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Show 4 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. for permanent peace and good behavior in the future. Added to this trouble, brought upon themselves by their evil doings, there was, at the same time, raging amotrg them the small-pox, by which grea,t numbers were swept away, and lunch suffering superlnducrd. This dreaded scourge not only affected the Blackfeet, but prevailed alarmingly among the Assinaboine, Gros Ventre, and River Crow tribes, on the Afissouri River, below Rentou. In this connection I would remark that the De-partment has been active iu cansiug the prompt vaccinat,ion of a.11 the Indian tribes, to the extent of the means provided for the purpose by Congress, and it is hoped by this action that a calamity so disastrolls as that which has befallen some of the tribes will not soon occur again.' As usaal, di%culties xere apprel~ended early in the past spring with many of the wild Indians of the plains, particl~larlyw ith those who had hitherto refused to come within the reservations provided as homes for them. Of the great family of the Sioux, numbering atleast 25,000 souls, about two-thirds had been induced to locate at or near the acencies e s t ,~bI i~hOtI I~ 1~1l1 c J1iss1111rlit iver ~ v i r l i it~l~~ c I ~ I ~ I III ~~' th~esir ~C'~SCI.V;L. tion, null were reec.i\,i~~pgr esellrs of' xoods aud fiuI~~ister~S(~:oO I ItIil o (;<~\.ern~ttrc~o~rutp. ;~ruli\.elyc onte~ttrd: ~ntlt' rici~dlj. 'I'hr rvmi\i~~deotr. tl~col,p r~ncil)allyit u~lcrr br le;~tlrl.sl~oili~ t l~od omr\vh:~tn ororiol~sc hief '. I{?II ( ' IUI I~c, 'o' ~~t i~~10t lreod:~ mo ver fir111r ~ccl~pthye uorrhenster~p~n rt of ~VI .O~ ITI r~!rIrIirCor \. ant1 Nortl~\rrsccr1~):~1 kut;1. $; lerrion ~ I I O W I I:I S thnt Gf th~.'i'omdrr liiver :lud Uig Hnln V;~lles. 'i'lle). ,;.I~I.u~>L 81 grwt extchnt~ lisi~G!(:re~l,aenllal i t~~tirl~t! lr igllr to 11ol1l: lnd control tl1:11e latire countrv: blit notwithstandins the atfitnde assumed bv them. thev bare up to <l~iati me an R body re~l;ai~lratls tlniet ati con1116 0 ~tx~rct r~l "~tuder the cin:~~~nstann~ -fecws. I I I I I ~ I ~i~ll1I1.1~ d o~)redi~tioon1s1 1y b r i u ~cI 1:1rgr11 aeainst some of the lawless and une.. o vernable amnn-e, them. -The won- &r is that wo 11nv1. uut nnotlter 111tli;;ln!r ;lr OII 11;1n1lc, u l ~ s i d c rt~he~ , ~ provocation giv6r11 thereto by nn ill-timed, if n ~ a~11 tI I I . ~ I I I ~ ~~tCto~v~t..I I S ment on the part of certain citizens, who early last spring organized an association in Wyolning Territory under the name of the ('Big Horn mining expedition,"-its avowed object being the exploration of the country forming the northern portion of that Territory. The project naturally very much excited the Indians in that section, and fears were entertained that a conflict would follow between them and the whites, should i t be carried into etfect. To avoid all an. o. rehensions of trouble OI I Illis i~ccoui~tilte ~ ~ ~ t l ~ o ~01.' i1lbi 1e~(s. : o ~ ~ ~ I I I I I ~p.~I oI ~l> f'rlyto r.bade tile sturting ut' the rxpe~l i t iu; ~n~ud , l~:~ppilyab, out this t i ~ ~-iJlrr cl CI<IIIII," aa the uriut:i~$alle t~dero f the ilisalkctrd ~ t o r t i oo~f ~t l ~ eS ioux 11:ltion. made &pplioation to visit Washington for'a conference with the ~resi: dent in reference to the pos~tiona nd wishes of his people. Permission being giveu, he visited this city in May last, accolnpanied by sixteen of his chiefs and braves, under the escort of General John E. Smith, of the Army, who was detailed for that purpose by the War Department. Witbout repeating the complaints made by these Indians, and the ex-planations they received of the intentions of the Government toward them, it is sufficient to say that, upon the return home of the party, 'LRed Cloud" became a most ardent and deterrniued friend of Deace in that country, aud there is reason to believe tbat heis exercising a good influence alnone tliose who are inclined to hostilities against the whites. In conseouence of the oreanieation referred to, a siieht disturbance occurred i n the ~weetwa,teFm ining district of wjom&g Territ~ory!i n which a small number of whites and Indians were killed; but the dlffi-culties between the parties were ascertained to have been caused by roving and irresponsible bands, and mere not the result of any general |
