OCR Text |
Show 2 REPORT ON INDIAN AFFAIRS. makes no advance. Evidently the remedy for these evils lied in securing to the Indians a permanent home in a country exclusively set apart for them, upon which no whites or citizens, except government agents and employds, shall be to reside or intrude; in the granting to them allotments of land as individual property, to cultivate and improve; in the appointment of moral, honest, and efficient agents, with a fair compensation for services; and in the prompt fulfilment by the government of its treaty and other obligations, furnish-ing the necessary aid required for teaching, and placing them in the way of becoming self-sustaining and eventually independent of the government. With other tribes, however, noted for their warlike disposition and wander-ing habits, an unfortunate state of things has prevailed during the past year or more. A spirit of hostility has been strongly manifested against the govern-ment and its citizens, arising from alleged injustice or wrongs practiced towards them, or incited by the desire of rapine and love of war. Doubtless causes existed which naturally engendered dissatisfaction, distrust, and purposes of retaliation. I t may not be asserted that they have not had some good and just grounds of eomplaiut. Without undertaking to refute the charges against them, of what it is believed they are not guilty,nor to defend or palliate in any degree the atrocious acts they did commit, it will only be the purpose of this office, at present, to set before the Hon. Secretary of the.Interior, in this report, such a general statement of facts, ascertained and communicated by authorized agents of both the military and civil branches of the government, as will, it is thought, furnish a true account of our Indian difficulties of late, and tend to enlist such serious attention by the department and Congress upon the subject of the man-agement of our Indian affairs as will result in the adoption of measures that are justly due to a people struggling feebly and vainly against the irresistible course of events. The late civil war afforded an extraordinary occasion for the development of the inherent war spirit among a large number of Indians ; frequent murders, raids, and the destruction of much valuable property resulted therefrom. About the close of the war endeavors were made to turn the most disaffected to the interests of peace. Oommissioners weresent in 1865 to the hostile Sioux bands in the north, between the Platte and Missouri rivers, and to the unfriendly Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Apaches and Comanches, south of the Platte, who entered into treaties with these tribes for the settlement of all difficulties, and obligating peaceful conduct. Scarcely had the compacts been proclaimed when depredations and hostilities were again renewed. Among various bands in Dakota ser io~~diss affection was exhibited in the fall of 1866 in the commission of repeated outrages. Emboldened by their successes a large number banded together for the purpose of breaking up 'certain military pasta, and driving the soldiers and citizens out of the country. A considerable force (about 96 men)- sent out against this party in December last from Fort Phil. Kearney, one of the new posts established for the protection of the ronte of travel by emigrants and others to Montana, through what is called the Powder river country, were unfortunately drawn into ambush and barbarously massacred. The determina-tion to wage a desperate war Was apparent, and likely to extend far and wide. On the 18th of February last the President appointed a cornmiasion of military officers and civilians to visit the scene of hostilities and investigate the difficul-ties. They were instructed to ascertain who were the actors in themassacre at Fort Phil. Kearney ; what portion of the Indians in that section were hostile; what friendly, and to separate these classes by placing the latter upon reserva-tions. The commiasiouers (Generals A. Sully, J. B: Sanhorn, N. B. Buford, Coldnel E. S. Parker, and Messrs. J. F. Kinuey and G. P. Beauvais) have finished the duty assigned them, and submitted several reports, which not only communicate facts in regard to the special matters they were directed to examine into, but ably present their'different views as to the policy that should be adopted |