a religious life before he feels the spirit which alone can give creeds their life and glory? Faith in our own powers becomes the staircase by which we climb to knowledge. Destroy the student's faith in his own abilities, and you cut away the ladder by which he ascends; so not backward but forward moves our religion in the only true path to educate the intellect and heart; but not faith in ourselves so much as in God, for faith in God gives faith in self in that now the source of our supply is no longer human and hence fallible, but divine, and so infallible. Our faith expands the intellect, enlarges the heart, and constantly keeps alive in us the most intense and sublime aspirations after the holy, the pure and the good. You may not be able to philosophize upon your profession or locally trace out all its bearings, but your feeling heart will be more than a match for the cold intellect of the skeptic, and the consciousness of a religious life by faith will become the most blessed truth you ever knew. That religious life does not begin and end in faith; it has its commencement there; and under it the life develops as the plant in the sunshine, and the young vine will soon hang with rich clusters of fruit ready for the gathering hands of God.

A WORD TO MOTHERS.

Each mother is a historian. She writes not

the history of empires or of nations on paper, but she writes her own history on the imperishable mind of her child. That tablet and that history will remain indelible when time shall be no more. That history each mother shall meet again, and read with eternal joy or unutterable thought should weigh on the mind of every grief in the coming ages of eternity. The mother, and render her deeply circumspect, prayerful and faithful in her solemn work of training up her children for heaven and immortality.

The minds of children are very susceptible and easily impressed. A word, a look, a frown. may engrave an impression on the mind of a child which no lapse of time can efface or wash out. You walk along the seashore when the tide is out, and you form characters, or write words or names in the smooth white sand which is spead out so clear and beautiful at your feet, according as your faney may dictate; but the returning tide shall in a few hours wash out and efface all that you have written. Not so the lines and characters of truth and error which your conduct imprints on the mind of your child. There you write impressions for the everlasting good or ill of your child, which neither the floods nor the storms of earth can wash out, nor death's cold fingers erase, nor the

If he had time he would like to speak of the cultivation of the memory. In what had been most approved methods of imparting instruction, said in a previous exercise, he had intended to the different plans are given.