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Show REPORT PP- TEE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 135 Eighth. In 1889 and 1890 epidemics of la grippe, measles, and whoop-ing cough, followed by many deaths, added to the gloom and misfortune , which seemed to surround the Indians. Ninth. The wording of the agreement changed the boundary line between the Rosebud and Pine Ridge, diminished reservations, and neoessitated a removal of a portion of the Rosebud Indians from lands which by the agreement were included in the Pine Ridge Reservation to lands offered them in lieu thereof upon the diminished Rosebud Re-serve. This, although involving no great hardship to ally considerable number, added to the discontent. Tenth. Some of the Indians were greatly opposed to the csnsus whioh Oongress ordered shouid be taken. The census at Rosebud, as reported br Special Agent Lea and confirmed by a special census taken by Agent Wright, revealed the somewhat startling fact that rations had been issued to Indians very largely in excess of the number actually present, and this diminution of numbers as shown by the census necessitated a dimicutiou of therations, which was based, of course, upon the census. Eleventh. The Messiah craze, which fostered the belief that 'LLghost shirts" would be invulnerable to bullets, and that the supremaey of the Indian race was assured, added to discontent the fervorof fanaticism and brought those who accepted the new 'faith into the attitude of sul-len defiance, hut defensive rather than aggressive. Twelfth. The sudden appearuuce of military upou their reservation gave rise to the wildest rumors among the Indians of danger and dia. aster, which were ea,gerly circulated by disaffected Indians and cor-roborated by exaggerated accounts in the newspapers, and these and other influences connected with and 'inseparable from military movements friglitened Inany Iudians away from theiragenciee into the bad lands and largely inteusified whatever spirit of opposition to the Government existed. WSTRUCTIONS TO THE SIOUX. After the return of the delegation Rom Washingtou to their homes I addressed the following letter, dated March 22, 1891, to their re-spective agents at Standing Rook, Cheyenne River, Crow Creek, ahd Lower Brul6, Rosebull, aud Pine Ridge Agencies, setting forth in detail the rights of the Siouxunder treaty or law, and what had been and would be done for them by the Government : Referring to office letter of Febrnarg 14,1891, relative to the late Sioux tcooblee and recent legislation concerni~gth e Sioox, and in which i t was stated that copies of snch eneotment,s, with a synopsie of the agreements in them, was inclosed, bot which, through oversight were not transmitted, I inClosa herewith copies of the en-satmenta of Congresa on the snbjeot st its late session, to wit: Act approved Jan-rimy 19,1801 (Public-No. 43), to carry out in part the act of March 2,18b9, whioh was oonsented to by the Sionx for a division of their reservation and relinquishment of their' title to the remainder, etc. ; and the Indian sppropristion act of %larch 3, 1891 (Public-No. 144). |