Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-15

Sel Oh an outbreak among the Indians q
spotted Tails band, who are Just now in a,
unsettled condition and have manifested ,
disposition to take the management of mat
, ters into their own hands. Parties wht
nave recently arrived from up river lool
upon the situation with considerable anx-
'e'Y' leeline that slight cause might pre
c,pltate trouble In the present wrought ur
condition of the Indian Imagination. The
visit OF Commissioner Hayt and the special
commission which accompanied him was
most unsatisfactory in its results. In fac,
II had no result, except TO more clearly dc.
Vclop the Intentions of the Indians to take
the conduct of affairs into their own hands
ana operate independent of government Off.
cials and in accordance with theif own no
lions OF thing. Our own opinion is that
there has been great danger of trouble with
lhese Indians, but that the critical time has
passed and that quiet is now assured by the
receipt OF an order for the immediate re.
moval of the Indians to location of their
own choosing.
MAJ. j. NJ. Lee, who hss been acting for
the past year and half in the capacity of
agent TOR the Spotted Tail Indians, was in
town last night or his way to Omaha to
JON his regiment, and we took advantage of
the opportunity presented for obtaining his
views upon the subject of trouble in the
camp just left by him. 1t is evident that
the major has shared IN the general anx.
iety. He thinks the Spotted Tail Indians
have not been fairly dealt with, and apv
BAD faith on the part of the whites is de-
moralizing TO the Indian. He says these In.
dlans were induced to come to the Missouri
river upon the explicit promise Of
the president and the secretary
OF the interior that they would be permitted
to go to a location of their own choosing %
soon as spring arrived. A portion of them
accepted these terms, and portion
did not, but instead deserted the band
and have not since returned.
Maj. Lee experienced great difficulty in
transferring the faithful ones to their pres.
ent location. The move was made at an
inclement season and it was only BIZ the
most Judiclous management and constant
reminder of the promises that had been
made them that he succeeded. As the win.
ter passed away and spring opened they ex-
pected fulfllment of the promises freely
given and as time passed on and no
move occurred they became uneasy, This
feeling became gradually intensified until 1t
dangerous form. I: was of no
avail to explain to these red men the details
Of the appropriation business-the part con.
gress had in 1.-THE slowness of that body
to act-all the mysteries of red tapeism.
They had chosen place on the south
branch of White river, seventy miles away
from the Missouri, which suited them and
they wanted to go there. The hardships
and exposure incident TO a winter Journey
across the plains and the necessarily Door
accommodations furnished in their tempo.
rary camp had induced disease. Consump.
ton. pneumonia and diptheria were preva-
lent This added to their discomfort and
the whole combined has exasperated them
to degree which renders the wild Indian
an unsafe element along the frontier. 1t
was While they were in this unpleasant
frame of mind that the special commission
invaded their camp with proposition to
select for them a home. AS they had al.
'eady performed that part of the business
md saw in it the foundation for further de
ay, considerable more "bad heart" was de.
'eloped and Spotted Tail talked rather i'm.
'udently to and about the agents of the
.reat father and their mission.
Upon the subject ofpossible trouble with
he Spotted Tail Indians, Maj Lee could
lot speak decisively. He said there was
lways danger where there were Indians,
md cited the experience with the Modocs
md Nez Perces, who were partially civi.
lied, as an Illustration. They had broken
'ut wholly unexpectedly, because they had
grievance "What then," added the ma
or, "might be expected of wild Indians ?"
lany Of those now under control of Spo:.
ed Tail had been hardly year upon an
gency. They had been accustomed to no
estrictive laws and were unfamiliar with
he ways Of civilization. He thought that
t no misunderstanding or conflict of opin.
on arose in carrying out the details Of the
emoval there would be no trouble. Some
light act which did not accord with Indian
IDEAS, however unintentional it might be,
would tend to arouse bad blood and induce
unpleasant consequences. An outbreak, he
hought, would not seriously jeopardize the
'atety of the settlers. 1t would probably
come, if at all, in the shape of an uprising
md row upon their agency grounds, a
white man or two might be killed, the
,orses within reach stolen and the reds
would then light out for the plains,
which were their home. That,
,e thought, would be the Indian Oft Mai
Lee could not say that he had any fear that
.nything of this sort would occur, but it was
within the range Of possibilities. He deem
n IL exceedingly fOrtunafe that so nractica1 |