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Show REPORT OF THE COMXISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 35 to these last-mentioned Indians will be found under the head of the northern superintendency, under whose charge they now are. In regard to the Yanctons, it day be said that, for varions reason^, to some extent arising from remarks which this office felt called upon to make laat year, in referring tu the condition in which they were found by the agent who took charge of them May 1, 1865, and also their condition as seen by the treaty com-missioners and committee of Congress who visited them, they have received a great deal of attention during the year, to such an extent that, upnn a resolution. of the House of Representatives, special inquirien were inetitnted in regard to their matters. and report made thereon, disclosing some of the reasons why tbis tribe had not nrofited more b"v t.h b lar-w exoenditurc made in its behalf under the exiating &aty. The new agent, Mr. Conger, has, nhder frequent instrnctionsaod constanteu-nervision of this office. alreadv effected a ereat chanee in the condition of the hibe. Preparations were made early in the spring for planting for a large crop, " and the result has been a great success ; and the Indians, who had been in such a state of destitution last year that supplies bad to be furnished them to keep them from starvation, are now rejoicing in plenty. Special Agent Graves, who visited them as late as October 1, reports that their crop of corn will amount to 70,000 bushels ; that the goods to be distributed to themafter harvest have been well selected and are of a useful character; that their payment of $20,000 of cash annuities was satisfactory to them, (except that, like white people, they would have preferred gold to greenbacks ;) that the distribution of medals to their chiefs gave great satisfaction; and that old " Strike the Ree," the head chief, whose speeches in behalf of his people have heretofore elicited considerable at-tention, now expressed himself as satisfied that the government really intended to deal justly with the Yanctons. Nothing of special importance has occurred in regard to the Poncas. The one thing needed for them is the ratification of the supplemental treaty made with them long ago, by which they exchange a portion of their reservation for other lands adjoining, more suitable for their purposes. Practically, the Indians had left the neighborhood of the agency as early as January last, and had gone to the lands intended to he secured to them by the treaty. Their condition during the winter was good, and food was plenty, while, as spring came on, great quanlities of water-fowl supplemented their remaining stock of grain, &c. During the winter the Indians cut and corded upon the bank of tho &Iissouri, for sale, over two hundred cords of wood. In the spring they put a larger breadth of land than usual in crops, and expected a good result.\ . It is to be hoped that action upon the treaty above referred to will not be longer delayed, there being no reason known to this office for its suspension. The Indians are very anxious for its ratification, in order that the necessary arrangements may he made for removing their agency buildings to a more con-venient site. Preliminary arrangements have been made for placing the educational inter-ests of this tribe, which have been greatly neglected, in the hands of the American Baptist Board, and it is intknded to establish under their care a good manna1 labor school in the building erected for the nrpose some time since, retaining it upon its present site, as being better adaptei for its particular purpose than to remove the building, as heretofore contemplated. Proceeding further up the Missouri we come next to the Crow Creek agency, abandoned, as before mentioned, by the Santee Sioux and FTinnebagoes, and where an extensive stockade and buildings of considerable vdne bad been erected. These buildings have been occupied, for the most part, by Gnited States troops of late, but were to have been abandoned by them under a recent military.order for the evacuation of several posts. I t being represented by Governor Edmunda that a small garrison would be necessary to secure quiet among the Indians and I |