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Show COYXISSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 3 boundaries of their rerervations, to provide them with the means of education. and in all other resuectu to fillfil the beneficial sti~~ulations of their &eaty. - - From their remote position, either to the Michigan.or to the agency on the Mississippi, they are almost entirely destitute of the advice, counsel or assistance of an agent, which is indispensable to their peace and interests ; and provision should be made to supply them with the services of a faithful officer. --I A change for the better seems to be taking place in the condition and p~ospectso f the Indians of Minnesota. The Chippewas of the Mis-sissippi appear to understand and appreciate the policy and objects of the treaty made with them in February last, by which the different bands are to be concentrated on small reservations in suitable locali-ties- the lands to be divided among them in severalty--snd where they are required to devote themselves to industrial pursuits. Their hereditary chief, Hole-in-the-Day, who headed the delegation to this city with which the treaty was made, has set them a most excellent and commendable example, having, on his return home, gone earn-estly to work, and practically demonstrated to his people the ad-vantages of personal exertion and industry. He raised not only an abundant supply of grain and vegetables for his own family, but had a considerable surplus to dispose of, at the annuity payment, to those who had been less provident. The assembled tribe there saw and understood, in the case of one of their own peoplea leading and influential man among them-some of the advantages and benefits of a settled and industrious course of life. One of the most marlred evidences of the commencrment of a spirit of improvement among these people is seen in a growing'disposition to dispense with the pecu-liar dress of the Indian and adopt that of civilized life. A new treaty with the Winnebagoes, embracing the same policy, was also made in February last, by which they were assigned a new and more suitable home on the Blue Earth river, south of the Min-nesota, with which they were well pleased, and where nearly the whole of them have quietly and contentedly settled down. They have been more temperate and orderly than heretofore, and have manifested an encou;aging disposition to give up their unsettled habits nnd devote themxelves to the cultivation of the fioil. The Sioux of Minnesota consist of four bands of the great Dacotah family-the Med-a-wan-kan-toan, Wah-pay-koo-tah, Se-see-toan, and Wah-pay-toan, the great body of whom are now concentrated on their reservation on the Upper Minnesota river. A small portion of the first yet linger about their former homes below; but it is expected they will soon be induced to join and quietly settle down with their brethren. .A more orderly and peaceful spirit is beginning to prevail among those people. There has been but one case reported of depre-dations committed by any of them, and but one difficulty with the Chippewas, which was occasioned by the misconduct of a party of the latter. It is gratifying to believe that the arrangements with both these tribes, respecting their locati?n and concentration, and for their future management and control, wlll effectually tend to put an end to |
