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Show REPORT OF THE C03.IJ.IISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XXXI allowing them a part of the moner, say i~~t e r efsotr six months of the year 1852, or by covering the whole anlount back into the Treasury. Win?zebagoes.-Circnmstaoces have prevented my f~illyc arrring out the provisions of the act approvec1 January 15, 1881, for the benefit of these. lndians. The clerk who was detailed fkom this oflice to take a census of those in Wisconsin was prevented through the interference of some ~neddleso~nweh ites from completing it as quickly as .had been anticipated. No apyropriatior~ had been made to meet his expenses, and but a very iimited amount could be spared from the contingent fund of this department for that purpose, and when this was exhausted,. in December Isst, he was co~upelledt o abandon the ellort to complete the census, leaving abont one-third of these Indians yet to be enrolled.. Early in the following spring I called the attention of the depart~nent to the difficulties in the case, and suggested that an appeal he made to Congress for funds to complete the work, but no appropriation was. made for the purpose. This is to be regretted, as the Indians need the money and are in most instances prepared to make a good nse of it, and any considerable delay may necessitate going over mucl~ of the ground again. Several parties in Wisconsin have expressed a desire to finish this work, but I am of the opinion that sending a competent and per-fectly disinterested person to do it would be roost beneficial to the In-dians, by preventing the possibility of their being controlled by self-con-stituted, unscrupulous attorneys, such as have already greatly retarded my efPorts to properly carry out the act. I therefore repeat my former. suggestion, that funds shonld be provided for this purpose. The number of Indians who on account of the interference of white-men refused to be enrolled is about 250. As a result of this partial failure, no money has been paid to those Indialis who complied with the request of the government, and they are made to suffer because of the obstinate and rebellious atfitude of a part of the tribe. This is malting the innocent suffer for the acts of the guilty, and ought, in soroe man-ner, to be remedied, so that the 1aw.abiding ones should be paid what is justly due them. I can seeneither reason nor justice in refusing or ueg-lecting longer to pay these Indians who have willingly done all that was required of them by the government. As several of these India,ns, in anticipation of this money, selected lands, which the want of it rendered them unable to secure, a tempo-rary expedient was resorted to, and an arrangement made with the hon-orable Colnmissioner of the General Land Office, whereby the claim-ants can go before the agent for the office nearest to them, and, by prov-ing their Winnebago blood, &c., and their willingness to comply with the provisions of the act of July 18, 1851, the lalid they have selected can be reserved for them until this money is paid. Wyalzdottes.-The payment to this tribe of Indians of $28,109.51, the-sum appropriated by the act of March 3,1881, which was to be in full payment of their claim under treaty of February 23, 1867, was com-~ |
