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Show REPORT OF THE COMM~SSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 127 peared, and although the Messiah craze prevailed to an unusual extent among a large number of widely separated tribes, and aroused a gen-eral feeling of discontent and unrest, yet it is doubtful if it would have had any history as more than one of many such ephemeral super-stitions of an iguoraut and excitable people, if it had not been compli-cated with other di~orders among the Sioux in the Dakotas so that it became one of the causes which led to the so-called Sioux war. , TROUBLES AMONG THE SIOUX.. As early as June, 1890, a rnmor thst the Sioux were secretly plan-ning an outbreak and needed close watching led this office to call upon the agents for the Sioux for reports as to the status and temper of the Indians in their charge. The replies indicated that no good grounds for apprehending trouble existed. The Rosebud agent, how-ever, referred to the fact that secret communications had beep passing between dissatisfied nonprogressive Indians at the various agencies . who had refused to sign the agreement under which a large portion of . the Sioux reserve had been opened to settlement by the Presidentzs proclamation of February 10,1890. The Standing Rock agent reported as follows : So far as the Indians of thia agency are concerned there is nothing in either their words or tsotians thst would just,ify the rumor, and I do not believe that such an improdeut step is seriously meditated by any of the Sioux. There are, however, n few melcontents here, ns at all of txe Sioox agenoiea, who c1ir.g tenaciously to the old Indian ways and are slow to aooept the better order of things, whose influence is exerted in the wrong direotion, and this class of Indians me ever ready to circnlate idle rumors and sow dissensions, to disoonrage the more progressive; but only a few of the Sioux oauld now possibly he united in attempting any overt act against the Government, and the removal from among them of a few individuals (the lectders of disaffection) such ss Sitting Bull, Circling Beer, Black Bird, and Ciroling Hawk of this agenay, Spotted Elk (Big Foot) and his lieutenants of Cheyenne River, Crow Dog and Low Dog of Rosebud, and any of like ilk of Pine Ridge, would end all trouble end uneasioess in zhe fnture. Theagent at Cheyenne River reported some little excitement regard-ing the coming of an Indian L'Messiah," as did the agent at Pine Ridge Agency, who also expressed his belief that it would soon die out with. out causing trouble. After receiviog later reports, already mentioned, which showed that , ghost dancing was becoming. a serious ele-meut of disturbance, the / office instructed the agents at Standing Rock, Crow Creek and Lower I Bri1l6, Rosebud, and Pine Ridge Agencies, to exercise great caution in 1 the maliagement of the Indians, with a view to avoiding an outbreak, ' and, if deemed necessary, to call opon this officet o secure military aid to prevent disturbances. Agent Royer, of the Pine Ridge Ageucy, was especially advised, Oc-tober 18, that Major-General Miles, com~nauderoft he military division in which the agency was situated, also chairman of the Commission recently appointed to negotiate with the Northern Cheyennes, would shortly visit the agency, and that he would have opportunity to explain |