OCR Text |
Show large force of the hostile Indians, too large to be attacked with safety, were in h e country to the eastward of that post. The general's report estimates the n m h r at tan thousand warriors, but this is probably the error oP a copyist, aa . the tot$ population of the hostile tribes would scarcely afford so many ahle-bodied men, and it is understood that a large number had already separated themselves from the ban& an hotly pursued. The general was under the ap-prehension that hie failure to attack and continuanee of hia march down the river would he considered by the Inllians as a retreat. In the latter part of Anpst, under the direction of the President, a commis-sion, comprising Governor Edmundn, Major Ge ral Curtis, Superintendent 5;$2@T'u ylor, General C#; a d Hon. Or r,~esi!$un~ was appointed to go ' up the Missouri to endeavor to meet and negotiate with these Indians, and " %hi%co mmission is now at its appointed rendezvoub No mprt has yet been reoeised from this commission except such as is can-taioed in the report of Governor Edmunds, herewith, under date of the 14th October, and in other advice0 r e f e l 4 to in the nreliminarv" o.ar t of this r emi . T h v h.td, OII t l~el wh, uigned n treaty wit11 thi Miunecongoa, numbering, as rcprcrented hy their chief',, three huodn~dn nd sevet~ty l odge^. 'l'hia%nud m e nvnm~:itedb v i:iel,t or' their nrinrivdl chirti-inclndine Olra l Io~ul,~ radch iet-unb twenty-theehurriora ~hese'claimed a180 to rep;ksent ten other hands of Sioux, nearly all of whom have been hostile; all of whom, they said, were . anxious for peace, and would willingly treat on the same terms as offered to the Minnecongos. I t is highly probable that other treaties have ere this been entered into with other hands, and that we are now actually at peace with this numerons and troublesome people. I n case the repert of the commission reachex thisoEEce in time, it will be published among the papers accompanying this report. Treaties cannot, however, he completed at this time with all who are anxious Car peace. T h ~ sis owing to the lateness of the season, and the very widely scattered position of the Indians. I am satisfied that, with the opening of spring, the Intlians being accessible, treaties of peace can readily he effected with all the tribes of the southwest; and when it is wneidered that ten yeapa of such Deace will he much less exoenaive than one Year of war. I cannot but conqrut;lat6t you on the abundant ;access of yonr &meN e~ort; in this hvhalf. (irncral Sully stater, in n recent nport, thathethinka tlmt at Iran1 two-thirds of tht. tribeaoririnallv ho~tiles ill hnre, bv this time. either~ivunth ~*rnaelvean o l or detached thGmselvgs from the remainder. The mnt of h e mi litary c&- paigns is enormous, and it still remains douhtfnl whether a reliable peace could not have been made last year at infinitely less prim. Every posslble effort. under your instructions, has been made, during theseoperations, to prevent the 1 occasiunal differences of opinion between civil and military,officers from nffect-ing the effieiency of military operations ; and if they have not fully succeeded in accomplishing their end, no fault can be found with subordinates of this department; while, if they ace successful, their success will he highly gratify-ing to this office. Governor Edmunds has felt it to he his duty, as governor of the Territory and so erintendeut of Indian affairs, to call attention to sundry irregularities, ofwhic 'h he considered the proof to be ample, in the condnct of parties connected with the military posts on the Missouri liver, in furnishing the Indians with articles contraband of war, in exchange for articles which they had for sale. Donhtless these transactions, if brought to the knowledge of the commanding officer. have been checked. General Sullv has extjihited everv desire to have his oierations interfere as little a8 P o ~ s i h l ~ wthi et ~in~te rnourre" with and dnp-pliea for the friendly tribea in the northern part uf the 'l'erritory. The Gro3 Veutrra. Arirkawna, aud Mnndsns. to whum distribution of annnitv gnodn is made by gent \Vilkinson nt anrl illir Fort Llrrthold, were supplid sati.-factorilf, except that the dilnin~rtion of 111e quantity, caused by deprecia-tion uf the curreucy, was dificrtlt of expl~nation. |