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Show contiuual menace to the whites, and a source ofgreat alarm. These Inrli~nbse loug to the Utes, and were inoluded in the Spanish Fork trenty. It was advised that they be forced to go upon the Uintah. Dr. Dodge nas advised to endeavor to effect thir removsl by paoeful means; failing in mhioh, the military were to becalled in to aid in forcing it. It was onderstaod that the military wonld dord proteetion to the threat-ened sattloments until such removal could be made. I made a hastily-written report to the Depattment cf tbe above-mentioned oonsulta-tion under date of July 1. Of subsequmt events in Utah in conneotion with Indian affairs, I know nothing persoually, having passed beyond the bounds of the Territory sfter the conference referred to above. I t is my impression tbat much of the hostility on the part of the Indians in Utah 1s the direct result of the Mormon authoritifis, who are jealous of the'appointment of Indisp agents, and other employ& of the Indian Department in that Territory, who me not of the Mormon faith. In times p a t the grstuities of the Government were dispensed chiefly by Mormon agents and smploy6s, njld it is alleged that issues of food and clothing were so made as to impress the beneficiaries with the belief that, they were the gift of the Mormon Church nathorit,ies; and, the Mormon agents bsiug re; moved, the ehureh authorities seem desirons of embarrassing our aeents, in order to induoe the Government to return to the former custom of using Mormon agents, and to show the Indians that their present neglect is due solely to the involuntarily mith-drawal of the Mormol~sfr om offieido onnection mith the Indian servioe. We passed from Utah through Idaho Territory, by way of Port Hall. The a g d t st the latter place was absent an leave, and I mnde no atop there. We reached Helena, Montana Territory, an the 6th of July. Aooording to his advertisement, Superintend-ent Viall had opened the bids forIndian supplies t,l~eaa rne day, but before nry arrival. I had been verbally instructed to represent the Department in tho opening of these bids, and also received similar authority by telegraph the day after my arrival. The bids were numerous, and nearly all the bidders were in attendance at t,ba opening. There was great difference in the prices offered, rangipg from figures below tho cost of freighting the goods to the points of supply, up to prxes too high to be entertained. I was fortunate in being able to secure the advice of Mr. Turney, of the Indian com-mission, who accompanied me. It was deoided to reject all bids that rpure palpably too low, and to recommend that the awards be tothose respon~iblob idderg whoso bids seemed to be made in good faith mdst fair rates. In examinmg the responsibility I was of oourse compelled to rely entirely upon the advice of others, andupon themost reliable d e b to be obtaiued as to the character af the bidders. I reoommeuded that amarda be made as per report at that t,ime. In t,hia oanueotion I mould re8pect.fully auggest that in future the am,ards for supplying the Montma agencies be made at the regular New York lettiugs. Tile whole busiueas will then be removed from nuy auspieion of undue influence. Bidders can go to the East as well as Eastern bidders can nowgo to Helena, md the entire matter of making the swards will be in tho h s i ~ d ~ of the Cornmissloner and the purchasing oommittaos fiom the Indian commission and *om the Department. I an, unable to see my good reasox for lettingtha Montana con-tracts separste and apart from the letting8 in Nev York, while theohangemnst greatiy reliere the superinteodent from an embanassing reuponsibilit'y, axnd from a trouble-some outaide pressure, which cannot but aeriouvly impaik the efficiency of a public officer by embroiliug him in local dispnt,es and quarrels. We had intended to visit the Crow a.ge.encg, in the Yellowstoue Valley, but the fitting of a. military expedition at Port Ellis, under Colonel Ilsker, to uccornpnny and protect tho e u ~ n e e r so f the North Paoifio Railroad into the Powder River country, decided ua to proceed without delay to Fort Peck. It was feared that tho mavenlent of Colonol Bilker might precipitate s collision with those Il~dinnsw hom i t was the purpose of our ~~mmi s s iotno visit, un-less some ateps were taken to commuuioate vith and conciliate them. I directed Sn-perintendent Viall to send a. reliable lnnn to accompnily Colonel Baker's conlmrod, to obaerve his movenkents, and, if practicable, to hold a oo~?noiwl ith anyIndians that mitht be encountered, and induce then, to proceed to our eonnoil at Fort Peck. MY. Brm~otp, resident of the Indian eommisnion, subseqc~entlyj oined us a t Helena, and decided to visit the Crov agency. To bim I therefore looked with great confidence to exert a sslutary influence upon any hostile Indians that might be eneonntered. For the same reason I did rot delay to visit the Blackfoot agency. I met the agent, how-ever, at Fort Benton, where he spent several days while we were there. Without having had any opportunit,~o f inspecting the atfnirs of the ageuog, I have no hesita-tion io sayiug thet he is not a proper person for an Indian agent under the present policy. Inasmuch as he wasrsuloved before nly return, and before I had any oppor-tunity to recommend his removal to the Department, I was spared the trouble of ask-ing for his dismissal, and I nerd uot hero give the reasons for my opinion in regard to him Fut.t Unuton, rhe hrnd of r~n\.ixnri,,niu the '\liisuori Rirer, ia n mosr i~nq,urt~ullro iut t o rhe Illd1an CCIY~CnnCtl , $l11,111LtI. ~ ~ : L I C aI 1I O I ~ C P I I U ~ I~ll~l. PC O ~ ~ T<,Of rIil e lulli.~~l Ueparrluent. Tho gnrrisdn th,:rc ioo>lrtc~ f o n ceb mpnngof iuf8ntr)-. TIic aet r l~ulcot |
