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Show (4) spoke to the Indians giving them good, wholesome advice, as shown by Minutes of the Council, pages 75 to 80 inclusive. After Captain Mercer had concluded his speech, I addressed a few additional remarks to the Indians, among other things advising them that surveyors would soon be on tha reservation surveying the lands preparatory to the carrying out of the provisions of the law which h m been enacted; that such surveyors would be upon the reservation by authority of the Government and must not be interfered with, as they would be under the protection of the strong arm of the Government. My talk in this respect appeared to be well received, and not-withstanding that the Indians feel very sore over this new legislation, I am quite confident that they will not commit any overt act, nor interfere with any person coming on the reservation by proper authority. ff the in-comers are endowed with common sense, practice fair dealing, and exercise prudence when meeting any of these Indians in the field they will have no difficulty in getting along smoothly with them. The Indians deported themselves very commendably throughout out councils and the best possible feeling prevailed at the final adjournment. A majority of those attending the last council accompanied us to the Agent's office and 31 of them signed the paper: of acceptance before going home, and others kept coming in from day to day during the past week until 82 have thus concurred in the Act. The signers are chiefly Uintahs, only J7 White River3 having signed the paper assenting thereto. The Uintah Indians are well disposed and there is little doubt but that the signatures of a majority concurring in the Act could have been obtained by remaining at the Agency a couple of weeks longer or by canvassing the Uintah settlements of the reservation1. |
