OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE loyal thronghont the rebellion. In June last tbey captured and destroyed a party of nineteen rebels who were passing through their count^^, and who, by the instructions and papers found upon their persons, were fully proven to have been commissioned by the rebel authorities to enrol and organize the disloyal in Arizona and Dakota. Occupying, as tbey do, a position between the white eettlements in the southern portion of Kansas and the region in possession of the rebels, their fidelity to the government has been of inestimable value in pro-tecting the frontier from the incursions of rebel guerillas. As already mentioned, a new treaty has been negotiated with the Osages, and is awaiting the action of the President and Senate. By this treaty a tract of country 30 by 50 miles in extent has been ceded to the United States, to be occupied by ,Indians, now resident in Kansas, who may be induced to remove to and reside upon the same. Another tract, 20 miles in width, and extending from the western boundary of the cession just named along the entire length of tbeir northern boundary, is also ceded for settlement by whites. Very liberal provisions are also made for educational, agricultural, and other beneficial pnr-poses. I trust this treaty will he ratified, and have no doubt that it will result in good to the Indians as well as to ourselves. The Osages have made very considerable progress in agiculture, and are not indifferent to the subjeot of education. For their improvement they are greatly indebted to the zealous and humane efforts of Rev. John Shoemaker, who has established a manual labor school among them, and has devoted tho best years of his life to their service. The Quapaws are a small tribe, owning a rescmation immediately south of the Osages. They justly take pride in the fact that not one of their numbers has joined with tbe rebels. In the spring of 1862 they were driven from their homes, and since that time tbey have been subsisted as other refugee Indians. The Senecas and Shawnees, residing still further south, were, at the outaet of therehellion, forced by the rebels into an unwilling alliance, and for a time were under treaty stipulations with them, from whom they received one instal-ment of their stipulated annuities. At the firet appearance,'however, of the federal forces, they threw off the authority of the rebels and returned to their allegiance. They, as well as the Quapaws, are now temporarily located upon the lands of the Ottawas, in Kansas, and no doubts are entertained as to their fidelity and future loyalty. The Seminoles, at the last reliable census, numbered something over two.& thousand two hundred. This was prior to the breaking out of the i~hellion. There are now in camp near Neosho Falls, under the charge of Agent Snow, six hundred and seventy-two, mostly women and children, the able-bodied men having joined the Union forces. ?t is estimated that about two.thirds of the tribe have remained loyal. The Witchitas, and other bands affiliated with them, numbering about nine: teen hundred souls, are now encamped near Belmont, Kmsas, and are under charge of Agent Carruth. One of theae hands, pie., the Tonkawas, under the leadership of a former United States agent, joined with the rebels at an early |