, 1870-03-31

Report Of Major Long, Indian Agent
Condition nnd Complaints OF the
Acd Mcns

be mpoaBlpl6 fnf 70 st4fG the number cf In
bans IN the State; this, however, will be sent
shall De completed.
Cpon taking charge Of tic Office found that
the Indians Of the Ottawa and Chippewa tnbes
were very much dissatisfied in regard to their
lantle, aud that delegation from Oceans
County we're ai,ont starting to Washington viii,
view Of pressing theE clailus 10 persou-
Cpon lesrninC this proceeded to their reserve,
found out what they 50 earnestly Desired, and,
80 far AZ couli consistently, promised to hid
them in the fustherauce Of Their wishes.
The came feeling. in one reerect, is uuani-
nous among them throughout the whole state,
i. T.. thcy wish tho patents for their lands.
They also petition that their Eoung men who
are now grown may haro the privilege tn aelccs
land EXTENDED to tl,an 1his, may add. es-
The third request is peculiar to tho Oceana
and Hason County Indians. They request that
At The next payment Ill that IL due them t1ou
the government may be paid them. their deeds
givcn them, and their relations with Tho gov
c1ument ciosed.
A list of the original holders Of certificates
who are competent. OF these Indians, has
already been sent On 10 vour Office. with re-
quest that patents may be issued thereon.
The second request have already recon-
mended to the department, giving my reasons
in full.
Their last request would also recommend,
for several 1easo1s
heliove that these Indians are AZ capable,
Mt this time, OF taking care OF themselves, as
shsy viii ever be. They hase 1'ne settlement
on their rescrrc, and have made good clear
inen. They netd, At the present time, moro
money to invest In etock and farming utensils,
and believe it would be OF moro benefit to
them to be rail in full, than to receive it in
iustalments, and much more economical to the
government.
They are, at the preec1lt time, in debt to tho
arnos.nt Of 5l2 COO, for whicA they ask aid from
tlleir government This l would beg leave to
call the attention Of the Department to, with
the Recommendation that it be given them.
They also clam that theze are ntTea1ages due
old reserve on Grand River, near the city Of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, which we1o duly ap-
prnased by board appointed for that purpose,
and never pnid for | woull respectfully cali
aueetinE that. II their clai.n is valid, an arpro-
printon for TINT purpose may be asked for.
These lndians appear to feel very deeply
that the provisions Of their treaty have not
been carried out IN good faith, and in many
respects, from What imformstioD can obtain,
ard III they row ask only q few things, and
thru 10 take care OF themselves, think it
would be better, both for the government and
the indiana, to gire them their deeds, pay their
debts, give them what is due them in aanui-
ties and then, having given them good stsst,
lot them 80.
The treaty stirulatos CJuly 81. 1850 that the
Ottawas and Chippewas ahou1d have for ccs-
tain five yeags the privilege OF selecting lands; !;
the heads Of families to lavo 50 acres, single
individuals 10 .c1ea, families Of orphan clli1-
d1en Of two OF more, 80 acres, and single Or
phan children 40 acres; aud that Lists shall be
made OF tho a1oye by the 1.t tlay ef JulY 1856
Now, il these Lists had becn completed By
the tiue aboye mentioned, then the rest Of ar
Gcle eight Of that treaty would have been COLI
July !, le61, they worll lnye been entitled to
| mako selections CT land as above described !;
then for five years, or until July l. 1865. they
| would. have been entitled to purchase laud
within their reserve not already selected, at
@l-25 per acre. and this right was to ha an er-
| clrsise one, and fur which they wcrc to receive
| patents in fea simple, being direct atirula-
| ticn far purchase and perfected title without
| eontingencic.; so that At this time they should
have Lad the privilege Of selecting thciF lands,
1 patents therefor. and n1.a to hare received
| patents for their selected lands: this would
tavc pnt them in the possession Of their lands,
| With eteolute cnutrnl over them, aud this is
| what they now ask.
The list was not completed by July !, 1856,
because the treaty wxs nut ratified until the
| 10Th OF September, 1856, and consequently did
not become until that date an official authority
| for the Agent to make furh lists by; and ~
this seems to have been tho date npon which
consequently follows that there has been nc
| five years of selection and purchase.
Nov U!ia will admit Of only TWO conclusions
il July !, 1856. Is the determining date, shese
Indians should hxye had their patents II
1eGG but If tie completion OF tho 1ists Is 10 fl
the date. then respectfully submit that tls
lists are not YET completed and consequent.
the lands are etill epcn to selection by the in
Iisns, and there arc now plenty Of them owe
u yeaIs Of age. and heads Of families, wilt
have no land The eaue argument will apply
10 the purchase or entry Of thcss lands
II va take july i, 1856, for fixed date
then from July, 1s61, to July. 1885, these ~
disns should have tho night to have bough
laud not selected, lying within their rcsersa
ton, for sl.25 per aero; lut they inform m
Icnia with tho money for this purpose. be
tween the t1ates above tecited, and we're in
formed that there Was no lind for sA3e in thne
localities. II the Land Was for aale. the RI gis
ter At 1onia ceEtainly either did them ere,
injuetice. or i ha vas not untitled Of titi
provision of the treaty by the t;eneral Ian
| Office 1t Washington, the fauft would SO eua t
be there Providing that the govcEnms mt d.
ci1ed that July, 1856, wzs the initial d.se +, the
l respectfully submit that, 40 the liz to ha,
not been completed, tleso Indians u ave II
exclusive right to purchase land.
This hAs, an informed ~ onc OF ther
been lately refused them at shs Lam Office.
But whichever way the argument shall tuf
GDG IdCt If patent tH6 14utdh Las bG
wTonged, and he feels it.
Tho remedy that suggests it,se'I to mo
tE!h. that Congress may paAa III *act prosidi
! Lat inarn1uch AZ the provisions Of tl,is tres
lave, for several reasons, NOT be en- carriei q
that for five years from July l., 1854. the pr
, leges and Promises made anu s ven BY the s.
crnu1ent to the Os.swas n i Chippewas,
Michigan, shall be extended 'ior their beue
, and tlat selections and purcl ases OF tanIl vi
y IN their respective reserHas shall continue
be made by Indians whoeaEe over u years
age: provided, that no sell ,csion or purc,a,
I tlians under the stipulation il Of said treatv
:, July 81. ls55: And pru .idirg further, i
thote Indians who nov ave land unde1 cert
I Gates shs1l, whe1e J .ess ia 10 oonll
hare patents for a same immetiiat
issheo. an taa more earnest in
!. deserving Of the sper ial coed will and cons
y Grafton OF tue Eoset5 ,mcnt. They are dspo
: to he obedisnt, to ! .ccone civilized, to Gu
'ate their lanasSt :ut they have become
rouEaGed they 81 j raise enough fas their y
fsstense. but the A1es are idle i'll tkeit NO
+ until they can - E eome tangible eign Of
!. y h'ucnt Of their treaty. The Grand River
" ulhns gave upJ much. and received 60 lit
= thst their Pre- ent demands pecm cxceeti1
: nascnaose-~ Another thing in connection '
~ uns, t1sfs Astrong feeling Of an1iety
State. who arc desirpus Of locating theuasel
u IN Or nes these localities, in regard to
eennnoea withholding Of these lands from
T. Espnc- Ia many inhtaIces 50 much l,
= htug, :as it is here, locked up. retaE1s
~ G1o~th Of towns and conmuuities, md do<
F9stW injury to the State.
=. Leg have been some cAsea Of trcsPans
's lrdiS lards by Pertnns cistuing an nltitI
ss title under the Provisions OF the Honest
u act. In one instance, the individual haa er
Az ed u eAw-ml1 Oh his so-called entry, aud is
tir timber trim tho reserve, I did not '
1e r act hastily in the matter, hut in this c
~ + ceiling aesurtd thAt it i tt'nd J5de caae
g trttraaz, md that the ttespasee1 IL incline,
~ he decidedly defact in his manner toward
= department which have the honor 70 TEL
4 eent, l have taken steps to hkre hin indit
~ for ttesCAss, md in that way to determine
~ such cAsca-
:. Their nsin argument IS that the ten y
r.m.d in the treaty have expired and, tho
,ns NJ the title is still held BY the government
~ the claim, in equity, VIII not bold good. 4
49,. tEis fer HhAt it Is worth.
n 1he Indians in the State are in fair VA
tae M take care Of themselves when their tn
~ ~ shall expire. They appear for the greater
@ ~ many instances they adhere to primesai hat
~ but manage BY hunting, trapping; and fsl
-. to make ! livelihood.
- In 1863 and 1854 il appears that the aii
.a- erce between gold and currency was not !
~ theee Indiana. and it is still duo them, and
H. wlsch SUMS Is below stated. I would resp
II II fully ssk that an appropriation be asked 10
chippewas uf Lake Superior -.....--.--..s Il
: 0ftxNua and Chirpe pexas.,.,.....,..,.,... r 3s,3s
aAa CLiIpewas Of Grind River, b,3t
r. Ch.prewas Of Saginaw. liz
od- chippeHaA, ot;awas, and pottaWstomiea. -:
hAt
ant Total.
OF By the above statement it viii be seen
TO- there Is due to the Ottawas and Chippe
$3.50. OF this sum, 1t the request Of
ON Chiefs, and also In copson2nce Of mr
ing Eie.e, would recommend that s15, coo Be
'G- sFide for the erection Of saw And Tiss-1
by for the Indians IN the Grand Tfayc-se Sect
,7e- one to he located 1T Garden Island, ont