The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-24
NEAR BrG CugYsssE RIyka,

fnl of u Peaceful SOiufion OF tue Iroupies-
A Talk with Acknowledgement Harvey and
' SrEAMFe sr JOIN J
NEAR BfG CuEYFSsE RIvkR,
Missouri RIVER, August ~. 1867
We ars now near OF journey asceod.
ing the Missouri river is concerned has been decided
by Commission to further at present than the
mouth OF tho Big Cheyenne, forty miles above Fort
sally In this vicinity II is the purpose Of the Commits
sion 60 shore and examine tho lands for distance
OF severed miles 20 its adapabiy for reservation
for In isns judging from the appearance OF from
the boat Il would be better adapted for Indians
and hunt tban for any use II could
bs put TO by white people for Agricultural
purposes. The soil along tho banks or the river
dry and sandy and almost barren OF grass ana Tar
be from tho boat, hiy ana broken ss to
render its cultivation almost impossible II is said that
IN the vicinity OF tho Big Cheyenne there is fargo tract
OF bottom lands which will answer every purpose
sought for both quality of tho land AID as hunt
ing groand for tho Indisns.
Selecting tho land however Is very small par. Of the
work which tho Commissioners have undertaken, az
there thousands upon thousands OF miles OF
cuped land in the vast Territory OF Dakota ami which
will never be used or wanted by The whites But The
difficulty viii be TO persuade tho Indians Leave the
country where they been raised and have hunted
the buffalo, to Ii crate to distant and unknown section
and settle down 20 agricultural pursuits, concerning
which they wholly ignorant and for which they have
no inclination. Unfortunately the country which the
whites want for settlement aud for mining purposes
is the very country where the great majority OF what
known az tho hostile Indians have always inhabited.
Tho country referred is embraced Ia what is
known as Tho Powder river country aud along the banks
OF the Yellowstone river aud the Black Hills The
Powder .ver country Is represented the most beauti-
nj and fertile OF any the Far West aboandny in gold
ity of tha TDdfa =
has rendered thorough exploration of that section
FAR impraccaoe; but enough has been learned OF it to
make an impossibty to keep white Adventures from
going there in pursuit OF gold and long this
tinues hostility with the Indians will continue, as tho
approach OF civilization always has tho effect OF driving
Gu the buffalo and other game upon which the Iodaa
depends for livelihood and knowing this TO be the fact
the Indian defentabis country and fights tor what he
consoles an encroacment upon his rights upon the
principle rs Is adopted b. all nations.
Tho fIst difficulty in the way OF bringing about the
desired change OF home for the indians will DO in per-
suading them to meet the Commissioners in council.
Itis proposed to hold the council at Fort Laramie. dis
tsnt several hundred miles from the headquarters or the
hostile bands. There has been hardly six months OF
year passed In the last i've years but commissioners
have been sent cut from Washington for the
purpose OF examb into Indian matters, bu, III reality
10 give pleasure eScIs on to members OF Congress or
pets OF the administration at the expense OF the gov
erunont. These Coin missonors have met the Indians
at various places and times sending them word that
they have been sent by their great grandfather
remedy existing evils, Tho Indians have come in TO
meet them great trouble aud Inconvenience stated
their troubles and have invariably been promised that
their wrongs should be remeded once. few thou
sand dollars OF generally worthless presents have been
distributed among hom and the commissioners returned
TO Washington. rerOrtei progress and that tho last
ever hoard OF II untl some other friends OF the
has bean done so enen ard Tho indians have been
persistcnly lied and deceived that they lost
confidence in every one clanin. 10 come in tho name
of their great grandfather ~ Washington who is in any
WAY connected win tne government.
On this account t5e present Commission, who are
to ,,air .of
ties and hive the power TO do So viii havs much din
Guilty persusdng the influential and leading chiefs of
the hoslc Indians 70 come IN t. meet thaHi, ihey will
be rndcr the impression that it is nothing moro than
repetition Of previous arees and will have nothing to do
whit.
1t has been customary With previous commissions 70
tell the Indians hSt II they continued ia their wicked
ways ant persisted IN killing the whites their erea.
grandfather would be very angry with then. and that
his white soldiers would be there in
brrs 20 punish his red children, &C. &C This song
has been sung 80 often aud ihe white soldiers failed TO
"a ;mo and tho Of the Indians ia every
fight unn'errrrsd that thoy have begun be very
skepcal as regards the power OF their great Frand
father aud the number Of his white caildrea. THIS viii
add 60 the difficulties in the o. this commission
making peace WITH ,do Indians until they nave been
made 20 oel the power Of the government aud punished
Inc Comms!ouers have been endeayorlnn in addition
10 thoir other dues the trp 10 get at sons OF The
facts roaye 10 The swirdhng operations charged upon
supennondens and AGENTS OF Indians, and have tasen
consde aOo Testimony upon the subject ira. nc iu
dams have been curn seousiy ssinact IS ap9arant BIT
thu exact manner IN which It has been don % yet
lions have not boon condned to agents xctey, bat
an investigation into me Washington reiorLlcn 'nisht
throw some light on the subject, That .ip' 'xi,-s,
embracing large number OF persons HON IN ard cut
OF tho Indian Bureau is plain, and II should 20 INC duy
OF tire next Congress 10 institute thorough lluiry into
the whole ansir The report o. the present COMMISSION
will doubtless throw some hzh on the subject.
=, o"e siokulal az is uto.A " .lsu' " nv ~ -
the examination OF some witnesses dgring Tue Fp,
which goes 10 show tho fatality attending nearly AL
steamboats, loaded with Indian goods. IL sse'us that
they slnl0st invariably strike srag and arc sunk, ali
tina, the Indians seldom receive thor goods ol9 Of tho
chiefs stated in council that he could not understand
whv all tho boats safely ~ tho river except those
loaded with Their goods LAST spring the steamer Lsst
Chance left ST. LOUIS with sixty thousand dollars worth
OF Ipdan goods board FOR the Upper Missouri In.
dans. when near Crow creek she struck spag and
was sunk. Tho goods are said to he IN too badly
damaged oondon 10 deliver 20 the Indians and are
reported 10 be in warehouse ut Crow Creek AgeGcy.
Another fact that seems little difficult Of explana
ton IS that trader Ia this country can only aaori 20
give one good blanket for blilalo robe, who indian
agents g,e two and three which are WORT in market
from twelve TO fifteen dollars each That the has been
The Department must he aware that good, honest,
reliable cannot D. hired TO Danish himseli 20 this
salary Of 81 500 per year. IL would 10 mora than
barely support him If they do mean 70 be cheated
they should pay better salaries
The following report OF General Stanley upon this
subject will be found OF iricr-s
.'rhe civil administration OF Indian affairs In this
region IA totally Inefficient ~ PROOF Of this he appro-
priatons Tor tho Qlariermasters and tommsssrY de-
partments arc made Of the same time hose for tie
Indian department The supplies for those departments
the river have been dsiyrred two months $50 lhe
Indian goods are not vet delivered These goods were
promised 70 the friendly Indians in Iuua las, Soae
three thousand OF them waited for six months IN c.pCc.
tation OF receiving these goods, and finally eom-
PEELED by starvation 20 leave for the buuao region very
much disappointed AMI com palang ~ the lad faith o.
the officers ia charge Of their interests 40 promise
SHOULD ever be made 20 Indian thar cannot literally 30
fulfilled nor should any threat he male ghl.h cannot
surely be carried out The Indian agents aud spern.
tendenss do no. live with the Indians therefore they
have no influence WITH thom. I've spccid nronts
OF those Indians rarely among iuem, rHd
when no does, leaves bad record nnf tile
resident agent Hanson rs fixture ri Fort Thompsop,
whore the indians cannot ana Dc not, tubs, 80.
Finally--a Had suvCCtno Appropriation by Con zf.
fcr the benefit Of the lrdils can reach tns India a
under the present system ~ responsibility In mird,
the Indian yents just houesi ary other
OF laen but there is c.c jhs8 ana tao code II
the department perfectly understood ~ thorn, IS
that they have pefftc; rght 10 hop themselves IN
toe neigh boring Isnkton agency have " from sharg
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