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Show 14 REPORT OF THE I The assignment of lands toIndians in severalty, and the consequent reduction of the area of large reservations in conformity with treaty stipulations, made it obligatory upon the general government to sell the surplus lands in trust for the benefit of t,he respective tribes, and since the 4th of March, 1857, there have been 348,810.54 acres of Delaware trust lands disposed of for the sum of $587,337 35; Iowa trust land 78,602.16 acres for $184,437 85; Kaskaskia, Peoria, Pian-keshaw and Wea trust land 207,758.85 acres, for $346,671 09, making in the aggregate 635,171.55 acres of land thus disposed of, yielding $1,118,446 29, the greater portion of which aggregate sum has been invested in safe and profitable stocks at an interest of five per centum per annnm for the benefit of those tribes. Since the above period. lands have been allotted in severalty to, and patented in favor of, 557 Wyandotts, 720 Shawnees, 230 Miamis, and 73 members of the confederate bands of Kaskaskias, Peorias, Piankeshaws, and Weas. The Wyandotts possess a fee simple title to the lands assigned to them, and the other tribes specified hare authority to dispose of their lands under the provisions of the eleventh section of the act of Congrerts of March 3, 1859, subject to the regula- 1 tions of the department of December 19, 1859, which require the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, in order to vest a complete title in the purchaser. Thus patents have emanated in favor of 1,580 Indians, and in addition thereto, lands have been assigned to 389 Indians of mixed blood, under the provisions of the tenth article of the treaty of Prairie-du-Chien, of Jnly 15, 1850, for which it is understood that patents will be issued at an ear!y day. Lands have also been allotted to thirty-two New York Indians, and eighty-four members of the united bands of Swan Creek and Black river Chippewas, and Christian or Munsee Indians of Kansa.~w, ho have no power of aliena-tion, but merely hold. the lands by certificates of allotment issued by this bureau, making in the aggregate 2,085 Indians to whom lands have been assigned, in sereralty, during this administration. In connection with this subject, I mould remark that the claims of certain Sioux half-breeds, under the ninth aiticle of the treaty of Prai-rie- dn-Chien, of July 15, 1830, have been finally settled by the ema-nation of scrip in favor of thirty-eight additional claimants, by which each is authorized to locate 360 acres of land, making in all 678 claims to land within the Lake Pcpin tract, in Minnesota, which have been adjudicated by the department as a final and satistactory disposition of this subject, in conformity with the provisions of the act of Congress of July 17, 1854. The &Innsee or Christian Indians who were confederated with the Swan Creek and Black River bands of Chippewas in Kansas, under the stipulations of the treaty of Jnly 16, 1859, are now provided with comfortable homes, and by ordinary industry, they will soon occupy as. enviable a position as that of their brethren, the Chippe~vas,w ho, in the arts of civilization, are in advance of all other bands or tribes of Indians in Kansas, with the exception of the Wyandotts and Shawnees. The superintendent for the central superintendency communicates gratifying intelligence in relation to Indian affairs under his super- |
