Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Government relations; Indians of North America -- Legal status, laws, etc.
_The Stockbridges and Munsees_, numbering two hundred and fifty, occupy
a reservation of sixty thousand eight hundred acres adjoining the
Menomonees. The Stockbridges came originally from Massachusetts and New
York. After several removals they, with the Munsees, finally located on
their present reservation. Under the provisions of the act of Feb. 6,
1871, steps are now being taken to dispose of all of their reservation,
with the exception of eighteen sections best adapted for agricultural
purposes, which are reserved for their future use. They have no treaty
stipulations with the United States at the present time; nor do they
receive any annuities of any kind from the government. These
tribes--indeed, it may be said this tribe (the Stockbridges); for of the
Munsees there probably remain not more than a half a dozen souls--were
formerly an intelligent, prosperous people, not a whit behind the most
advanced of the race, possessed of good farms, well instructed, and
industrious. Unfortunately for them, though much to the advantage of the
government, which acquired thereby a valuable tract of country for white
settlement, they removed, in 1857, to their present place of abode. The
change has proved highly detrimental to their interests and prospects.
Their new reservation, the greater part poor in soil and seriously
affected by wet seasons and frequent frosts, has never yielded them more
than a meagre subsistence. Many have for this reason left the tribe, and
have been for years endeavoring to obtain a livelihood among the whites,
maintaining but little intercourse with those remaining on the
reservation, yet still holding their rights in the tribal property. The
result has been bickerings and faction quarrels, prejudicial to the
peace and advancement of the community. More than one-half of the
present membership of the tribe, from both the "citizen" and the
"Indian" parties, into which it has been long divided, are reported by
the agent as having decided to avail themselves of the enrollment
provisions in the act of Congress of February, 1871, before referred to,
by which they will finally receive their share of the tribal property,
and become citizens of the United States. Those who desire to retain
their tribal relation under the protection of the United States may,
under the act adverted to, if they so elect by their council, procure a
new location for their future home. The school interests and religious
care of this people are under the superintendence of Mr. Jeremiah
Slingerland, a Stockbridge of much repute for his intelligence, and his
success in the cause of the moral and educational improvement of his
people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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