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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1857
417
more just because he is a superintendent than because he is an agent? If it is necessary to have a superintendent to guard the conduct of the agent, it is necessary to dismiss that agent, and send a man who requires no guardian to conserve his integrity. When you do this you will have done much; but it is idle to sup- pose that the Indians can war with their agent when the Gov- ernment is at his back; and when he has political influence here to sustain him. If he were even dismissed for a flagrant offense, the consequence would be that political influence. would directly gather around him, and on an imperfect explanation and a prom- ise of amendment, he would be restored to full favor, and new and extensive privileges given to him. That has been often done, and will be done as long as political partisanship exists. Friends must be rewarded, and favorites must be recompensed. That, it seems, is a necessary principle; but that principle should not be considered when the nation has a great object in view. Senators seem to concur in the opinion that something ought to be done for the Indians if practicable. It is not only practicable, it is feasible; it can be accomplished, if we set about doing it by proper legislative enactments. Let the Executive appoint honest agents-men acquainted with the character of the Indians, and let the money that is intended to be given to the Indians, but which never reaches them, be placed in proper hands for its application for a wise purpose, and we shall succeed in accom- plishing all we desire. I would suggest another thing that would have a happy influ- ence on the Indians. Let every tribe meet, its chief and people, if you please, once a year; let them have their councils, let them associate, let them be together, mixing as social beings ought to do, let the Government be at the expense of it, let that be the time of the payment of the annuity, let it be at the factory, let no ardent spirits be introduced there, let rigid intercourse laws be passed, and have proper men to enforce them, and you will give protection to the Indians against the killing influence of ardent spirits. I never knew an annuity disbursed in my life when there was not liquor on the ground, wagon-loads of it, either through the yielding or selfishness of the agent; but it ought to be inhibited. Then let there be an annual council of all the tribes within each superintendency; let their chiefs con- gregate from the different tribes with their interpreters at the expense of the Government of the United States; let them inter- change their views; let them form personal friendships; let them
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