Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1876-10-18
STANDING ROCK.

Conclusion Of a Treaty for the
Surrender of the Blacf Hills'.A
Fresh Count Of the lnAians..As.
tonishing Frauds or Criminal
Negligence, which? The Ne"
Post. Etc.
The writer took the good steamer
Key West a few days ago and proceed
ed to Standing Rock where it was his
good fortune to meet the Indian Com
mission, and to be present st the coun-
Gil at which the treaty for the surren'
der of the Black hills was signed. The
columns of the TRIBUNE are too crowded
to give the talk of the commission or
the speeches of the Indians, SO we has.
ten to results. - w..
The commission arrived on the Far
West Monday evening and took quar-
ters at Mrs. Galpin's. They met at the
council rooms Tuesday morning and
Col. r. E. Johnston, acting agent, made
the hearts of the Indians glad by max
ing ample provision for feast that at.
ternoon. They were in good humor to
begin with as the morning previous he
had issued rations of foar, coffee, sugar,
bacon, &c., which be he'd purchased for
them at Bismarck, his goods not having
yet arrived.
Bishop Whipple opened the work Of
the commission by prayer remarkable
for its great depth of feeling. Louis
Agard having been selected by the In
dams to interpret the proceedings of
the council, Col. Manypenny proceeded
to state the provisions of the treaty
which, if adopted, would cede to the
government and throw open to settle
menu that portion of Dakota, embracing
the Black Hills, west of a line running
as follows: Commencing at the point
where the 1O3d degree of longitude in
tersects the Nebraska line, running
thence north to the south fork of the
of the Cheyenne, thence down that
stream to the forks of the Cheyenne,
thence up the Belle Fourche to the l03d
degree, thence north to the Cannon
Ball which is followed to its mouth, ad-
ding considerable territory north of the
present reservation. In addition to
this the Indians concede the right of
way for three wagon roads from three
points on the Missouri river and sur.
render their hunting privileges in Wy
oming and Montana. In consideration
of these things the government agrees
to give them rations so long as they
shall need them and to aid them in
many ways to become self-supporting.
Spotted Tail and Red Cloud were re
quired to receive their supplies at some
point on the Missouri or to remove to
| the Indian Territory. The Standing
Rock Indians protested so hard against
the provision requiring them to send a
delegation south that that provision OF
the treaty was modified to suit them
and they will remain on the Missouri.
There were forty-nine chiefs present
at the council and all (theil names will
be found below signed the treaty eager.
ly after the usual talk. Kill Eagle, the
only other chief belonging to the agen'
cy, was prisoner and was not invited
to sign, as the commission came to treat
with the friendly Indians, not with the
hestiles.
The impression made upea the Indi.
and by the talk Of the commission was
good, rnd if we mistake not these Indi
ans can be counted friendly to the whites
her eafter.
Itwill be remembered that the old
agent was suspended few weeks ago
by Gen. Carlin because of disposition
to override his Instructions and to make
trouble between the military and the
Indians, aud because it was believed he
had given the Indians present surplus
of beef, doubtless intending that it
should reach Kill Eagles band camped
near the agency.
After Col. Johnston took charge 'ei
the agency he undertook to make an en-
ruliment of the Indians but the means
adopted were very imperfect and the re
suit indicated over four thousand pres.
ent. This number being manifestly too
large Col. Johnston called Col. Poland
and three interpreters to his assistance
and causing the several bands to be
ranged in circles he counted them all
personally, the number present being
found to be two thousand three hundred
and forty. y.four, and ON the basis of this
count appropriations will hereafter be
made. The old number was 1892 and
for that number of Indians rations and
annuities have heretofore been placed
at the agents, disposal. COL. Johnston
estimates that the goods appropriated
for this year will last tho Indians three
years under proper management, and
that the saving per annum over the for
mer management, at this agency alone,