which have been constantly pressed on this office. Attention was called to this matter by Commissioner Lea, on the 7th April, 1852, in a communication to the Secretary of the Interior, in which he recommended that an appropriation should be made to enable the department to investigate the claims. On the 13th of the same month, in response to a resolution of the Senate, he renewed the recommendation; but no action was taken by Congress in reference to it until 1854, when, by the act of 29th July of that year, a special appropriation of $183,825, "with interest thereon from the first day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, at the rate of ten per centum per annum, was made to pay John Charles Frémont, who was one of the claimants. Congress having thus acknowledged the validity of these claims, I beg leave to renew the recommendation of Commissioner Lea, that they should be investigated with a view to their final settlement. As the matter stands at present, some of the commissioners are charged with large sums of money; and as they allege that they were surrounded with such a state of affairs as to make these expenditures necessary in order to avert an Indian war, and that their action did have that effect, it is proper that their conduct should be investigated, and if found justifiable, that they should be relieved from such heavy liabilities, and have their accounts adjusted with the government. I would invite special attention to the report of the superintendent for Oregon and Washington, from which it appears to be manifest that our relations with the Indians in those Territories are in a very critical condition, and that under the existing state of things there is a constant liability to a general outbreak on their part from any disturbing cause, which must involve the expenditure of millions to subdue them, as well as the most lamentable loss of life and property by the insufficiently protected white inhabitants. The non-ratification of the treaties heretofore made to extinguish their title to the lands necessary for the occupancy and use of our citizens seems to have produced no little disappointment, and the continued extension of our settlements into their territory, without any compensation being made to them, is a constant source of dissatisfaction and hostile feeling. They are represented as being willing to dispose of their lands to the government, and I know of no alternative to the present unsatisfactory and dangerous state of things but the adoption of early measures for the extinguishment of their title, and their colonization on properly-located reservations, using and applying the consideration agreed to be allowed to them for their lands to subsist and clothe them until they can be taught and influenced to support and sustain themselves. The losses and damage to the government and to the citizens resulting from another general outbreak on the part of these Indians would probably fully equal, if not exceed, in amount what would be necessary to buy out and colonize them, so that they could be effectually controlled, if not improved and civilized. Our settlements, as well as the friendly Indians along Puget's Sound and the waters of Admiralty inlet, suffer materially from the predatory incursions of the Indians from Vancouver's island, and the other adjacent British and Russian possessions. They are an enterprising, warlike race, and generally make their expeditions by water in large boats or canoes, some of them large enough to carry a hundred men, which they propel with much swiftness. To afford the necessary protection to our people from their frequent depredations, the employment of a light draught armed steamer in those waters, to intercept and chastise them, is essential. Referring to the report of the superintendent for the southern superintendency, who has elaborately and ably discussed the subject, in its application to the Indians of his district, I urgently repeat the recommendation of my immediate predecessor, that there be an early and complete revision and codification of all the laws relating to Indian affairs, which, from lapse of time and material changes in the location, condition, and circumstances of the most of the tribes, have become so insufficient and unsuitable as to occasion the greatest embarrassment and difficulty in conducting the business of this branch of the public service. All of which is respectfully submitted by your obedient servant, J. W. DENVER, Hon. J. THOMPSON, Secretary of the Interior. Commissioner. List of documents accompanying the report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the year 1857. NEW YORK AGENCY. No. 1.-Report of Marcus H. Johnson, agent for the Indians in the State of New York. No. 2.-Letter from Philip E. Thomas respecting the Seneca Indians. No. 3.-Copy of report by N. H. Parker, interpreter, as to the condition of the Senecas at Cattaraugus. No. 4.-Copy of extracts from a report made to the "Society of Friends," by a committee of said society, respecting the Indians of New York. MACKINAC AGENCY. No. 5.-Report of A. M. Fitch, agent for the Indians in the State of Michigan. No. 6.-Report of N. F. Murray, teacher at Sheboygan. No. 7.-Report of Timothy Hegney, teacher at Grand Portage. No. 9.-Report of William O'Donovan, teacher at Garden island. AGENCY FOR THE INDIANS IN THE VICINITY OF GREEN BAY. No. 11.-Report of Frederick Moscowitt, agent for the Indians in that vicinity. No. 12.-Report of Joseph M. Ostroph, teacher of music to the Menomonees. No. 13.-Report of Jane Dousman, teacher to the Menomonees. No. 14.-Report of Rosalie Dousman, teacher to the Menomonees. No. 15.-Report of Frederick Haas, farmer to the Menomonees. NORTHERN SUPERINTENDENCY. No. 16.-Report of William J. Cullen, superintendent. No. 17.-Report of David B. Herriman, agent for the Chippewas of the Mississippi. No. 18.-Report of Charles E. Flandrau, agent for the Sioux. army. No. 21.-Telegraphic despatch from Superintendent Huebschmann. No. 22.-Report from Superintendent Huebschmann. No. 23.-Copy of letter from Agent Flandrau to newspaper "Pioneer and Democrat." NOTE.-Papers from No. 20 to No. 52, inclusive, relate to the massacre at Spirit Lake by a party of Sioux. No. 24.-Letter from Agent Flandrau to Superintendent Huebschmann. No. 25.-Copy of letter from Superintendent Huebschmann to Governor Medary. No. 26. Copy of letter from Superintendent Huebschmann to Colonel Alexander, United States army. No. 27.-Telegraphic despatch from Agent Flandrau. No. 28.-Letter from Commissioner of Indian Affairs to Superintendent Cullen. No. 29.-Telegraphic despatch from Superintendent Cullen to Commissioner of Indian Affairs No. 30.-Telegraphic despatch from Commissioner of Indian Affairs to Superintendent Cullen. No. 31.-Telegraphic despatch from Commissioner of Indian Affairs to Agent Flandrau. No. 32.-Letter from Commissioner of Indian Affairs to K. Pritchette, appointing him special agent. No. 33.-Report of Superintendent Cullen. No. 41.-Statement of Se-see-toan and Wah-pay-toan warriors. No. 43.-Telegraphic despatch in reply to Superintendent Cullen. No. 45.-Telegraphic despatch to Special Agent Pritchette. No. 49.-Report of Special Agent Pritchette. No. 50-Proceedings of first council held with Sioux. No. 51.-Proceedings of second council held with Sioux. No. 52. Proceedings of third council held with Sioux. No. 53. Report of Jonathan E. Fletcher, agent for the Winnebagoes. CENTRAL SUPERINTENDENCY. No. 54.-Report of Alfred Cumming, superintendent. No. 55.-Report of Alfred J. Vaughan, agent for the Blackfeet Indians. No. 56.-Report of A. H. Redfield, agent for the Indians of the Upper Missouri. No. 57.-Copy of statement by Malcom Clarke relative to certain conduct of a party of Assinaboines. No. 58-Copy of speech of "Long Hair," chief of the Gros Ventres. No. 59.-Report of Thomas S. Twiss, agent for the Indians of the Upper Platte. No. 60.-Report of Robert C. Miller, agent for the Indians on the Arkansas. No. 61.-Copy of letter from Colonel Sumner, United States army, to Agent Miller. No. 62.-Report of John B. Robertson, agent for the Omahas. No. 63.-Report of Charles Sturgiss, superintendent of Omaha school. No. 64.-Report of William W. Dennison, agent for the Ottoes and Missourias and Pawnees. No. 65.-Report of D. A. Murdock, superintendent of the Ottoe and Missouria school. No. 66.-Report of John Lorton, farmer to the Ottoes and Missourias. No. 67.-Report of Daniel Vanderslice, agent for the Ioways and the Sacs and Foxes of the Missouri. No. 68.-Report of S. M. Irvin, superintendent of the Ioway and Sac and Fox mission. No. 69.-Report of Royal Baldwin, agent for the Kickapoos. No. 70.-Report of E. M. Hubbard, superintendent of the Kickapoo mission. No. 71.-Report of B. F. Robinson, agent for the Delawares. No. 72.-Report of John G. Pratt, superintendent of the Delaware school. No. 73.-Report of A. Arnold, agent for the Shawnees and Wyan dotts. No. 74.-Report of Simon D. Harvey, superintendent of "Friends'' mission to the Shawnees. No. 75.-Report of Thomas Johnson, superintendent of the Shawnee Methodist school. No. 76.-Report of William E. Murphy, agent for the Pottawatomies. No. 77.-Report of J. B. Duerinck, superintendent of the St. Mary's Pottawatomie manual labor school. No. 78.-Report of John Jackson, superintendent of the Baptist Pottawatomie manual labor school. No. 79.-Report of Burton A. James, agent for the Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi. No. 80-Report of John Montgomery, agent for the "Kaws," or Kansas Indians. No. 81.-Report of Maxwell McCaslin, agent for the Weas and Piankeskaws, Kaskaskias and Peorias, and Miamies. SOUTHERN SUPERINTENDENCY. No. 82.-Report of Elias Rector, superintendent. No. 83.-Report of Andrew J. Dorn, agent for the Osages, Quapaws, Senecas and Shawnees, and Senecas. No. 84.-Report of John Shoenmakers, superintendent of the Osage manual labor school. No. 85.-Report of J. L. French, farmer for the Quapaws. perance society. No. 88. Report of S. A. Worcester, missionary to the Cherokees. |