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Show 34 REPORT OF THE COMMISBIONEB OF INDIAN AFFAIRS it is to he hoped that the wisdom of thenext Congress will provide a more strin-gent act, reaching all concerned in the transaction, and making the possession of Indian cattle prima facie evidence of their larceny; or in some other manner provide a more effectual remedy for this great evil, by insuring severe and cer-tain punishment to the guilty parties. Hopes have been entertained that, when the war was ended, snch arrange-ments could be made with the tribes occupying the Indian territory as would enable t.be department to find room wilhin its ample hounds for many of the tribes in Kansas, or such portions of them as did not choose to abandon their tribal relations and become citizens, and that affairs in that country might here-organized in snch a manner as to render such an arrangement highly advanta-geous both to the Indians and the government. I t was therefore with greatsat-isfaction that I learned, through your department, early in July, that a conncil had been held on the 24th of May, by the tribes of the southwest, lately allied with the rebellion. at which dele~ea,t es had been anoointed from each of them to . . vidit this city for n co~~fcrnl>wcieth the puveroment. I t was i t 6161 contt.mplated to B I I O ~ Vtl wae dcle,q:~test o come to Washin~ton, hot suhaequcnt corrcsuondeucc n:solrvJ in the dc,irtnntion of a hoard of eornmis-sioners toproceed to the Indian country, and meerthem at Fort Smith,Arkan-a@, and the President appointed a commission comprising the following persons : D. N. Cooley, Commissioner of Indian Affairs ; Hon. Elijah Sells, superintendent southern enperintendency; Thomas Wistar, a leading member of the society of Friends ;. Brigadier General W. S. Harney, Uuited States army; and Colonel Ely S. Parker, of General Grant's staff. As a prominent part of the history of Indian affairs duling the past year I have included the report and 05cialrecordof the proceedings of this commission, which was continued for thirteen days, among the documents accompanying this report, and need only notice briefly here the results which are more fillly detailed in those papers. The conncil assembled at Fort Smith, September 8, and delegates were pres-ent in the course of the sittings (though not all inattendance at first) represent-ing the Creeks. Choctaws, Chickas ws Cherokees, Seminoles, Osages, Senecas, Shawnees, Quapaws, Wyandotts, dichitae, and Comancl~es. Immediately upon the opening of proceedings, the tribes were informed generally of the obje* for which the commission had come to them; that they for the moat part, as tribes, had, by violating their treaties-by making treaties with the so-called Confederate States, forfeited all rights under them, andmust he considered as at the mercy of the government; hut that there was every disposition to treat them leniently, and above all a determination to recogni~ein a signal manner theloy-alty of those who had fought upon the side of the government, and endured great snfferinga on its behalf. On the next day the delegates wereinformed that the commissioners were empowered to enter into tre~tieaw ith the several tribes, pon the basis of the following propositions: 3 1st. That each tribe must enter into a treaty for permanent peace and amity among themselves, each other as tribes, and with the United States. 2d. The tribes settled in the " Indian country" to hind themselves, at the all of the United States authorities, to assist in compelling the wild tribes of the plains to keep the peace. 3d. Slavery to he abolished, and measures to be taken to incorporate the slaves into the tribes, with their rights guaranteed. 4th. A general stipulation as to final abolition of slavery. 5th. A part of the Indian country to be set apart, to he purchased for the use of such Indians, from Kansas or elsewhere, as the government may desire to colonize therein. 6th. That the policy of the government to unite all the Indian tribes of thb region into one consolidated government should he accepted. 7th. That no white persona, except government employks, or officers or em- |