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Show XXXVIlI REPORT OF TIIF, COJI>IISSIOSE& OP INDIAX AFFAIBS. agent was appointed by order of t.he department to make a payment to them of a share of their annuities. The loyal members of the tribe, how-ever, protested against this order, and it was thereupon revoked; but at the next session of Congress the following provision was made for their benefit in the Indian appropriation bill: "That the band of Sacs and Foxes, of the Dfississippi, now iu Tarna County, Iowa, shall be paid pro rata according to their numbers, of the annuities, so long as they are peaceful and hare the assent of the government of Iowa to reside in that State." That assent had been granted by an act of the Iowa legislature, approved June 15,1856. Under said act of Congress, a special agent was appointed to attend to the band and pay them their annuities, and at their reqoest $2,000 of their first annuity money was used to pnmhase a traet of 99 acres of land. Since then additional pur-chases of land hare been made from time to time for their benefit from private citizens, amount.ing in the aggregate to nearly 700 acres, and at a cost of $14,000. These lands are tared by the State, aud are held in trust by the governor of Iowa and the agent for the common use and benefit of the Indians. For nearly foilr years past they hax-e refused to receive their aunuitiee, owing to an objection which they hare to signing a new form of pa1- roll. Formerly only the heads of families were entered upon t.he pay-rolls, and the number of children was giren without specifying names, ages, Sic. The new form requires eiteh family to be entered separately, commencing with the head of the same and followed by the names and a brief description of all the persons for whom he or she is entitled to draw the per capita payment. Thus far 110 inducement or argument has prerailed to change the determination of the Sac and Fox not to sign these -. . rolls, as they believe a compliance mith the requirement conflicts with their religious opinions. They compL%in that they have not received their f i l share of the tribal annnities under the provisions of the 21st article of the treaty of 1868. While this is not conceded, yet it cannot be definitely determined, bec,ause of the imperfect census of this braneli of the tribe, the last payment to them being made upon the same basis .a the first (in 1867). The whole diffioult,y in this lies in their per-verseness and objeetion to being enrolled and to the taking of a proper and accurate census, which would be accomplished by their alloffing their na.mes to be placed upon the new form of pay-roll before referred to. Until they shall assent to sucll a course, ally fancied or real claim they may hare against the main branch of the tribe for an unequal division of funds under the treaty cannot be adjusted. .They are averse to schools and prefer to instruct their children in their own language, and have made some progress by that system of educa-tion. They are indnstrious, peaceable, aud temperate in their habits, and in addition to their real estate hare accnmulated personal propert,y t o the an~onnot f about $20,000. |