, 1870-03-22
TIE INDIAN PEACE COMMISSION.

Tcs~nEc OF the Prcsidcnt, nnd Letter
OF the Secretary OF the Interior, fscl-
ntixc To the OblSEn alton or Congress
to Make the NeccH~nry Appropria-
tfox1a to Garry Ont the Indian
Treaties Made by yvhnt fs Known
nh shc Peace Cotnmin~lou OF 1867.
Ia tL< .e1,ate NJ the DATED statts:
Herewith havo tho honor to transmit
communication from the Secretary of the Into
rior relative to the obligation Of Congress to
make tho necessary appropriations to carry
nut the Indian treaties rnade by what ia Aihwu
al the Peace Commission OF 1867.
The history Of thote treaties and the conee-
lucilcee Of Noncompliance with them by the
government, are 70 clearly Fet forth in tllis
,tstemert that deem, it better to commuui-
cate il III fnll tllnI 10 Ask tho necessary Appro-
lIiaii"u IN shorter statement Of tho
reasons ifor it. earnestly desire that
lie the Government of tic United States,
1t least, should not be responsible for
II. l'ai,:e will be taken, and forre used il ne
.rseary, to prevent the departure OF the e1rc-
.i,icns referred to I,y tho Secretary Of the III
tclilr. u \. GEASI.
Eamr11vE MASs.as. Marrh r. 1910.
nErAR1MENr or THE INTERIOR,
WAsn1Norox, y. c., March I, $50.
Sir: In accordance with resolution OF tho
House II Representatives, hnyc this day sent
| 20 that 1ody copies OF such official documents
AZ ale found upon the files Of tho Indian Oiiice
rclatiyu 10 the recent nttnch " our troops, m
der t'clnncl nAkcr. uron the Pigeon Indians,
IL. condition Ct things along The whole bor-
der !. urh that regard this lit time to call
yosir attc:tiois to tsic imminent danger Of gen.
! t3al ,,+tilities with the Indiana, and to sug-
gest hat the lively interest at present mani
,csts.: in the subject by Congress warrants
YOU; laying before them more comprehensive
view ~ The subject than could properly be
,o.ls in response to tho single inquiry which
hns &c. n answered by this department.
! Ftem chr extreme northern boundary to the
| Mcairan frontier NC receive complaints from
all Ike Indian tribes OF WHIST they declare to l>e
4 lark Ct faith on our part III carrying out the
ntipulations Of treaties heretofore made with
tLllr. and rcdedming the promises which, as
sl.cs all.ee, induced them TO consent 70 the
cact able construction Of railroads to the Pa
itic ccast. MINOR General Stanley writes from
i,llota tia. lie i asha1netl longer to appear in
tl.c IEctcrcc Of Tie Cllefe of the different
nat doing as we promised III 1867, and in their
is isl to 't''shs si.em sF Wien ''A' tel,ine ne
them OF the benefits We intended
10 confer uWn item. In Wyoming an organ.
led land II white men is prepared to move
into the Zig Horn region to prospect for mines,
DESPITE the warning Of tho military authorities
that tie country is reserved for the uscs OF the
Indians. THIS organization Is said TO be nu.
meruus, and to be fitting ont with the e1pecta'
tion Of having hostiltiea with the Indians Il
is uudersteod that they insist that the treaties
one lousc Of Congress, md ulat they, there
fcIc, cannot lawfully he restricted from under
taking their expedition. It may bp REGARDED
Is certsin that, Il il is prosecuted II will re-
enlt in war on that frontier. In Colorado q
inilar expedition, though not 70 1a1gein num
ser~, is reported IS organizing 10 enter the Ct<
| rtsetyaticn on eiHilar mission, with the dec.
laEation that they intend to 80 strong enough
to take care Of themselves. This also raesn,
var. In New Mexico portions Of the Utcs ar
cent treaties for the location OF their ressIva
tion: and ray tl,at they were deceived in regasi
to the place Of the agency and the rcscrsatio.
boundaries. rnlers eoue definite arrange
l-Irvc peace, We must expect difficult,
| hcrp also. In the 1nGian Ter
sitory, the Ararahocs, Clcyenncs, and othc
| ttil>cs, with whom treaties were made by tn
!'t.cc Commission have been in similar con
,iiticn Of tliscoutent, and il has only been b
civil and military officers that peace has bee1
rlreerved. In Kansas, tho 0sage Indiana
:trrn returning from their recent annual hunt
.ornd that their reservation had been invade
ty whites; in scmc instances the material o
.htir dwellings, carried away, whole vi1lsscs de
| stroyed, and their fs1ms, cabins, and stocl
aiken possession Of by tho squatte1s,
Tie reports fror, every quarter show tbs
the uncertainty in regard to the policy to b
lu,sued l'y the government. especially in re1
| Arclce to the treaties made in 1857 and 1S6
LIS produced general disorganizA,ion- tn
Nhtc frontic1Emen aud the settlers denyin
+. rle riGlts Of Indians under treaties, on th
r nc Land, and the Indians themselves "
. .la'aing us with our breach Of faith. and bt
!, :S;minE ;E dangerously unquict, on tho othel
- ne elects IRE felt even in thoec tribes whie
:. rs;e heen longest in resceful relations to th
+ atns tciuefr, aud unless something is Bpee<
,e ny dino to give nermanent hasa Il
= nn'a,l conhaeece. he 'A Erasess TIC trouble i
" Iias aass " e1peeted and prepared for Updt
ae .Eefe asrumstanecr, regard he trouble vii
- tfe lIeEans sather as an incident ~ the o.,
" @ IN. insurance than of special importance. {
ag aeceunt q The exciting circumstsnees co,
el ceeted With that event itself W.
be behtve that any fair iuye..;c,,;,, ~ >,
n criein OF Indian troubles On ~ Telt, aoa o.
show That 1t IA unjust to put the vhoia ia,r,
od | uIon the sAraKee. and until va can =, T..
.; ,hoS to the world proofs Of scTupulous ~ ~
" faith on our part We shall not b. iust;f,,sss 81
ut treating Indians Is outlAws, doomed tn ~,
m mny destruction During the summer fraona aa.
vet .MplAluts we're ma1e OF hcfts Of horscs :,
he attte by different Indian tribes in MontsS
sat III. se thefts were believed 10 be eeneEs
veklcss Of the Indians, who broke away II
ye lie restraints Of their Cliefa and head men
we ,Ee rrete1t that, "a tho United States was u
an {t1iorming itp promises 10 them, thcy were .
ID X lsrl from tho Obligation to respect proper
bic We have every reason to believe that eaup
re !ous Observance Of our engagements With I
Ier ln'lians uf tho upper valley Of the Nilsson
. curing tho past two years, would have enabl
he i US to sustain the peaceful Chiefs in their 4
u, tlority, 70 that thefts would have either be
or prevented or punished without private y.
en- geauce, mud the source Of al the troubles III
In thus been dried up. The thefts led to priv
~ EctAiAtion By the whites, either u punishrns
IN of ctucA ar in thn effort u rsc,nf11ra r,r1,
TO y. Gyoa were taken On both aides. but
IL most experaanoed agents aud ot6oers On |
sos fontec arc Of opinion that mora than Ays