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Collection: Directories and Documents > Tanis Thorne Native Californian & Nisenan Collection

A Case Study of a Northern California Indian Tribe - Cultural Change to 1860 (1977) (109 pages)

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Dr. Wozencraft challenged the critics of the reservation policy. Wozencraft stated that when he arrived in Nisenan territory the Indians were in open hostility, immigrants were clamorous for protection and were abusing the State and Federal Governments for neglect, and militia forces were in the field at a heavy expense, withoutcommensurate success. Under these circumstances he exerted every means possible to remedy the situation with the confidence that his actions would meet with the Federal Government's approval and with the gratitude of California's immigrant population [54 Wozencraft presumed that he was not expected to bind California Indian nations to a treaty of peace with the Federal Government with the limited means in his possession. He was confident that if he did not promise to supply cattle to the Indians they would: have fled to the Sierra mountains and renewed their attacks on the immigrants’ property. Wozencraft commented on the accomplishments of his treaty operations. Thus at a trifling cost we have been enabled to control Indians by pursuing a conciliating policy after coersive measures (the "war of extermination") had failed in effecting it. Thus you see the Indians have been patient in etidurance slow to break the promise of peace and friendship. What will be the state of affairs with our Indian : tribes if we refuse a faithful compliance with promises made them, and do not attempt to conciliate those who, as yet, have not been treated with....war to extermination....further overtures of peace would be listened to only in order to deceive us; our infidelity would neither be forgotten nor forgiven by them. Instead it would be mockery to send agents among them, as their labor would be fruitless....by adopting a policy of mercy toward them and making dueallowances for their ignorance of our habits and institutions by understanding that their customs are different from ours -and teaching them industrious habits, you will make them useful members of the community and at the same time destroy their Indianness as surely as if you exterminated them. ° Edward F. Beale, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in California, and Luke Lea, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, supported ratification of the treaties of 1851-. 1852. They agreed with Wozencraft that rejection of these treaties without efforts to retain the confidence and friendship of the Indians would precipitate a general war.136 The alta California also supported ratification of the treaties. It contested an article in the Placer Times and Transcript which condemned the three agents (Mckee, Wozencraft and Barbour) for including portions of the richest mineral areas of California within the Indian reservations. The Alta countered that it would be 30