Indian agencies being civil offices, I determined to give all the
agencies to such religious denominations as had heretofore established
missionaries among the Indians, and perhaps to some other denominations
who would undertake the work on the same terms--i.e. as a missionary
work. The societies selected are allowed to name their own agents,
subject to the approval of the Executive, and are expected to watch over
them and aid them as missionaries, to Christianize and civilize the
Indian, and to train him in the arts of peace. The Government watches
over the official acts of these agents, and requires of them as strict
an accountability as if they were appointed in any other manner.
I entertain the confident hope that the policy now pursued will in a
few years bring all the Indians upon reservations, where they will live
in houses, and have schoolhouses and churches, and will be pursuing
peaceful and self-sustaining avocations, and where they may be visited
by the law-abiding white man with the same impunity that he now visits
the civilized white settlements. I call your special attention to the
report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for full information on
this subject.
During the last fiscal year 8,095,413 acres of public land were disposed
of.
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