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Show REPORT OF THE COMMIBSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 27 the Blackfeet Indians within that superintendency, and such information as we have in regard to that tribe will be found under its proper head. Governor Edmunds transmits the report of Agent Wilkinson, who has charge of the tribes in the neighborhood of Fort Berthold, in the northern part of Dakota Territory, and including the Assinaboines and Crows, who receive their annuity goods at Fort Union. He reports his di~tributiono f the goods early in the last summer, and the tribes last named well disposed towards the whites, except a portion of the Assinnboines. These, however, left for their hunting-grounds, north of the British boundary line, immediately on receiving their goods. About the 1st of July, 1864, the goods destined for the Gros Ventres, Mandans, and Arickarees were distributed to them at Fort Berthold, entirely to their satisfaction, except that complaint was made of the want of guns, these Indians bciog in constant fear of attacks from thesioux, and asking for guns for self-defence. Agent Wilkinson reports that all the tribes within his agency are anxious that new treaties should be made with them, and states that the Assinnhoines, Arickarees, and Gros Ventres own large tracts of land south of the Missouri river, which they would cede to the United States and go upon reser-vations. As an evidence of the feeling of the Arickareen, the agent forwards a copy of a epeech made in council by their head chief, White Shield, to which I refer in this connexion. It is suggested by the agent that an agency he es-tablished near the mouth of the Yellow Stone river; and he states that the Assiuahoines and Crows would probably come to that point aud raise crops. I n view of the increasing tide of emigration passing through the region in-habited by these Indians, the suggestion of a treaty with them, by which a ces-sion of lands and a concentration of the tribes upon a reservation may be ohtailled, is worthy of consideration. They are friendly now, and express a desire to cultivate the soil and have schools established among tbem; and advantage may be taken of their present good disposition to preserve the exist-ing amicable relatinns, and avoid great expense and difficulty in the future. I am further confi~med in the view here taken of the policy proposed in regard to these liiendly tribes by reports from Rev. Father De Smet, whose cornmuni-cations give much valuable informatiou concerning them. The remarkable fact, stated by this excellent authority, that these Indians have not only ex- ~ressed a desire to concentrate themselves nuon a reservation, but to have the i~irtrlebagoesn t~dJ 'awntvs removed to tl~eir;i cinirY, i~~dicdtttso, soo1t8 extent at lrast, that it i+ practic31,le 10 conceotratf: a large proportiott uf the Iltdinos of this region upoua single reservation; the variiui eiements of an extensive tract, sufficiently fertile, conveniently located, mostly attainable by government from friendly tribes willing to concentrate within smaller limits and cultivate the soil, being all present. I t would be a pleasing result of the long-continued friendly conduct of these tribes-continued notwithstanding the alternate per-suasions and threats and outrages of their hostile ncighbors among the Sioux-if they should form the nucleus of the northern reservation, and receive the first benefits to be derived from the establishment of suffieient military posts for their protection, schools for the education of their children, and the other hn-manizing and civilizing influences which can only be brought to hear with success upon the Indiaus when concentrated upon reservations, and their inter-course with the whites kept under strict control. I most earnestly commend this whole subject to your careful consideration. Early in the present year I was advised, by reference from you of a letter from the War Department, that Major General Pope had protested against the delivery of annuity goods to the S i ~ u xof the Upper Missouri, and also declared that he would permit "no sort of interference or interposition from Indian agents" until the campaign should be over. I had dready ~ustructed all of the agents not to distribute any guns or ammunition; in fact none had been pur-chased, and this was made matter of complaint, as above noticed, by some of the |