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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 7 ments unconditionally assented to, and a resolution unanimously adopted expressive of the wish and desire of the Shawnees, "that no couGtenank he given by any of the departments at Washinnton to the atbresnid errtenlled clninis. or anv other of a like character." There are several other tribes in"Kansas Territory with which it will be necessary to have new conventions at an early day; and it is alsa very important that arrangements be made as soon as practicable with the Pawnee and Poncah Indians, of Nebraska, by which their limits may be restricted and defined, and their assaults upon emi-grants, and their hostile excursions against other tribes, terminated. Within the central superintendency no perceptible improvement has taken place during the year in the moral condition of the Indian tribes; while the unusual and protracted drought that has prevailed in that region of country has caused, in many instances, an almost total failure of the crops of some of those who have heretofore attempted to cultivate the soil. Some of -the trihes will have corn sufficient to supply their necessi-ties; and to guard against inevitable suffering and want, it has been determined to retain a portion of the annuities of the present year due to such as are destitute of provisions, and thus afford them the means necessary to procure food during the approaching ninter and spring. Thevarions bands of Sioux, Gros-Ventres, Arickarees, and others of the Upper Missouri agency who are parties to the treaty of Fort Lar-amie, received their annual presents and annuity goods with great satisfaction. The Arickarees, Mandans, and Gros-Ventres informed the agent that he might in future dispense with any further supply of corn, as they had raised enough for their own use, besides a quantity to sell. The rapid dispersion of the buffalo, and other causes alluded to in the report of the agent, require that such action be taken at once as will lay a foundation for the future support of these people. The discontent of some of the hands on the Upper Missouri, and the attempts of tl~osew ho committed the massacre near Fort Laramie-alluded to el semher t~toen list all the Indians of that reeon to join them in a general war on the whites-for details of which you are referred to the reprt of the agenkare, in my judgment, sufficient to require prompt astion and such military defences as will be suffi-cient to protect tho= who may travel over the plains next spring. The Omaha, Ottoe and Missonria, and the Pawnee tribes, embrace the Indians in the Council Bluffs agency. Through the neglect of their former agent, and the delay necessarily occasioned by his rejec-tion by the Senate, and the appointment and quali6cation of a suc-cessor, these Indians have had but little attention during the past season. The Omahas and Pawnees have, it is understood, raised and gathered less than an average crop of corn, but the Ottoes and Mis-sourias are withoui food for the winter, and all of them are nearly destitute of clothhg. When recently in Nebraska, I directed the agent to make pravision for the necessary wants of the Omahas, and Ottoes and Dlissoirias; and to proceed at once, with parties of each, to select the rese~vationsp rovided for in the recent treaties, so that these Indians may be removed early in the spring. By the treaty w&h the Omahas, it is stipulated that the Vnited States will protect |
