The land has kansas and Missouri,) that they may be tried and punished by the United States circuit and district courts when sitting in these districts. They are allowed to live under their own laws, follow their own customs, and indulge in their own modes of life. been ceded to the Indians, each tribe owning the portion allotted to it by the United States. It is quite probable that after the Indians have reached a higher grade of civilization, and become more assimilated to the customs and usages of the white people, that they will apply to Congress for admittance into the family of States, and become an integral part of the United States. But at present they occupy this semi-isolated condition, are under our protection, and partially under our criminal laws. The United States would protect them against foreign invasion or harm, in case interference should be attempted. The government protects them against our own people; for it will not allow them to trade with, nor even to go among them without permission. The provision made by the United States for the preservation and well-being of the Indians, by assigning them a location in the Indian Territory, does not, however, include all the Indian tribes; those now inhabiting this Territory are principally from the tribes east of the Mississippi river; many tribes west of that river still remain in their original homes, or have moved to certain localities which have been reserved for them, called Indian reservations, where they are protected by Indian agents appointed by the government for this purpose, and also to look after other Indian affairs. The population of the Territory at the last census was 9,761; while the whole number of Indians in the United States amounts to about 300,000. CHAPTER XCV. The Wars of the United States. 1. So many acts of the government, and so many laws of Congress have had especial reference to the wars in which the country has been involved, that it will throw much light upon them to give a very brief historical sketch of the different wars in which the United States have been engaged. 2. The first in order of time, and in the results which followed, is the Revolutionary war, as it is called in our own country. This war was begun and consummated, however, before our government existed; for it was fought for the express purpose of gaining the power to establish a government for ourselves. This the people could not do while they were under the power of the English government, which oppressed them with bad laws, and with corrupt and oppressive administration. Petitions for relief, and strong remonstrances against such oppression, proved utterly abortive. The people resorted to arms with a firm determination to redress their wrongs by force, as all other means had failed. 3. This statement gives the reasons for this war. It commenced on the 19th of April, 1775—or rather, on that day the first blood was spilt. Some preparations had been previously made, since it had been seen for some time that the stubborn acts of the English government, and the determination of the people to redress their greivances, would pretty certainly lead to a con test. 4. This war lasted seven years, and was attended with varied success. The colonies were poor, the population small, and to many it appeared preposterous to contend with the power of the mother country, which was rich in money and means to subdue the rebellion, as she termed this uprising of the people to vindicate their rights. There were other causes which protracted the struggle, and which caused more blood to be shed than the battles with the British armies would have cost, had all the people in the colonies been united, which was not the case. Numbers of them opposed the war, adhered to the old government, even took up arms on the side of England, and did all in their power to assist her in her efforts to put the colonies down. These men rendered material aid to the British during the whole period of the contest. They were then, and have ever since been called Tories; which meant enemies to their own country. They made themselves extremely odious to the people, and the name has been a term of reproach ever since. 5. But this was not all. Besides the power of England, against which the people had to contend, the English, by means of presents, induced the Indians, who were numerous at that time, to join them. This stratagem not only afforded much assistance to the English government, but added the horrors of savage barbarity to the war. The Indians not only went into battle with the English, but laid in ambush, watching and shooting the people wherever they could find them. But all the power of Great Britain, aided by her par tisans here, and by her savage allies, availed not. The bloody struggle went on till victory crowned the efforts of the colonies. Under the leadership of Washington, the Revolution was completed, a new nationality was created, and a new government took its place in the family of nations. THE SECOND WAR. 6. Not more than ten years had elapsed since the close of the Revolutionary war with England, before a serious difficulty occurred between the United States and France, which had been our friend and ally during the struggle for independence. We say it was a serious difficulty, for it came very near involving the two countries in a destructive contest. But by the discreet and wise management of our government, nothing more than some hostile encounters at sea occurred, after which the two nations came to a good understanding, and no further hostile acts were perpetrated on either side. Before this the French government authorized the capture of American vessels. This was done in several instances; therefore Congress authorized American vessels to retaliate upon the French, and all treaties with France were declared void. 7. But why this hostility between those who recently were such firm friends? This may be explained; France was at war with England, and she wished to involve the United States in her controversy. She wanted us to assist her because she assisted us; quite a plausible reason; but President Washington, and many others of the wisest and best men in the country disapproved of commencing another war with England, or of aiding her enemies so soon after we had concluded a peace with her. Besides, we were weak then; our resources almost exhausted, and we were deeply in debt. Washington's policy prevailed, and the nation escaped another war with our ancient enemy. France disliked this, and for a few years was quite hostile to us; but wiser counsels finally prevailed, and friendly relations were again established between the two nations. THE THIRD WAR. 8. The third war, although hardly entitled to so sounding a name for it was rather a fight with pirates commenced in 1801, with Tripoli, one of the piratical Barbary powers of the north of Africa. She, with Morocco and Algiers, undertook a system of robbery upon all vessels trading up the Mediterranean sea, by demanding tribute for the privilege of navigating that sea. It was an assumption of power that could not be better explained than to call it piratical. They undertook to enforce these most unrighteous demands by capturing the ships, and imprisoning their crews, if they refused to comply. They tried the game on our vessels, captured several, and imprisoned their seamen. This was rather more than our government was disposed to endure; so it dispatched a squadron of ships under Commodore Preble, who had a fight with some of their vessels, knocked them to pieces, bombarded their town, and made them deliver up all the American prisoners. These energetic proceedings soon humbled the barbarians, and compelled them to relinquish their nefarious practice of demand |