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Show COMMIBSIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 15 persons. To prevent this, and a consequent collision between the parties, as well as to save the Poncas from extreme suffering, if not actual starvation, the department has been compelled to incur a heavy expense in furnishing them with the necessary provisions. Treaties were also negotiated with the Med-a-way-kan-toan and Wah-pay-koo-tay, and the Se-see-toan and Wah-pay-toan bands of the Sioux Indians, for the purpose of reducing the large reservations on which they reside,in the western part of Minnesota, and to arrange for the division and assignment to them, in small tracts, of the lauds to be retained by them. Such an arrangement is necessary for the well being of those Indians, who have so far improved since they have been concentrated on their reservations, as to be in a condition to dissolve their tribal organization and to become possessed of individual property in their lands. The considerable surplus land now occupied by them is also required for the use of the increasing whitepopulatiou by which they are becoming surrounded. Like considerations render it expedient and important that a treaty for the same purpose be made with the Winnebagoes at an early day. Our relations with the Se-see-toan and Wah- ay toan bands of Sioux have been materially interfered with by the ff an-c tonnais band, who complain that the cession made by the former by the treaty of 1861, embraces a considerable portion of territory which belonged to them. They create much trouble and difficulty by coming into the annuity payments and claiming a large share of the money distributed to those bands ; and they evince so vengeful a disposition as to occasion the constant apprehension of their breaking out into hostilities, which would,lead to very serious consequences in the loss of both life and property on that frontier. It was deemedadvisable to send them some presents for the purpose of soothing their irritation and satisfying them of the friendly disposition of the government towards them, and thus to prepare the way for holding a council with them under favora-ble circumstances, with aview to the settlement of the existing diffi- I culty. Congress having made the necessary appropriations, suitable presents to the amount of $21,000 were pnrchaseditndsent out in July last; a special agent having, at the same time, been appointed to apprise them of the views and wishes of the department, and toinduce them to appoint a time for receiving the presents and holding afriendly conference. No satisfactory result attended this proceeding. They behaved with great incivility, and refused either to receive the pres-ents or to fix anv time for a council for the settlement of their alle-ee d grievances. The Indians in the region of the upper Missouri and its head waters, were, fortunately, not visited the past season with the small-pox, with which they were so severely scourged last year. Those within the Blackfeet agency, consisting of the tribes of that name, the Gros Ventres, Piegans, and Blood Indians, and numbering about 9,400, are represented by the agent to have been generally peaceable and quiet, and as remaining wellaffected towards the United States. The tribes within the upper Missouri agency, numbering about 30,400, have been somewhat turbulent and discontented. A large and war-like portion of them arc near the frontiers, and have it in their power |