Fourthly. They always have comfortable quarters for the indians, when they visit them, and by the frequent intercourse, which subsists between them, become acquainted with us, and imperceptibly imbibe many of our ideas, manners, and customs.

Fifthly. From interested motives, if from no other, Traders will always advise the Indians to keep at peace among themselves, and with the whites.

There are some changes which I think might be made to advantage, in the regulations for Indian Traders. In the first place, with a view to do away the impression, which almost universally prevails in the minds of the Indians in this part of the country, that the Traders, Clerks, Interpreters, Boatmen, and Laborers, and also their goods, are almost all British. This, unfortunately, is nearly the truth; for there is scarcely a single boatman or laborer employed by the Traders, who is not a British subject.Their goods, it is well known, are almost altogether of British manufacture. I would recommend that no clerk, interpreter, boatman or laborer be employed by them, who is not a citizen of the United States; and further, that every Trader be obliged to display the American flag on his boat, when passing on the water, and at his tent or hut, when encamped.

The best and most successful means which could be employed by Government to civilize the Indians, or render them less savage, than they now are, in my opinion, would be, for the Agent of each nation to reside at, or near, one of their principal villages, there to have a comfortable habitation, and a Council room sufficiently large to accommodate all who might wish to attend his councils: To employ a blacksmith and a carpenter, and, of course, have shops and suitable tools for them. Every nation requires a great deal of blacksmith work; there would probably be less for a carpenter to do, but he might be advantageously employed in making agricultural instruments, &c. &c. Let him cultivate, in the vicinity of the village, with the consent of the nation, a small farm, and keep a small stock of horses, oxen, and cows. It should be understood among the Indians, that the farming establishment is solely for the benefit of the Agent. Should it be known among them, that the object was to learn them to cultivate the soil, as the whites do, they would most certainly object to it; but if this is not

known, they will soon see the advantages of employing the plough, harrow, &c. &c. and be induced to imitate our examples, and thus get on the road which leads to civilization, before they are aware of it.

If an Agent of Government should go among them, as has sometimes been the case, and inform them, that he has been sent by their Great Father, the President, to learn them how to cultivate the soil, spin, weave cloth, and live like white people, they would be sure to set their faces against him, and his advice, and say that he is a fool; that Indians are not like white people; the Great Spirit has not made them of the same color, neither has he made them for the same occupations.

The next step towards their civilization would probably be, that some of their old people would remain at their respective villages, if they could be assured of being secure from their enemies, while the others are on their hunting grounds; thus they would go on from step to step, until they would become civilized, and prepared to receive and enjoy the blessings of christianity.

I consider it important that Government should exchange, as soon as practicable, all British flags and medals, which the Indians may have in their possession, for American ones. The Sauk, or Sac, and Fox Indians, have no American flags at present, and but few American medals. If you speak to them of the impropriety of their displaying British flags, and wearing British medals, they will reply, "we have no others; give us American flags and medals, and you will then see them only." The flags given to them ought to be made of silk, their British flag being made of that material; besides, they are more durable, as well as more portable, than the worsted ones. One for each nation should be of a large size, for them to display at their villages on public occasions.They have, at present, British flags considerably larger than the American army standards. The practice of painting these flags causes them to break, and soon wear out. They should be made in the same manner that navy flags are."

Fort Armstrong, Nov. 1820.

REV. DR. MORSE.

To the foregoing I could add the opinions and observations of many gentlemen of intelligence, with whom I have conversed on the subject. These opinions and observations were various, and of like tenor with those contained in the preceding documents, differing on some important points-but all concurring in the imperious necessity of radical changes in the present system of Indian Trade. A repetition of these opinions and observations, would throw no new light on the subject.

Remarks and Suggestions.*

These I had prepared with much thought and labor, and at considerable length, conceiving the subject to have a very important bearing on the benevolent object of the government. But on reflection, that so many able, official reports had been made upon it by heads of Department and Committees of Congress, much more competent than myself to discuss and illustrate a subject of this complex and delicate nature, and that there are considerable diversities of opinion in respect to the plan most proper to be adopted and pursued, I have thought it would be prudent in me to lay aside what I had prepared, and to confine myself to a simple statement of my own opinion, as to the best manner of conducting the Indian Trade, and of the reasons which support this opinion.

Before I make this statement, it is proper to remark, that the present mode of carrying on the Indian trade, partly by Government, on the Factory system; and partly by licensed Traders, appears to have few, if any, advocates; and I presume will certainly and readily be abandoned. The question which seems to divide those who have considered this subject, is, whether the government shall take this trade wholly into their own hands, and provide a capital competent to the purpose; or give it up wholly into the hands of licensed Traders, duly regulated and restricted by

* I give here these Remarks and Suggestions, as they were presented to the President and Congress. The Report on Indian Trade was given separately, and in this form is here inserted, while, in fact, it makes a part of the whole. This subject will be again resumed under the general head of REMARKS and SUGGESTIONS, which close this Report.

law? It appears from the tenor of the official reports, which have been made on the subject, that the public feeling and opinion are, prevailingly, in favor of the latter course. The statement of my own views will, therefore, be predicated on the presumtipon, that this course will ultimately be adopted by Congress. It is in my opinion, decidedly the best course, the best adapted to raise and preserve the reputation of the Government in the estimation of Indians, and to secure for it their confidence and respect; the best fitted in all respects, to accomplish the great object of imparting to them the blessings of civilization and Christianity.

It is exceedingly important that every movement of the civil, military, commercial, and religious classes of the community, in reference to the improvement of the condition of the Indians, should be in unison and harmony; that there should be no interference, no collision, the one with the other. The strength and influence of each should be combined, on a well digested plan, and exerted with patience, perseverence, and with one mind, for the accomplishment of the end in view. All this is practicable; and if done, the blessing of heaven will ensure the desired success.

The Indian Trade, conducted by men of intelligence, with integrity, on correct principles, would yield a handsome profit to a Company, who should have secured to them by charter the exclusive benefits of it. Let such a Company be formed, of men of responsibility, as to monied capital; of respectability as to character; of men, especially, cordially disposed to promote the designs of the government in regard to the improvement of the condition of the Indians. Let none of a different character be admitted into the Company. Let this qualification be indispensable to membership. Let their charter be a liberal one, and provide for the establishment of branches, in sufficient number, to embrace the whole of the Indian population with which we have intercourse. Let it state particularly the obligations, and prescribe the duties, of this company, and the manner in which they shall conduct their intercourse with the Indians, and with the Military posts, and Education Families, which may be established from time to time, in and near the Indian Territories, constituting the theatre of their trade. Let there always be carefully maintained a good understanding, and a

friendly intercourse and co-operation, between the Traders and the Military posts, and the Education Families. Let this be particularly enjoined, as an indispensable duty. On this plan, there would be a reciprocal watch of the Military, Education Families, and Traders, over each other, to guard against, to check, or, in case of necessity, to expose, any misconduct in either. The government, on this plan, would have the best possible security of a faithful fulfilment of the respective duties of these several departments, and would find great relief from their present responsibilities to the Indians.

Let the Company who are to act under this charter, be selected and formed by the Government; be responsible to it, and removable by it for mal-practices. Let the Company appoint their own agents, and be responsible for their good behavior; and, with due regard to their charter, conduct all their affairs in their own way. For the privileges of this charter, require of the Company a reasonable and generous bonus, of a fixed sum, to be paid out of their profits, annually, into the Treasury of the U. States, to be added to the fund appropriated by Congress for the civilization of the Indians.

Among the advantages which would result from a plan of this kind, would be the following:

1. The Government would be relieved from a perplexing, unprofitable, burdensome, and, shall I add, undignified business and responsibility, which can be much better and more satisfactorily performed and borne by others, in the way proposed, than by the Government.

2. The Indian Trading Fund of $300,000, now yielding no income to Government, and no substantial benefit to the Indians, which would not be made up to them by the new system proposed, would be withdrawn, and with it the salaries of all those who are now employed in managing it, amounting to the annual sum of $16,600. This latter sum, together with the interest of $300,000, ($18,000,) the $10,000 now given by Government, and the bonus of the chartered company, say $10,000 more, would constitute a fund of about $55,000, to be expended for the civilization of the Indians, without increasing the present burdens of the Government; a sum not too great to carry on, with energy, the extensive