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of kindred institutions, where less sacrifices have been made for the good cause. This is felt by many who are, heart and soul, devoted to this good work, while the ashes of several of their companions once struggling with them are commingling on a common burying ground with those of Indians whom they had helped to civilize, and who now sleep with them in the grave. This is felt not as a grievance, but it is felt as one of those privations which they have frequently to encounter, and which time and the kindness of such as can reinedy the evil will correct. In this hope they are determined to go on doing what good a stout will and circumstances will permit.

I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

Major L. R. PALMER, United States Indian Agent.

J. F. DIELS.

No. 130.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa, January 4, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 14th October last, in relation to the Pottawattomie Indians, was duly received, and would have been sooner answered but that I could not get the necessary information.

On inquiry I find that there are 92 Pottawattomies in Marshall and Tama counties. There are also a number of Musquakas, but the exact number I could not ascertain. The latter, I believe, are a remnant of a branch of the Sacs and Foxes. Johnny Green is chief of the former. He is a very peaceable and quiet man, and most of people feel kindly towards him and his people, of whom I have heard little or no complaint. If there is any objection it is only as to the matter of begging, and I think they seldom do this in a manner offensive and annoying to the white people. I think they only beg from extreme necessity. Still, if they could be induced to settle elsewhere, our people would doubtless prefer it. There is, in fact, a sort of indifference about it. Green is about 70 years of age, and I think he and his people are in extreme circumstances at present. The poor old man has been to my office frequently recently, desiring me to do something for them, and especially to write to the President for some assistance. To gratify him I wrote a short note to the Commissioner a short time since, at the same time giving him to understand that he must not rely on any assistance, as it was doubtful what could be done.

Some years ago the Iowa legislature granted this people permission to reside in Marshall and perhaps Tama county; or it may be that the Pottawatomies were allowed to reside in Marshall, and the Musquakas in Tama. The permit to reside in Marshall, I think, was given by the session 1859-'60; but I have not found an opportunity to look the matter up so as to speak definitely.

As to whether there are suitable vacant lands in this State to locate these Indians on I am not advised.

Green has got some notion, but from what source I do not know, that there is a good location for his people in the forks of Turkey river, in the northern part of the State, but I know nothing about it. He says that about 387 of his tribe are in Wisconsin, and intend to come to this State next spring, and they are all going to the Turkey Creek forks" He seems to have got this notion while in Washington city last fall. Says he intends to go to Washington again this year.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. C. HENDERSON.

Hon. JAMES HARLAN, Secretary of the Interior, Washington City.

No. 131.

SAC AND FOX AGENCY, KANSAS,
September 26, 1866.

SIR: In compliance with the regulations of the Indian department I have the honor to submit my fourth annual report of the condition of the Indians under my charge.

The Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi number, according to the enrolment made on the 20th day of July, 1866, as follows:

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This is a decrease of 39 from the enrolment of the previous year, which can only be accounted for by the inevitable fate that governs all Indian tribes.

There has been a marked increase in agricultural products and personal property generally, as the following careful estimate, compared with that of the previous year, will show:

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Besides the articles above mentioned, they have raised the usual amount of beans, pumpkins, squashes, &c. The crops are smaller than they otherwise would have been from the fact that throughout the whole of the early portion of the season more rain fell in Kansas than has been known in many years before, and the latter part of the season was unusually dry.

The Sac and Fox mission school has been regularly kept up, and has met with gratifying success. It has been liberally assisted by the Indian department from the civilization fund, but the chief encouragement in regard to its future prosperity arises from the growing interest of the Indians themselves. For the details of the mission school and farm, I respectfully refer to the accompanying report of Rev. W. Rogers, who has been teacher and superintendent since April last.

The Chippewa and Christian Indians connected with this agency number as follows:

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They are making slow but steady progress in civilization; have fine crops of corn, vegetables, and fruit; and when made citizens, (as they probably soon will be,) will be no disgrace to the State in which they live. The following are the agricultural and other statistics of the tribe :

Number of acres under cultivation....

Number of frame houses....

Number of log houses...

13 acres of wheat, 12 bushels per acre, 156 bushels, at $2 per bushel....... 8 acres of oats, 30 bushels per acre, 240 bushels, at 70 cents per bushel..

245

7

18

$312

168

200 acres corn, 15 bushels per acre, 3,000 bushels, at 75 cents per bushel..

2,250

1 acre of beans, 5 bushels per acre, 5 bushels, at $2 per bushel.

10

8 acres of Hungarian, 2 tons per acre, 16 tons, at $5 per ton.

80

6 acres of sorghum, 40 gallons per acre, 240 gallons, at 60 cents per gallon............... 8 acres of potatoes, 30 bushels per acre, 240 bushels, at $2 per bushel..

144

480

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125 bushels apples, at $2 per bushel..

250

80 tons prairie hay, at $5 per ton.........

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63 horses, at $40 per head..

2,520

110 cattle, at $20 per head.

2,200

150 hogs, at $5 per head....

750

9,564

The Chippewa and Christian Mission school has been continued as heretofore, under the charge of Rev. I. Romig, whose report accompanies this, and to which I respectfully refer. The employés at this agency are blacksmith, assistant blacksmith, gunsmith, physician, and interpreter. They have all discharged their respective duties to the satisfaction of the agent and the tribe.

The general condition of the Sac and Fox tribe has been, in the main, satisfactory since my last report. Drunkenness has steadily decreased, until I can almost say that it does not exist among them. Considerable suffering existed during the early summer, resulting from the protracted delay of the spring payment, and the consequent inability of the Indians to obtain food and clothes. Many of the tribe were days at a time with nothing whatever to eat. But in general, when the payments are made with a regularity which the Indians think they have a right to expect, they are provident to that degree, that they are all the time well fed and well clothed. They are generally honest and peaceable, and the complaints of their depredations outside the reservation are very few.

Considerable difficulty, amounting to dissension, has existed during the past year among the Indians themselves, which has arisen from causes which the agent, with the means at present in his hands, is unable to control. I have made known in former reports that the tribe consists of four bands. Three of these bands are interested in the advancement of the tribe in civilization, while the fourth or "wild band" is opposed to schools, cultivation of the soil, and every other evidence of civilized improvement. Under ordinary cir cumstances, the Indians left to themselves would have no difficulty on account of this dif ference in tastes and opinions. Those that wished to live in houses, raise crops, aud send their children to school, could do so without fear of molestation. The wild ones might and do ridicule them for entertaining such notions, but their friendly intercourse would not thereby be disturbed. But artful and designing white men can, by taking advantage of such differences of opinion, easily create disturbances, which it is difficult to quell. Such has been the case here. Certain men, whose former connexion and experience with Indian tribes should teach them better, have, through unprincipled agents and emissaries, and for the most dishonest purposes, persistently poisoned the minds and excited the passions of this "wild band," until at one time the most careful management was required to prevent deeds of violence. These evil-minded meddlers, knowing well the credulity of the Indian character, inflamed them by every gross and improbable misrepresentation that their ingenuity could devise, until they were made to believe that every person connected with the government was their natural enemy, and using every means to defraud them of their annuities and other rights. They were advised to refuse to pay their individual debts at the trading-house, notwithstanding the fact that no tribe in the country has more honorable traders, or ones who deal more generously with the Indians, and notwithstanding, too, that the accumulation of debts is one of the heaviest curses that befall a tribe, as these men with their experience ought to know. And they have been urged to resist all supposed en

croachments upon their rights by force.

I have made every effort to counteract such influences, and to preserve peace and contentment in the tribe, but experience shows that the seeds of disaffection sown by unscrupulous white men among Indians take deeper root and show more abundant fruits than peace and good order can exhibit.

The length of this report precludes me from specifying further in regard to these interferences and disturbances; indeed many of the particulars have been before communicated to yourself, and through you to the Indian department. Attempts of the character indicated have thus far failed in their designed effects, and have to all appearances ceased, but their recurrence at any period would be of incalculable detriment to the interests of the Indians-more so than it is possible for any person not present with the Indians to conceive. It would, in my opinion, be advantageous to the Indians, and may in time become a necessity, that agents should have power to deal summarily with all persons found upon Indian reservations who are malignantly seeking to disturb the internal arrangements and tranquillity of the Indian tribes.

Notwithstanding the adverse circumstances above mentioned, as having occurred in the early summer, I will indicate my opinion of the present condition of this tribe by saying that I challenge comparison as to quiet and orderly behavior, and the prevalence of good morals, between the present condition of these Indians and that of any other Blanket tribe of the country of equal numbers and advantages.

I will conclude my report by saying that the Sacs and Foxes are beginning to see clearly that it will be impossible to maintain their present reservation very long against the indux of emigration and the demands of the country, and are desirous of removing to the lands newly acquired by the government from the Indians south, and to this end are desirous of concluding a treaty for the disposal of their present reservation, and the acquiring a new one at any time, not far distant, which the Commissioner of Indian Affairs may indicate. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. THOMAS MURPHY,

Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Atchison, Kansas.

H. W. MARTIN,
U. S. Indian Agent.

No. 132.

LAWRENCE, KANSAS, October 9, 1866. SIR: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with your instructions of the 14th of August last, I proceeded to the Sac and Fox agency on the 5th instant. In my letter of the 2d instant I informed you that I expected to go there on the 4th instant, but Major H. W. Martin, the agent, being absent from the agency, attending the State fair, the 5th was the earliest day that could be arranged. Upon my arrival at the agency on the afternoon of the 5th, Antoine Gokey, the interpreter who accompanied Mo-ko-ho-ko to Washington last spring, was sent out to notify all the Indians that an agent of the department had arrived from Washington to investigate the charges against Major Martin, and to tell all of them to come to the council-house early in the morning.

They came on the next day (the 6th) about 12 o'clock; also Mr. George Powers, of Centropolis, and an attorney from Ottawa, H. P. Welch, esq, who appeared in the interest of the dissatisfied Indians. When all the parties were ready, the investigation was commenced, the interpreter and witnesses being duly sworn. The investigation continued ou the 6th, at dark, both parties being permitted to examine and cross-examine. At dark there was an adjournment until the next day.

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At 12 o'clock the next day the Indians again assembled, and when I was about to proceed with the investigation, I was informed by Attorney Welch and Mr. Powers that the Indians desired to hold a council; that they thought they could settle their difficulties among themselves. To this I consented, and after several hours' delay they came into the council-room. The chiefs made speeches, and a paper setting forth the basis of their agreement was drawn up, interpreted to the chiefs and councillors, and signed by them. this paper it is stated that Mo-ko-ho-ko shall hereafter be considered as a chief by blood; that all other relations in the tribe shall remain as heretofore; that Mo-ko ho ko and other disaffected Indians withdraw all charges against Major Martin, and state that they have no further cause of complaint against him, and agree that the expenses incurred by Mo-ko-hoko and his band, including $600 attorney's fees, shall be paid from the annuities of the tribe. Although Attorney Welch declined to proceed any further with the investigation, and the Indians had declared themselves satisfied, yet, as I had been sent by the department to investigate in regard to the charges preferred against Major Martin, and as he expressed a desire to have the investigation continue, I proceeded to examine all the witnesses that were available during the afternoon and evening of the 7th, and the forenoon of the 8th instant.

All the testimony was carefully written down by a clerk employed by me for that purpose, and the same, together with the agreement signed by the Indians, is herewith transmitted for your consideration.

The testimony taken is not of the best character that could be desired, nearly all the witnesses being connected with and in some way interested in the affairs of the agency, but it was the only kind available. Great latitude and also directness in examination was allowed to the parties and exercised by myself in questioning the witnesses, as it seemed necessary to bring out the testimony bearing upon the charges, and to facilitate the investigation. Taking the testimony for what it is worth, it shows as follows in reference to the charges preferred against Major Martin :

In reference to collusion with and receiving gratuities from traders, the witnesses, when interrogated upon this point, answered that they knew nothing about it.

In reference to favoring one trading-house, resulting in the exaction of exorbitant prices from the Indians, the testimony shows that one house has been patronized, but the fact that exorbitant prices have been exacted is not established.

In reference to the failure to properly enrol certain Indians, and the detention of annuities rightfully due to them, this charge relates to So-kah-net and his band, whom the testimony shows to have been absent in the Osage country, and who were not enrolled at that time by order of the chiefs and council, but who have since returned to the tribe and have had the annuities lost by their absence made good to them.

In reference to the combination of the agent and Keokuk to oppress that part of the tribe who do not agree with his policy, and the charge that Keokuk and his abettors have grown rich out of the funds of the tribe, the testimony shows that three of the chiefs, Keokuk, Che-ko-skuck and Pah-teck-quaw, are those that have made some advancement towards civilization by living in houses and cultivating land; that Mo-ko-ho-ko, who was, during the term of office of your predecessor, Commissioner Dole, removed from: office by Agent Martin, probably with the approval of the Commissioner, and who, according to the agreement of the Indians of the 7th instant, was reinstated, represents that portion of the tribe who prefer the Indian mode of life, and who do not desire to adopt the ways of the white man. These I am satisfied, from the testimony, comprise a majority of the tribe While the testimony shows that Major Martin has encouraged those who have made efforts in the

way of civilization, it does not show that the property which Keokuk possesses has been acquired since Major Martin has been agent, except such as may have been derived from his efforts at agriculture.

In reference to the charge that Major Martin has wrongfully appointed certain Indians "sheriffs and councillors," and paid them from the funds of the tribe, it appears that these officials were appointed and their salaries fixed by the chiefs.

In reference to the driving away of one Tesson by the agent, the testimony shows that this was done by order of the chiefs and council, Tesson being a Menomonee, and that his son, who married a Sac woman and was adopted by the tribe, has occupied the farm vacated by his father and has cultivated as much of it as he desired.

In reference to the charge that the agent has exerted his influence to divide the tribe, it appears to me from all the testimony that any effort the agent has made to advance the Indians in civilization has been opposed by a majority of the tribe.

The maintenance of the sheriffs and councillors, who the agent, Keokuk, Che-ko-skuck, and Pah-teck-quaw claim are necessary for the preservation of order and the transaction of business, will probably be opposed by that portion of the tribe who desire to retain their Indian customs, and it will be a question for the department to decide whether what appears to me to be a minority will be sustained. This minority all, or nearly all, wear the blanket, are unable to speak English, and differ only from the remainder of the tribe in this-that they live in houses, make some advancement towards farming, are disposed to send their children to school, and to transact their business in a manner approaching that of the white man. It is proper to state that those favoring wild life raise small patches of corn. In reference to the interpreter, Mr. Goodell, the majority of the Indians seem to be dissatisfied with him. The testimony shows no specific cause. That he is not a half-breed was the principal ground advanced by Mo-ko-ho-ko. The testimony shows nothing against his character as a man, but, on the contrary, represents that he has set a good example to the Indians. Although there are other parties on the reservation qualified to interpret, I am not prepared to recommend that a change be directed, as I do not feel satisfied from ob. servation that the position could be better filled.

The testimony shows that the administration of Agent Martin has tended to the improvement of the Indians, that there is less drunkenness and theft than there was prior to his term of office, and that he has been uniform in his treatment.

While I was there the Indians were quiet and orderly. I visited the shops and school. The former seem well conducted, and the children in the latter will compare favorably in advancement and deportment with those of the same age in any white school. I also visited the trading-house and examined their books, making a copy of some of the Indian accounts, which are submitted herewith.

There are other points brought out by the testimony which, for the sake of brevity, I will omit, and for which you are respectfully referred to the accompanying record of testimony. As I promised the Indians, I call your attention to the protest of Keokuk against the division of annuities in favor of members of the tribe in Iowa, and the request of all for the early payment of their annuities.

The papers accompanying your instructions to me are herewith returned.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. D. N. COOLEY,

Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C.

W. R. IRWIN, Special United States Agent.

At a general council of the Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi, held on the 7th day of October, 1866, it was agreed that Mo-ko-ho-ko shall hereafter be considered by the Sac and Fox Indians as a chief by blood, and exercise power accordingly; that all other relations and affairs within the tribe shall remain as heretofore. Keokuk and Che-ko-skuck to remain and be recognized as government chiefs; that Mo-ko-ho-ko and all others of the tribe withdraw any and all charges that they have made against Major H. W. Martin, the agent of the tribe, and have no further cause of complaint against him; that they are fully satisfied by this arrangement, and will hereafter live in peace and on friendly relations. And it is agreed that the expenses which have been incurred by Mo-ko-ho-ko and his band in the prosecution of their complaints shall be paid from the annuities of the tribe, including attorney's fees, not to exceed five hundred dollars, to Colonel Chipman, of Washington, D. C., and one hundred dollars to H. P. Welsh, of Ottawa, Kansas.

KEOKUK,

his x mark. CHE-KO-SKUCK, his x mark. MO-KO-HO-KO, his x mark.

PAH-TECK-QUAW, his x mark.

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