President Thomas Jefferson, author of the phrase “Separation of Church and State,” asked Congress to ratify a treaty with the Kaskaskia Indians, which they did December 3, 1803.
Negotiated shortly after the Louisiana Purchase by future President William Henry Harrison, the Kaskaskia Indian Treaty stated:
“And whereas the greater part of the said tribe have been baptized and received into the Catholic Church, to which they are much attached, the United States will give annually, for seven years, one hundred dollars toward the support of a priest of that religion, who will engage to perform for said tribe the duties of his office, and also to instruct as many of their children as possible, in the rudiments of literature, and the United States will further give the sum of three hundred dollars, to assist the said tribe in the erection of a church.”
Later in 1806 and 1807, two similar treaties were made with the Wyandotte and Cherokee tribes.
On April 26, 1802, Thomas Jefferson extended a 1787 act of Congress in which special lands were designated:
“For the sole use of Christian Indians and the Moravian Brethren missionaries for civilizing the Indians and promoting Christianity.”
President Andrew Jackson stated in a Message to Congress, January 20, 1830:
“According to the terms of an agreement between the United States and the United Society of Christian Indians the latter have a claim to an annuity of $400…”
President Andrew Jackson commented in his Second Annual Message, December 6, 1830:
“The Indians…gradually, under the protection of the Government and through the influence of good counsels, to cast off their savage habits and become an interesting, civilized, and Christian community.”
President Abraham Lincoln stated in his Third Annual Message, December 3, 1863:
“It is hoped that the treaties will result in…permanent friendly relations with such of these tribes…Duty to these wards of the Government demand our anxious and constant attention to their material well-being, to their progress in the arts of civilization, and, above all, to that moral training which under the blessing of Divine Providence will confer upon them the elevated and sanctifying influences, hopes and consolations, of the Christian faith.”
President Ulysses S. Grant stated in his First Annual Message to Congress, December 6, 1869:
“I have attempted a new policy toward these wards of the nation…The Society of Friends is well known as having succeeded in living in peace with the Indians in the early settlement of Pennsylvania…They are known for their opposition to all strife, violence, and war, and are generally noted for their strict integrity and fair dealings. These considerations induced me to give the management of a few reservations of Indians to them…The result has proven most satisfactory.”
President Ulysses S. Grant stated in his Second Annual Message to Congress, December 5, 1870:
“Reform in…Indian affairs has received the special attention…The experiment of making it a missionary work was tried with a few agencies given to the denomination of Friends, and has been found to work most advantageously…Indian agencies being civil offices, I determined to give all the agencies to such religious denominations as had heretofore established missionaries among the Indians, and perhaps to some other denominations…to Christianize and civilize the Indians, and to train him in the arts of peace.”
President Ulysses S. Grant stated to the Senate and House of Representatives, January 1, 1871:
“Civilized Indians of the country should be encouraged in establishing for themselves forms of Territorial government compatible with the Constitution…This is the first indication of the aborigines desiring to adopt our form of government, and it is highly desirable that they become self-sustaining, self-relying, Christianized, and civilized.”
President Ulysses S. Grant stated in his Third Annual Message to Congress, December 4, 1871:
“The policy pursued toward the Indians has resulted favorably…Through the exertions of the various societies of Christians…many tribes of Indians have been induced to settle upon reservations, to cultivate the soil, to perform productive labor of various kinds, and to partially accept civilization…I recommend liberal appropriations to carry out the Indian peace policy, not only because it is humane, Christianlike, and economical, but because it is right.”
President Grover Cleveland issued the Proclamation respecting the Church property in the Territory of Alaska, November 14, 1896:
“Whereas…the Russian Empire ceded to the US the Territory of Alaska…the churches which have been built in the ceded territory…shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church…The Cathedral Church of St. Michael…The Church of the Resurrection…called the Kalochian Church, situated near the battery number at the palisade separating the city from the Indian village….Three timber houses…for lodging of priests. Four lots of ground belonging to the parsonages.”
William J. Federer is a nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America’s noble heritage.
To learn more about the author please visit William Federer
Penn’s Treaty [with the Indians] by Edward Hicks; oil on canvas painting; Philadelphia Museum of Art
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