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Show 52 REPORT OF TEE CODlMIPSIOETER OF IRDIAI? AFFAXRS. Those who declined to become citizens still decline to do so, and have nn been compelled to assume those duties ; and many of them. under a recognized chief and council, have remained in the south among the Senecas until driven 3nt by tlie war, since which they have returned thither. Meantime the citizen party has had an organization and claimed recognition. The State tax laws have borne heavily upon the people, and many tracts of land belonging to or-phans and incompetents have been sold and deeded away from them at the tax sales. Many, even of those who became citizens, have begged to he relieved from such responsibilities, and a large number of both classes desire to make some arrangement by which they can sell their lands in Kansas and remove to lands to he given to them by the Senecas in the Indian country. It is doubtful whether there is properly any Wyandott trihe with whom to treat, aud whether legislation by Congress will not be needed to reach ihe case, even if the decision of the Supreme Court upon the question of taxation should remove all embar-rassment from that source. The Sacs and Foxes of the Jtississippi hold a dimini~hed rePerve in the central part of Kansaa geographically, but, for the most part,, beyond the settle-ments. They numbered by the census of last spring 818, but by a recent enu-meration 766. Under the same agent, but upon a different reservation, is a small band of Chippewas and Munsees, 80 in all. The Sacs and Foxes are all "blanket" Indians, none of them weering gar- *meuts like whites. Some few of them, including their principal chiefs, would don the civilized apparel, but would thereby lose their influence with their peo-ple. These chiefs have shown a commendable desire to second the efforts of their agent for the improvement of the tribe, altho~iglr they have met with much opposition from those who are determined to oppose all progress towards civili-zation. The celebrated chief, old "ICeokuk," left wong them, at his death, an injunction uot to assume the ways of the ~vhitem an. His son, the present bead chief, Keok~ika lso by name, iswiser inhis generation, and is anxions that his tribe should improve. By the aid of these chiefs, and an approp~intionf rom t,he civilization fund, a school has been piit in operation among them, and Keokuk's son, Charles, is one of the most advanced of the scholars. In this school, also, an opportunity has heen offered to try the benefits of the nem system heretofore allndid to. - Some of the Sacs and Poxes have applied themselves to agriculture, and their statistics show a product of 11,000 bushels of corn, and 100 tons of hay. The principal property of the tribe consists in horses, of which they own nearly 2,000, valued at about $70,000. Numerous complaints by the wilder hands of this tribe against their agmt have been made during the year. The agent expressed his desire to have a full in-vestigation of his conduct, insisting that the charges against him wotild be found to have originated with parties who are resolved that the t~,ibes hall not be civ-ilized, hut left in a condition in which they can be easily plundered. This in-vestigation has just been made, andihe report upon the subject, completely vin-dicating tlre agent, is placed arnong the accompanying documents. A portion of this band, unwilling to endure the restraints imposed upon them upon the reservation, have gone to Iowa, where a portion of the annuiries of tlie tibe, under directions issued by your piedecessor, have been expended for their use and benefit. While, as a general rule, it is deemed very unwise to provide for Inrliana at any point except their proper reservations, the late secretary thought this case an exception, inasmuch as the legislature of Iowa had in effect invited the Indians to occupy lands in that State. A special agent is now in charge of these people, niimberiog some 230. The small band of Chippewas and Mnnsees have enjoyed a year of prosperity, and have raised sufficient for their snhsfstence upon their allotments. Their |