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Show REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 7 KIOWAS AiW COMANCHES. The Kiowas and Comanches are affiliated in like manner as the Arapahoes and Cheyennes, occupjing a common reserdation with the same agency.. The conduct of the Kiowas during the past year has been comparatively exemplary, under promise of receiving their chiefs Satanta and Big Tree. These prisoners were in the executive control of the governor of Texas, and, on account of the peculiar atrocity of the crimes of which they were convicted, thef'e was strong opposition on the part of the citizens of Texas to t,heir release. But the pledge of the Government having been given to the Kiowas, and the Kiowas having reason to expect its fulfillment because of their own good conduct for the year past, an appeal was made to the courtesy of the governor of Texas to relieve the Government from its embarrassment by the release of the prisoners; and a pledge was made that the Government would use every means to protect the border of Texas, and would require the Comanches to surrender a certain number of raiders fromtheir tribe who have been depredating in Texas during the past summer. Governor Davis accepted the,pledge of the Government, in lieu of the further re-tention of the chiefs as a means of procuring safety for the citizens of Texas, and Satanta and Big Tree were sent to their tribe. The follow-ing day the Comanches were brought into council and required to snr-render five (6) of their raiders. The chief8 did not deny that some of their yoling men had been raiding in Texas, uor that they had been committing theft and murder, but they declared it to be impossible for them to arrest and surrender the marauders, and desired to have one more trial in the way of peace. This 1 declined to give, except on t $' e conditions alreadv made with the zovernor of Texas. that the raide s shoold htb su~.~un;lert:tl.S on~eo f i l ~ rC o ~ n a ~ ~ tt :l l ~e ~ev~o l uuret.red to ;~ec(~~nptaln~pee ; rv:ilr? i n to Tex;~stoa1 rest some of their own t ~ i lW~IeIU III the\. knew to hr encaced at tbnt time i l l ~ l l ~ ~ l d eAr .c aralry iorce was it Snce sent out, wfthYthese Inaims enli&ed as scouts. But they were unable to find the raiders, and returned without any prisoners to sur-render in compliance with the requirement made opon them. The con-dnct of the Con~anches is especially flagrant because of their solemn pledge, made one e a r ago and renewed in July, not to raid any more, on vhich their captive women and children were surrendered to them. But it is a serious problem horn to punish the guilty ones without striking the innocent. It is also certain that, on the opening of hostili-tie?, alarge portion of the tribe would leave the agency audtake to the pla~ns,w hen the difficulty of reaching and controll~ngth em by military force becomes greatly increased. I t is believed, however, that there is no alternative. The reservation cannot be made a refuge for thieves and murderers. No policy can assume the name of peace and kindness that expressly provides for immunity of crime. If the military force cannot be made strong enough to follow these Indians whenever they leave the reservation, and strike them while in the act of depredatiug, then the whole tribe, on refusal to surrender guilty parties, must be held responsible. -.And while there will be a loss of res~iltsa lready reached in gathering around the agencies these Indians from the plainn, and many innocent ones will perhaps suffer with the guilty, yet I am per- . suaded that, vigorous treatment mill be kinduess in the end. An attempt to restrain and pnuish the turbulent element in these three different tribes, to be successful, will require a larger military force tlfan merely to strike their camps, destroying them in part, and scattering the re- |