480
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1854
to receive and calmly consider his message. For some time previous to his arrival in the Indian country, individuals from the States had been exploring portions of it, with the intention, so was understood, of attempting to make locations and settle- ments," which, it must be remembered, is a violation of the Indian intercourse law. "The discussion of the subject, and the exploration of the country by citizens of the States, alarmed and excited the Indians. Some of them were proposing a grand council, at which it was designed to light up the old Indian fires, and confederate for defense against the white people, who, they believed, were coming in force to drive them from their country, and to occupy it without their consent and without consideration." How could they have arrived at such a conclusion, unless by analogy to the past? "Under such circumstances it was very difficult to quiet the Indians, or divest their minds of an impression that the Com- missioner's visit was not in some way or other intended to aid the whites in a forcible occupation of the country. As he pro- gressed in his journey, and conferred with the tribes, the difficulty was gradually removed. "With but few exceptions, the Indians were opposed to selling any part of their lands, as announced in their replies to the speeche!l of the Commissioner. Finally, however, many tribes expressed their willingness to sell, but on the condition that they could retain tribal reservations on their present tracts of land. This policy was deemed objectionable, and not to be adopted if it could be avoided; and with such tribes the time of treating was deferred until next spring, with the hope that the Indians by that time might see that their permanent interests required an entire transfer of all their lands, and their removal to a new home. Some tribes declined to dispose of any portion; and all, with the exception of the Wyandotte and Ottowas, who expressed an opinion on the subject of an organization of a civil government in that territory, were opposed to the measure." * * * * "The condition of the Indians located west of Missouri and Iowa is not as prosperous, or their advance in civilization as rapid, as the official reports annually received from that part of the country would authorize us to expect. In several tribes are to be found some educated, intelligent men; and many are able, by the cultivation of the earth, to subsist themselves. Among -
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