TOWARDS THE INDIANS. 439 



eighteen years, both personal and official, under every variety 

 of circumstances, in peace and war, and in very remote regions, 

 as well as within our own settlements. The principles laid down 

 in these extracts, are substantially the same as those which 

 now regulate the government in all their transactions with the 

 Indians, when the question of their permanent establishment, 

 or removal, is brought under discussion. So far as respects 

 the emigrating Indians, this will clearly appear by reference to 

 the instructions of the commissioners now engaged in the ad 

 justment of all the unsettled matters connected with the great 

 plan of colonization. 



&quot; With regard, however, to those Indians who refuse to 

 remove, it has not been deemed expedient for the government, 

 by its own act, either to partition out to them the land neces 

 sary for their support, or to decide upon the consideration to 

 be allowed for the residue, and to direct its appropriation. 

 This, so far as regards the general government, has been, and 

 continues to be, the subject of conventional arrangement, in 

 which the parties, by mutual discussion, and compromise of 

 opinion, arrive at a. satisfactory result. In these arrangements, 

 where the parties desire it, adequate tracts of land, in fee, with 

 temporary and wholesome restraints upon the right to sell, are 

 secured to all who desire to remain. That this system of 

 guardianship is, however, founded upon a just and intimate 

 knowledge of Indian character, no one acquainted with that 

 character will question. I need not now enquire whether a 

 practical resort to the principles resulting from it will ever 

 become necessary. If it should, no doubt every arrangement 

 which justice and humanity call for, will be liberally made. 



&quot; In your message to the Senate, of February 22a, 1830, 

 you explained your views of the question of jurisdiction over 

 the Indian tribes living within the respective States and terri 

 tories, and stated, that in your opinion, and in the words of the 

 above report, they were subject to the municipal laws of the 

 State in which they reside, in all cases where such laws are 

 extended over them. 



&quot; The progress of events, since 1828, has confirmed, if 

 confirmation was wanting, the correctness of these principles, 

 and their adaptation to the actual and prospective condition of 



