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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 43 Mr. Mathewson, appears to he the right man in the right place. The tribe is fortunate in heing in charge of a person who takes a deep interest inita welfare, as the people have suffered much during the three years which have elapsed since tbeir removal from Minnesota, their census showing a diminution of 400 or 500 since that period. Under.the provisions of their late treaty, which are being carried into effect npon the new reservation purchased for them of the Omahas, ra-p id -pro-pea s is heing- made in resto~ingt hem to comfort and inde-pendence. Immediately after the ratification of that treaty, Agent Mathewson repaired to the reservation, and after a conference with the chiefs, and assuring them of the good intention of the government in their behalf, proceeded with the prom-ised improvements. His monthly report for May showed that the necessary buildings had already been erected for a storehouse, lodging for employ6s, car-penters' hop, kc., two miles of fence built, and fonr hundred acres of land pre-pared for crops. Upon the land cultivated by the Indians they ha.ve raised this year some 20,000 bushels of corn,-thus materially aiding in their subsist-ence. The tribe has not yet recovexed from the general debility resulting from their past sufferings, and the general health of the,people is not good ; hut they feel encouraged by the hope that a better day is coming for them. The agent has furnished them with clothing such as is worn by whites, so that they present little of the appearance of Indians. Arrangements are on foot to provide them with the facilities of education, of which they will gladly avail themselves, and the best hopes are entertained of the future pr,sperity of the tribe. The Oltoes and Missourias, confederated upon a reservation lying on the line divid~ngN ebraska and Kansas, have profited comparatively little by the stipn-lations heretofore made for their benefit in treaties, and the provisions for em-ployes for a certain period, to teach them the arts of self-sustaining industry, have expired, leaving them nearly as wild as before. They, however, have at length begun to see that they must labor if they would live, and have con-sented to the payment of a farmer from their annuities, and have raised a crop this year of 4,500 bushels of grain, besides potting up some 65 tons of hay for their horses. They number 511 in all. The mission school formerly maintained for the benefit of this trihe by the Presbyterian hoard was long ago abandoned, and the Indians desire the eatah-lishment of another, the agent recommending that the piesent agency building he repaired for the p- urp- ose, and that a new building be erected .for the use of the agent. - I t is stated that many white settlers are taking advantage of the disappear-ance of the stnkes of the survey of the reservation, and encroaching upon its lines, cutting timber, &c. Measures must be taken to run out the lines again, so as to define it plainly, and thereby avoid trouble with the trihe, which is somewhat excited on account of this alleged invasion of their rights. At the Great Nemaha agency are the Iowas and Sacs and Foxes of Missouri, numbering together 380 persons. In my last annual report I had occasion to mention the fact that a considerable sum of money, placed in the hands of a special agent to be paid over to half-breeds of this agency, had not been so paid over. The special agent referred to died in New Orleans, and the funds were paid over by his sureties, and those who were entitled to the money have I received it. Of the Iowa of this agency the agent speaks somewhat favorably, as they appear w~llingto labor, and have raised a fair crop of corn and vegetables, cul-tivating some fonr hundred acres. The Sacs and Foses, however, are repre sented as being too lazy to work, and generdly improvident, and, as a news eary resi~ltp, oor. |