In some parts marriage between Indians and whites was severely punished. The disabilities have recently been removed, and Indians are enabled to leave their tribes or renounce the tribal system as a body and become citizens. Col. Ely S. Parker, a Seneca Indian, has even held the office of Indian commissioner. This step enables the more intelligent and industrious Indians to identify themselves with the white population, and induce others by their example to follow the same course. The Indian population of the British colonies is estimated at 150,000. That in Mexico and Central America is not easily ascertained, but form the major part of the people. South America, with some civilized and many wild tribes, has about 7,000,000 Indians.