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Show 4 REPORT OF COBl&lISSIONER. that quarter; the extinguishment of their title to the lands now ceded, ha long been a subject of serious consideration and desire by the Government A considerable number of. the Chippewas who had continued to reside 011 the ceded lands east of the Mississippi, in Wisconsin and Minnesota, since the treaties of 1837 and 1842, have been removed during the present year. Indeed, with the exception of the Anse and Vieux Desert bands, together with a portion of the Pellican Lake and Wisconsin River hands, an entire removal has been effected. The chiefs, and about one-half of the two lastnamed bands, have emigrated. The 'remainder, with the Vieux Desert band, were recently reported as suffering severely from small-pox and measles. This, with other causes, will prevent any attempt toremove. them until the corning spring, when, it is believed, such of them as it may be expedient to remove can easily be induced to emigrate. The number. removed this yew is reported to be three thousand; and, including the Anse band, it is supposed that only seven hundred remain on the ceded lands. Apprehensions, however, are entertained that, by reason of the proximity of those who have removed to their old hunting grounds, they will return in considerable numbers, and not only again molest our citizens, hut he reduced to destitution and want; as, in such event, they will forfeit their annuities, and have to depend alone on the wild products of the country,. which are now so nearly exhausted as not to afford them the means of.suh-sistence. The same view of this sub,ject induced me, heretofore, to recom-mend that efforts be made to concentrate them within pro er limits west of' the Mississippi, where, with additional means beyond t R ose already pro-vided, arrangements could be made to introduce among them a system of education, embracing the knowledge and practice of agriculture and the simpler mechanic arb. But as the country referred to wasnotthe comrnon property of the whole tribe, part of it belonging exclusively to particular bands who are not parties to any treaties, and who receive no annuities. or material aid from the United States, it was also recommended that Congress be asked for an appropriation to defray the expense of nego-tiating with all the bands for the purpose of acqniring such portions. of the country on the east side of the Mississippi as might be required to supply the wants of our white population; providing, also, that the. whole of their remaining lands, together with their present and future means, should be the common property of the entire trihe; and that as large a proportion of their funds as practicable should be set apart and applied in such manner as best to secnre their comfort and most rapidly advance them in civilization and prosperity. No action was had npon this. recommendation, owing mainly, it is believed, to the shortness of the ses-sion, and the pressure of business upon both Congress and the Department. I now, therefore, renew the recommendation, satisfied that the policy thus briefly referred to is not only best calculated to promote the future welfare of thislarge and interesting tribe, but is necessary to save them from actual starvation; as the game on which they mainly depend for the meiins of' living is fast disappearing, and cannot much longer afford them a support., By permission of the President, the Menomonees, still remain on the lands in Wisconsin ceded by them under' the provisions of their treaty of 1848 with the United States. In that treaty it was stipulated that they were to he permitted to remain two years from the date thereof, and until they were notified by the President that the lands were wanted by the Gov-ernment. To induce them to remove to the countly in Minnesota assigned |