| OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. LI Keogh, Montana, a hope was held out to them, which they construed into a promise, that if they were not satisfied with the Indian Terri-tory they would be permitted to return North. They have never been contented there, and have always urged to be taken back Sorth. While some of the Cheyennes have been insubordinate and disposed to give trouble, Little Chief, whose influence has been great, has always counseled patience, refusing to sanction any movement looking to the return of the Cheyennes to the North without the consent of the gov-ernment; and when, in the rtutumn of 1880, some of his young men armed themselves and preparea to go to the agency to unite with other , Cheyennes in pre~ipit~atinag d isturbance, Little Uhief armed himself and directed his folowers to remain in their camp, threatening to kill any who should attempt to leave. Believing that t,he timehad come when any promises which might have been made could be fulfilled with safety, and the condition of these In-dians improved, Little Chief was called to Washington, in August last, to meet delegations of S i o f~rom several of the Sioux ageucies in Da-kota. As a result of the conference, arrahgements,have been made to lo- ' cate Little Chief and his band at Pine Ridge Agency, Dakota, among the Sioux Indians comprised in the bands over which Red Cloud his been recognized as head chief. Red Cloud's people and these Chey-ennes are extensively intermarried and speak the same language, and many of Red Clond's relatives are still at the Cheyemle and Arapaho Agency, in Indian Territory. The desire was expressed in the council that all the Cheyennes who were taken to Indian Territory from t,he North-about four hundred--should go to Pine Ridge Agency ; but, as before stated, it was finally determined that only those who went with Little Chief-about two hundred and thirty-five-should return 6 t h him ; but promise was made that their request in behalf of those remain-ing in Indian Territory should be laid before Congress. Little Cbief and his band were transferred to Capt. W. A. Thomp-son, Fourth Cavalrx, on the 6th instant, he having been selected by the military authorities to conduct them to Pine Ridge Agency. Before leaving the Cheyenne and Arapaho Agency they were furnished with their proportion of such annuity goods as had been received, and snb-sistence for sixty days was issued to them. In reporting their depart-ure Agent Miles says: Nor that this band has gone it only remains to make a final sod irre~ooable deoiu-ion in regard to the balance of the Northern Cheyennes now here, who are as eager to go an thean people wera. The pr0mi.e of the Hon. Secretary of the Interior to bring the matter before Congress st its next wssinn ia viewed by t,hcm as a direot promise that theyshdl go North next summer; and if not allowed $0 KO, thesame disqoietude which llas visibly affeoted the Southern Cheyennes will exist,aod it will be in the interestof peace sud progress to let them go. The oomiog of t,hese Nort,hern Indians in two parties, lesviug part of their nurnbera still North, hna retarded the old Southern Indims and crested diffieolties in their msnagemsnt, and it ir hoped that the further ndvwnce~nent of these people may not be retarded by the attempt to settle a, disooo-tented element permanently among them. |
