have failed, to state the probable causes of failure, and to suggest the proper remedies; to ascertain the places of residence, the numbers, dispositions, and, generally, the present actual state of these tribes, and of the improvements which have been introduced among them, and to suggest, from time to time, to the Government, and to the religious Associations, who possess the authority, the means, and the disposition to act directly upon the Indians, such plans and measures, as may assist them in conducting this wide spread, complex, and difficult service.

This society should also be scientific in its character, and embrace in its attentions, every thing in the Indian Territories, which might improve the geography, geology, mineralogy, natural history, and agriculture of our country. Such a society, in its operations and results, would require public rooms for a cabinet, which might be made a very rich and useful one, and a library for depositing suitable books and documents, and the correspondence of the Secretaries. For these rooms the Society, considering its nature and object, would naturally look to the Congress, and also for the funds, necessary to carry on its extensive operations.

I would further suggest, that the Society hold their annual meetings at the seat of the Government, at the periods for opening the sessions of Congress, and at these meetings make their annual Report, and transact their annual business.

The advantages, and I might add, the necessity of such a Society for the purposes suggested, are obvious and great. The Government require just the aid that such a society would be able to give, It would be as an eye to the Government, and act the part of pioneers and surveyors to them in pursuing an important object in an unexplored wilderness.

Since the above article was written, a Society of the above kind recommended, has been formed and organized at the City of Washington. See its Constitution, App. K. k.

Indian College.

As an important aid to the Government in their project in regard to the Indians, I would suggest the expediency of establishing, in

some suitable situation, a COLLEGE, for the education of such Indian youth, as shall have passed through the primary Indian schools with reputation and promise. Here, under competent instructors, let them be prepared to teach their brethren of the wilderness, all, even the higher, branches of useful knowledge. Let this College be liberally endowed out of the avails of those public lands, which have been purchased of the Indians. To what better purpose can a portion of them be applied? Of these lands there is enough, and to spare, at the disposal of the Government. Let able and skilful Professors be appointed for this Institution, and whenever any of the educated Indian youth shall become qualified for teachers, let them be rewarded, and encouraged, by promoting them to such offices in the instruction and government of the College, as they are capable of filling with reputation and respectability. Let them thus feel their own strength and importance, and have the full benefit of all the motives to exertion, which we enjoy.

Such an Institution, as has now been recommended, was early established, and nobly endowed, in India, for the benefit of that populous region; and its good fruits have far exceeded the high expectations of its friends.* We might reasonably expect the like good effects from a similar Institution in our own country.

The Indians, within a very few years, might, and probably will be, extensively taught by their own civilized and educated brethren; numbers of whom are already prepared, as far as existing advantages would permit, and many more are preparing to engage in this work. And if we are, in future, but just to the Indians, and leave to them the means of supporting the necessary literary and religious

*Among the Institutions in India, for the improvement of its mixed population, are the Asiatic Society, by Sir William Jones; a College at Fort William, by the Marquis, Wellesley, in which are Professors of English, Mahometan, and Hindoo languages, history, geography, natural history, &c. In 1816, a College was established by the Hindoos themselves, for the instruction of their sons in the English and Indian languages, and in the literature and sciences of Europe and Asia. Here Indian youth are educated to be preachers to their own countrymen. More recently still, an Episcopal Mission College has been established, and handsomely endowed, whose principal object is to prepare the natives and others to be preachers, catechists and school-masters. Beside which there is a School-Book and Bible Society, and others of less promi

nence.

Institutions among themselves, and teach them how to use them, they will gradually, and ultimately be taken off our hands, and will be able, without the aid of our money or our labor, to take care of the education of their own children, and to support all the good institutions requisite in a civilized community. Indians will educate Indians, and the whole business of their civilization will be carried on among themselves.

The School at Cornwall,* in Connecticut, could be very easily raised into such an Institution. The foundations are already laid, and are broad enough to bear such an Institution, and able and experienced instructors are now on the ground. Every thing, by a kind Providence, seems there to be prepared to our hand. Let this then be the Indian College of our country; at least so long as to make a fair experiment. Let it be at once liberally endowed by the Government of the United States, and conducted, on liberal principles, by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, who planted it, and have hitherto, by their Board of Agents, superintended and supported it. Let the number of Instructors be increased, and also the number of pupils, and liberal provision be made for their support. Let it be open, as it now is, for heathen youth from all parts of the world, who may be thrown on our shores, and a department of instruction suited to these uneducated youth, be established in connection with the College. Let these be here gratuitously educated, on the bounty of the Government, and sent back to the several places of their nativity, to educate their own countrymen in turn. What greater blessings can we send forth from our country into heathen lands, than youth thus liberally educated? In what way can we, with so little expense, raise and extend the reputation of our country, so effectually promote peace and good will among men, and diffuse blessings through the world?

Education Families.

I give this name to those bodies which have been commonly denominated Mission Families, because it seems better to describe their character, and may less offend the opposers of Missions. By

*A full account of this School is given in the Appendix, p. 267.

an Education Family I mean, an association of individual families, formed of one or more men regularly qualified to preach the Gospel, to be at the head of such a family; of school-masters and mistresses; of farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters, cabinet-makers, mill-wrights, and other mechanics-of women capable of teaching the use of the needle, the spinning-wheel, the loom, and all kinds of domestic manufactures, cookery, &c. common in civilized fami lies. This family to consist of men and women in a married state, with their children, all possessing talents for their respective offices, with a missionary spirit, devoted to their work; contented to labor without salary, receiving simply support. The size of these families to be proportioned to the importance of their respective stations, and to the number of Indians around them, who are to be educated. Such families have been established, and may be seen in actual operation, and accompanied with their fruits, among the Cherokee, Choctaw and Osage Indians. These bodies are to be the great instruments in the hands of the government, for educating and civilizing the Indians.*

The claims of the Indians on the government and people of the United States, and the way to satisfy these claims.

In the existing state of the Indians, and of our connections with them, what do we owe them? What are the duties, in reference to them, of the civil, and of the religious community? The duties of each are different, but connected. Neither, alone, can do all that seems necessary to be done. There is enough for both to do; and a necessity that there should be mutual co-operation.

The Government, according to the law of nations, having jurisdiction over the Indian territory, and the exclusive right to dispose of its soil, the whole Indian population is reduced, of necessary consequence, to a dependent situation. They are without the privileges of self-government, except in a limited degree; and without any transferable property. They are ignorant of nearly all the useful branches of human knowledge, of the Bible, and of the only Savior of men, therein revealed. They are weak, and ready to perish; we are strong, and with the help of God, able to

*See Appendix.

support, to comfort and to save them. In these circumstances, the Indians have claims on us of high importance to them, and to our own character and reputation, as an enlightened, just and christian nation. In return for what they virtually yield, they are undoubtedly entitled to expect from our honor and justice, protection in all the rights which they are permitted to retain. They are entitled, as "children" of the government, for so we call them, peculiarly related to it, to kind, paternal treatment, to justice in all our dealings with them, to education in the useful arts and sciences, and in the principles and duties of our religion. In a word, they have a right to expect and to receive from our civil and religious communities combined, that sort of education, in all its branches, which we are accustomed to give to the minority of our own population, and thus to be raised gradually and ultimately, to the rank, and to the enjoyment of all the rights and priviliges of freemen, and citizens of the United States. This I conceive to be the precise object of the Government. If we fulfil not these duties, which grow naturally out of our relation to Indians, we cannot avoid the imputation of injustice, unkindness, and unfaithfulness to them,—our national character must suffer in the estimation of all good men. If we refuse to do the things we have mentioned for the Indians, let us be consistent, and cease to call them "children"—and let them cease to address our President, as their "great Father." Let us leave to them the unmolested enjoyment of the territories they now possess, and give back to them those which we have taken away from them.

But the Government, and it is honorable to their character, have not forgotten their obligations. In fulfilment of them, in part, the Congress of the United States have placed at the disposal of their President, the annual sum of ten thousand dollars, which will doubtless be increased, as the plans of the government shall be extended, and require it, to be expended by him in ways which he may judge the most suitable, for the civilization and happiness of the Indians. The regulations adopted to guide in the expenditure of this fund, and the account rendered by the Secretary of War, of the manner in which it has been expended, will exhibit this paternal and benevolent effort of the Government, both in prinçiple and operation.*

See App. L. 1.