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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAh' AFFAIRS. 33 treaty being to provide a home in the Indian country for the Delawares, now lo-cated in Kanaas. The commissioner was also authorized to treat npon suchother subjects as might be considered of interest and importance to the respective tribes. Several interviews were had with the Cherokee delegation, but I re-gret to state tbat, after a full and thorough consideration of such subjects as it was denired by the Cherokees should be embraced in the provisions of the pro-posed treaty, it was fonnd that, while no veryserious objections existed as to any other proposition, they were inflexible npon the point of maintaining their jn-risdiction as a tribe or nation over the entire territory heretofore owned by them. In other words, it was found that, while they were willing to receive the Delawares ammg them and accord to them rights in common with their own people, get it was iusisted that the Delawares sho~ild virtually incorporate themselves with and become a part of the Cherokee Nation. To this, as I think, the Delawares very properly refused their assent, and tbus the negotia-tions .were terminated witlrout any beneficial result to either party. Recent in-formation, of an unofficial character, has led me to believe that further negotia-tions would be attended with better euccess. The fortnnes of war have greatly impoverished this tribe, and aa a means of in some degree relieving them from their pressing wants, md euabling them to resume their former avocations, I respectfully suggest the propriety of purchasing from them the tract of coun-try they now own within the State of Kansas, known as neutral lanas. This tract of land is represented as being very desirable for the purpose of settlement, and it is understood that the loyal Cherokees are willing to dispose of it on very favorable terms. In this connexion the following saggestions are respectfully submitted : The territory ao&tIi of Kanaas and west of Arkansas, heretofore known as the "In-dian Country," and occupied by the Oaagee, the Quapaws, Senecas, and Shaw-nees, the Cherokees, Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chicasaws, and the Wichi-taa and other affiliated bands, embraces some seventy-five thousand square miles. The total number of the tribes inhabiting this country prior to the re-bellion, according to the best data now available, was in the neighborhood of seventy thousand, or less than one to each square mile. All accounts agree in representing the country as well adapted to the support of a dense population, and this is confirmed by the prosperity of the various tribes within its limits, prior to the rebellion. I t is, then, perfectly evident that the area of the coun try is vastly in exceea of the necessities of the Indians by whom, in virtue of various treaties, it was owned at the commencement of the war. Under the operations of the war the relations of these people to the general government have been very materially changed. Very many of them have united their fortunes with the rebels, while many more, and it is believed a majority, have remained steadfast in their loyalty and in the observ~nce of their treaty stipn-lations. In the readjustment of our relations with these people, which must necessarily occur at the close of the war, the former class should meet with the condemnation their conduct so justly deserves, and the latter should be treated with the most generous consideration; but it can be no wrong to either class, that they should be required to receive within the limits of their conntry other tribes with whom they are on friendly terms. As before remmked, the area of their country is vastly in excess of their wants. The tribes now located in Kansas and Nebraska, and it may be some others, are on friendly terms with those of the "Indian country," excepting so far only as their friendship may have been interrupted by the war. Like them, they are all more or less ad-vanced in civilization, and it is believed that they would easily affiliate, and in time become one people, if the whole were occupants of one oountry. The "Indian country" is not encroached upon to any appreciable extent by white settlements, and is well adapted by climate, soil, and location to support a large population of these people. The convenience and comfort of the citizens 3 C I |