Page:The Red Man and the White Man in North America.djvu/579

559 From the formation of the Government, as we have seen, our relations with the Indians were recognized as of sufficient importance to engage distinct legislation and attention, but not, however, for requiring administration by a separate department. This administration was committed to the charge of the Secretary of War. A small number of superintendents and agents, resident among the Indians or providing the supplies for them, reported to the Secretary, though they were not appointed by him. These officials were military men and civilians; the latter being a majority. The Act of Congress of 1834 so far modified this arrangement as to give to the Secretary of War the supervision and direction of these superintendents and agents, the majority of whom were still civilians. In 1849 this Indian Bureau, so called, was, by Act of Congress, taken from the charge of the War Department and incorporated as a Bureau for Indians into the new Department of the Interior then created. In July, 1867, Congress devised a body of Peace Commissioners, composed of eight members, — half of them military officers, half civilians; they were to make an annual report to the President. Three special objects defined the province of this Commission, — to remove the causes of war; to secure the frontier settlements, and the safe working of the Pacific railroads; and to suggest a plan for reclaiming and civilizing the Indians. Their measures were to be all peaceful, if possible; but under certain contingencies the President was authorized to supplement or reinforce their measures by calling out four mounted regiments to conquer peace.

The first difficulty which the Commission encountered at the start was, to secure interviews with chiefs and warriors of hostile tribes roaming over vast regions of wilderness, parts of which even the trappers had not penetrated, while small war parties from these tribes were depredating on the frontiers, killing white men, capturing women and children, raiding on railroad workmen, — often by concert, on the