Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1873.djvu/59

Rh on the plains; but the Government can better afford to use a larger force than to undertake a warfare after the savage method of indiscriminate slaughter of women and children.

Intertribal warfare presents a sixth hinderance in the way of civilization. In view of the hostilities among the different tribes of Indians, and the frequent attacks by some of the tribes, requiring a constant state of defense on the part of others, an order has been issued that no Indians be allowed to leave their reservation without permit from the agent, and the Secretary of War has been requested to direct the commanders of military posts to prevent Indians from passing from one agency to another without such permit; and if they find Indians marauding, or engaged in any hostile expedition against any other tribe, to Strike them without parley. A satisfactory execution of this arrangement will probably require either an increased enlistment of scouts from friendly Indians, or an increased military force in the different portions of the Indian country.

On amount of their massacre of the Pawnees during the last buffalo hunt in Nebraska, the Sioux have been forbidden to leave their reservation for such hunting. This prohibition is likely to cause complaint and dissatisfaction among the Indians, but the increasing annoyance and peril from wandering Indians in Nebraska seem to justify the office in making the violation of their treaty by the Sioux the occasion of prohibiting their hunting in Nebraska hereafter; and I recommend that this matter be laid before Congress, in order that this prohibition may he enforced, by declaring that that portion of the treaty of 1868, allowing them to hunt within a certain range of country where buffalo are found, be rendered null and void by the act of the Sioux in attacking the Pawnees, and also by their refusal to surrender the members of their tribe who are guilty, while marauding of their reservation, of the wanton murder of the Hall family.

In several instances tribes entirely friendly to Government and well disposed to civilization have been kept in terror by their marauding neighbors, and prevented from attempting civilized life during the year. In such instances, if the friendly Indians could have been armed they would have defended themselves without assistance from the United States, and I recommend that steps be taken to procure legislation authorizing the Secretary of War to issue arms and ammunition for the self-protection of friendly tribes, on the request of this office, such arms to be accounted for by the agent to whom they are delivered.

Upon no other subject or branch of the Indian service is there such entire agreement of opinion from all agents and persons, connected directly and indirectly with Indian civilization, as upon the necessity of labor schools for Indian children. It is manifest that burbarism can be cured only by education. Instruction in the day-school merely, except among Indians who are already far along in civilization, is attempted at great disadvantage on every hand. Indian children cannot come from the Wigwam suitably clad for the school-room. If clothes are provided