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Show e still remaining a large number of Kickapoos, who would gladly rejoin the trib uuon a reservation in the Indian countrv. 'A ronsidrrnhlr i ~ ~ ~ no~f hthce r1 (an~nbp<.rtionoifh c triho are anxious to make a now rn ary, providing for afllii~gil tt.ir lands :IMI rrmtwing to thv ~out11b, ill a nceui eiXorr to ~.lli:cra rrvalv armnecmeilt wit11 thtm thi1c.d. owin"a lo thy dii-content of the people of a11"~artiesYo n account of their ni t having received certain expected benefits from the last treaty made with them. In any event it may be expected that some few of these people will remain with a view OF becoming citizens of the United States, and these will for the most part be of the Pottawatomie portion of the tribe. The annual report from the Shawnee agency exhibits the condition of those people in a very favorable aspect. . The census of those npon the annuity roll amounts to 660, of whicb 594 belong to the class which holds lands in severalty, and 66 to that which holds in common ; and the aggregate amount of property owned by individuals is stated at $619,392. The number of acres cultivated was 3,667, prodncing over 100,00a~hushelso f grain, 5,000 bushels of potatoes, &c., the total value of the crop being given at $69,345. They own 2,600 head of stock of all kinds, valued at $54,597. Morally the condition of the people is also good, every dram-shop being closed, and not a drunken Indian seen for a month previous to the report. The interest of the people in education is increasing. Some forty children kt the manual labor school were making good progress, and many of the children of the tribe attend the district schools of the State. ' I t would appear from the agent's reportthat the United States senators from Kansas have recently had a conference with the Shawnees, in which the opinion was plainly expressed by the former, that if the snits with reference to taxes hitherto referred to shall be decided by the United States Supreme Court favorably to the rigbt to tzx, those who are thus taxed will necessarily become citizens of the United States, and lose their tribal rights and interests. Some of the most intelligent and civilized of the Shawnees are ready to take this step, and desire to do so; but apparently a majority du not desire it, and prefer to retain their tribal organization and remove south, while both classes claim that the government cannot by law abrogate the provisions of a treaty, whichsecures them tribal rights. The question is one of great importance, involving the interests of not only this tribe but many others, and its decision is awaited with great anxiety. This tribe furnished over 100 soldiers to the United States army in the late war, and they proved to be brave and efficient men. The subject of the treaty now pending in the Senate made with this people last spring has been alreddy refexred to. The superintendent expresses the . opinion that it would have been greatly to the advantage of the tribe if that treaty had heen ratified so that arrangements might by this time have been well under way for removing the Shawnees to a new home in the south, where there are already hundreds of their numher dho have refused to avail themselves of the benefits of the previous treat,y, hut who would join the triheagain if re-moved to the Indian country. Pottawotonzies.-This tribe is,so far as a considerable portion of its members resident in Kansas are concerned, rapidly advancing in civilization, and large numbers are preparing to assume the dutiea and privileges of citizens of the United States; at the last oensns they numbered 1,992, being an increase of 118 since iast year, and the agent, thinks that this increase is not altogether attributable to the return of absentees, but partly to a real increase of numbers consequent npon the generally favorable physical and mcrd condition of the p8ople. Two seasons of plenty have done much towards their prosperity, and the in-dividoal' property of the members of the tribe is estimated at $1 44,000, exclu-sive of the value of their crop and their annuities. They have cultivated 1,900 |
