The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 28, July 1924 - April, 1925 Page: 267
344 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Federal Indian Policy in Texas, 1845-1846
or other property, which Congress may think necessary for presents
to the Indians shall be in the custody and under the care of the
said superintendents."30
Medill wrote Neighbors that Congress had appropriated the sum
of $10,000 for presents for the Comanches, the Kiowas, and other
prairie tribes. This latter stated that the object of giving pres-
ents to the Indians was to gain influence over them and so control
them more easily.31 There was delay on the part of the United
States in carrying out the stipulations of the treaty of 1846, and
when the Indians became aroused by tales of the Mexicans and
Germans in the winter of 1846-1847, Major Neighbors succeeded
in restoring peace and confidence by the distribution of presents.
He stated in this report made to the Indian Commissioner on
January 6, 1847, that this plan was advised by Houston, who had
recently written him concerning the matter.82 The Indians looked
upon presents as a sort of reward. The Indian Commissioner,
Brown, in his report of November 30, 1849, said the prairie In-
dians had abstained from attacks on emigrants bound for the West
because they expected reward, and not because of the power and
greatness of the National Government, which they had not felt.33
The Comanches regarded their annuities as compensation paid
them by the Central Government for the use of the Santa F6
road by emigrants bound for the West.34 Annuities were paid
to all tribes, but Neighbors recommended in his report of Sep-
tember 10, 1855, to Charles Mix, Indian Commissioner, that they
be given in future only to those Indians who settled down and
cultivated the soil.35
The presents were not always of a practical or useful nature.
They were showy ornaments, trinkets, gay calicoes, and other
things of like nature, instead of beef and corn.38 Some of the
United States army officers complained because arms and ammu-
nition were often among the presents distributed to the Indians,
who used guns only for war, and the bow and arrow in hunting.
a01 Cong., 1 Sess., No. 2, p. 14.
8130 Cong., 1 Sess., Senate Doc. No. 171, pp. 3-4.
8229 Cong., 2 Sess., House Doe. No. 100, pp. 2-5.
8831 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 5, p. 942.
8434 Cong., 3 Sess., Senate Doc. No. 5, p. 562.
8534 Cong., 1 Sess., House Doc. No. 1, p. 499.
"32 Cong., 2 Sess., House Doc. No. 1, pp. 430-431.267
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 28, July 1924 - April, 1925, periodical, 1925; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101087/m1/272/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.