Mr. HENDERSON. I did not desire to Represent the gentle men from Illinois as having said that the bill was intended for that purpose; but the gentleman has said that the In inns will not understand the tax laws sufficiently to protect their own lands. According to my information concerning the character of those Indians, the gentleman is very much mistaken. They are generally shrewd, intelligent men; many of them have become wealthy; they understand how to take care of their interests; and there need be no apprehension that they will be defrauded in consequence of ignorance of the tax laws. The insinuation was thrown out by some of the gentlemen who spoke yesterday that this bill has been gotten up by a set of swindlers who intend to defraud the Indians. In reply to this, I can say that the bill in its present form was asked for by the Representative from Kau sas, [Mr. Guiana] I will say, in reference to the provisions of this bill as they affect these Indians, that I believe them to be just and right, and that they ought to be adopted by this House. These lands are held in severalty, and a great many of the settlements of these Indians are surrounded at least on 3 sides by those of white men, and the settlements of some white men are surrounded on 3 sides bythose of Indians. Gentlemen say that some settlements are surrounded on all 4 sides. Now, a country thus situated can never prosper. Neither the whites nor the Indians can prosperwhere there is such a mixed and divided jurisdiction. There must be some uniformity, and that is what this bill proposes to supply. If these Indians do not want the rights of citizens, then I have been misinformed. I understand that the object is to have these Indians Christianized; to have them become citizens of the U.S.; to have them become in all respects civilized like white men. I think the sooner the Indians can become citizens, and enjoy all the rights and privileges of citizens, the better it will be for them. If they cannot be brought to eujo the privileges of citizenship, then I despair of, any successful effort being made in their behalf. I feel, as fast as they arrive at the properstage, they should have the protection of citizens under the laws and be comelled to submit to the duties enforced by the government. I regretted to hear the Gentfrom Illinois [Mr. INGERSOLL] declare that the troubles, between the whites and the Indians are almost universally chargeable upon the whites. I have lived a long time in sight of Indians, and I think I have a pretty correct knowledge of their habits; and, Sir, I now take it upon myself to say that Indians who are not civilized and enlightened, who have not been brought under the influences of Christianity, hat/e no moral principle, and are not to be depended upon. I deny that the barbarities perpetrated by the Indians have universally been occasioned by the whites. I could recite barbarities perpe trated by Indians upon the whites within my own knowledge, but I will not take up the time to do so. I repel, however, any idea that the barbarities committed by the Indians have grown out of any acts of the whites. They grow out of the depraved nature of the Indians an enlightened by Christianity. That is the cause of the barbarous conduct of which so many of these Indians have been guilty.