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habit, customs and laws; the general  policy of the government in its dealings with the Indians and their present status in the United States.

    The principle adopted by our government and by all the nations that obtained a footing upon the western continent was that discovery gave absolute title to the soil. This rule abstractly considered may not be the essence of justice, but it was the universal rule invoked by all foreign nations. They claimed that the land belonged to those who would make the best use of it; that this vast domain was not intended for a limitless and eternal hunting ground. Hence Great Brittain and the United States by succession claimed the absolute dominion to the land disowned recognizing in the Indian tribes a right of occupancy only, which right of occupancy could only be extinguished  by the Indians voluntarily ceding [[strikethrough]] their [[/strikethrough]] possessory title to the United States. It is clear that it was never intended to give them further dominion over the soil than was awarded for a race of hunters. These people in the early days of our history were restless, warlike and signally cruel. They possess the same characteristics ^[[to-day]] after having baffled every attempt to entice them to the arts of peace. When the government built for the Indians in the Indian Territory huts and houses they occupied them for a short time only and then moved into

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