Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-10-28


through whom the very war we have been
engaged in, was brought about, and is still
continued and the only wonder with
those whose military duties have required
them to come in contact with these Indi.
ans, and their agents is that the muir
ders and outrages committed By them,
have been 20 few, and that an agent or =
white man is allowed to remain among
them for a day without his scalp being
taken. And yet these poor creatures,
continue to endure these evils, still vanly
hoping that their " Great Father" in
Washington Gin whom they put their trust
as Christian does in his God) will make
some change that will better their con-
dition.
Some idea can be formed Of these rob-
berries and abuses, when it is . we'll
authenticated fact that for the pitiful
sum Of 81 500 year there is no position
within the gift of the Interior Department
80 sought after as that of Indian Agent,
and that fortunes Of from fifty to two
hundred thousand dollars are accumulated
by the larger portion Of the Agents within
the four years, through which the appoint
ment usually extend; and instances are
notorious where Agents, who four or i've
years ago bad not dollar, who have
built and bought fine mansions, thousands
Of acres Of lands, herds of cattle, sheep
and horses, farming implements, carriages
and other property, all on fifteen hundred
dollars a year. and yet these same men
| complain Of i'll treatment Of their Indians
by the military.
But to return to the Com omission Hav-
ing collected some eight or ten of the
Minnecongies together, housed and fed
them in large hospital tent, purchased
hay for their ponies, taken photograph
of them with tie Commissioners in Coun
Gil, and distributed beads, ribbons, brass
rings, medals, and little dutch pipes, with
a metal bowl attGched) which the distur-
sing officer was ordered to purchase from
the trader and which seemed to excite
the curiosity as we'll as resebilities Of the
Indians, and who soon after were seen
decorating their ponies tails with them,
concluded treaty of peace, in which
they bound the United States to pay them
ten thousand dollars annually, in 'annuity
goods for twenty years, provided the
authorities at Washington approved, and
they behaved themselves like good To-
jnns" murdered no more whites, and
stole no more horses, all of which they
promised for themselves, but could no.
say as much for their young "bucks" I'M
less the whites kept out of their country.
The Commission however seemed deter.
mined to make peace, whether the In
dams were willing or not, and to bind the
bargain the ranking officer filed one Of
the title Dutch pipes with Kilikinick.
out of one of the Indians pouches, smok-
ed it As a q pipe Of peace" and handed it
gravely to the Indians who, as they drew
few whitfs put on the most comical ex-
preston, seeming to regard the little i'll
s,rument Of peace as a heavy "ghoak' on
their ancient and solemn ceremony. 1t
SO happened, tina. either the General was
not habitual smoker, or that his bowels
were opposed 10 that mode Of making q
| peace, it had the same effect as an emetc
| and he had 10 retire from the Council for
shor. time, and came back with the loss
| Of his dinner.
| The treaty itself was so full of dipl,ma-
o. and high-down language that the inter-
pretor was obliged to tell the Commission
ers that be could not interpret it as writ
| ten, as there wese no words ia the Sioux
language by which be could express it
but that if he would allow him he would
tell them the substance of the treaty, MS
far as he could understand i. himself. AS
they we're determined to make a treaty,
this seemed to satisfy them. After the
treaty was duly signed, one of the Chiefs
made a speech, in which he stated tina,
they were willing that whites should use
the Platte aud Northern Minnesota routes
but would not consent to have any road
made up the Cheyenne, or though the
Black Hills and that they could rot keep
their young men from attacking trains
that went tina, way. He also stripped
himself OF his robe and clothing to illus
tra,e the barren condition of the county,
aud the poverty of his people; said he
would be a good Iujun' and was very
hungry. ....... ..
The unusual attentions aud oserpower-
ing kindness shown by the Commission TO
these eight or ten hostile Indians, who
have within the past few weeks been COM
hitting all kinds of outrages, robberies
and murders on the emigrants, and small
parties of soldiers on the Platte route, is
exciting the jealousy and resentment OF
/