Mr. SHERMAN. It is not involved, but this is the only manner in which we shall have the question of the Indians before us. We have no opportunity to discuss these Indian matters except when appropriations come before usand they never come before us unless when there is such an urgent and pressing necessity to make the appropriations that we cannot for humanitys sa e stop to deliberate on measures affecting the Indians. A year ago every Senator will remember that a proposition was made to pay over to the Cherokees and other Indians of the Southwest enormous sums of money to relieve them from immediate distress. We had no time to deliberate because the demand was made on us in the name of humanity to feed starving Indians, some of whom had been true and loyal. Indeed, these Indian questions are never brought before us until under such urgent circumstances that we cannot deliberate. There are very few Senators, probably, who would have been willing to authorize the convocation of these Indians at mass: in the various forts of the U.S. for the purpose of making new treaties with them, and the question is now presented to us in such form that we cannot deny the priation, sim appro ly because the executive aut ior ities of the government have directed the convening of the Indians and we are bound to feed them while they are there; we are bound to carry their stipulations into effect; we are not left to legislate or to judge in regard to the matter. Perhaps these remarks may be considered as rather out of order, as they do not. affect the immediate question before the Senate. I do not wish to stand here as opposing this approprintion. Probably the faith of the nation is liound to feed these Indians and take care of them in the usual way. So we shall probably be considered bound to ratify the treaty when made, and we shall be bound to appropriate money to carry the treaty into execution. We never shall have a change in this system until one of 2 policies is adopted, either to transfer the whole Indian service to the War Dept, or else to transfer the Indians to the charge of the people of the States and Territories where tfiey ive, and that is a proposition which I hope will be adopted before ong. I am willing to leave to these new States and Territories the government of the Indian population, and if necessa to give the aid of the Army to govern the Indians, and if it is needed, to distribute to them the $3,000,000 the Indians now cost us to enable them to administer government over them. The system of bribes. treaties, and resents, ought to be abandoned by the U.S.