In compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 5th instant, information in relation to the employment of Louis V. Bogy in the Department of the Interior. APRIL 8, 1867.-Read, ordered to lie on the table and be printed. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: In reply to a resolution of the 5th instant, requesting the Secretary of the Interior "to inform the Senate whether Louis V. Bogy, late Commissioner of Indian Affairs, is now in the employ of the Department of the Interior; if so, in what capacity, what are his duties, and what is his compensation; and when was he appointed, and by whom, and what instructions, if any, have been issued to him, aud by whom, and when," I have the honor to state that Louis V. Bogy is now in the employment of this department, in the capacity of special agent. The accompanying paper is a copy of a letter addressed to him on the subject. The date of his appointment, by whom made, the nature of his duties, the instructions issued to him, and the rate of his compensation are therein set forth. The immediate shipment of the goods purchased and required for the Indian service west of the Mississippi is of the utmost importance. The contracts under which they are to be delivered should be faithfully observed, so that no just cause of complaint may exist in regard to their quantity or quality. The services of an efficient and trustworthy person are indispensable to secure that result, and to superintend the shipment of the goods. Clerks in the Indian bureau were formerly detailed, from time to time, to examine the goods in tended for the Indians, and some of the predecessors of Mr. Bogy deemed it their duty to remain a considerable time in New York, with a view of giving their immediate personal attention to the subject. The contracts were entered into by Mr. Bogy while he was Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Having full confidence in his integrity and capacity, I appointed him a special agent, and detailed two clerks from the department, who were familiar with the terms of the contracts and the description and quality of the goods to be delivered, to accompany and assist him in receiving, shipping, and forwarding them. Requisitions have recently been made by superintendents and agents for goods, in addition to those purchased under existing contracts. It is necessary that they be procured at once, as the delay incident to advertising for proposals would render it impossible to fulfil at the proper time our obligations to the Indians, and to meet the present urgent necessities of various tribes. A purchase on the most advantageous terms, in open market, was therefore determined on. Mr. Bogy was directed to make it, and to superintend the shipping of the goods to their proper destination. At the close of the thirty-ninth Congress there was no longer a Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Various delegations who had visited this city on matters of the highest importance to the government, as well as to the tribes they representel. were at that date engaged in considering and adjusting the terms of treaty stipu lations. Satisfactory progress had been made in negotiations, but they were not concluded. I was compelled to permit them to be broken off, subject to be renewed only on the appointment of a Commissioner of Indian Affairs, thus losing the benefit of all that had been accomplished, or to appoint an agent to prosecute and complete them, under the supervision of the department. I adopted the latter alternative, as more conducive to the interests of the contracting parties. Mr. Bogy was entirely familiar with the questions involved, and had repeatedly conferred with the Indians respecting them. He was therefore appointed to con summate the negotiations. The instructions to him were oral. After executing this trust, he left Washington and is now engaged in discharging his duties as special agent. I deem it proper to add that Mr. Bogy did not solicit these employments, but consented, at my earnest request, to accept them. I was then, and am still, fully satisfied that the business could be transacted more advantageously for the goernment and the Indians with his assistance than without it. The appointment is, of course, but temporary, and will expire with the completion of the duties assigned to him. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, O. H. BROWNING, Secretary. Hon. B. F. WADE, President of the Senate. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: You are hereby appointed a special agent for the purpose of receiving all the goods for the Indians to be delivered under the contracts lately entered into with C. Franklin Bates, of New York, John V. Farwell & Co., of Chicago, and S. C. Hunt & Co., of St. Louis; and also to buy such other goods and merchandise as may be required for the Indian service for the present year. You are authorized to appoint such persons to assist you in selecting such goods, and forwarding and shipping the same, as may be necessary. You will take charge of such goods and merchandise, and have them forwarded to their destination. Those for the Indians on the Missouri river, and for the western States and Territories, you will have forwarded to St. Louis, and from thence you will see that they are all sent to their proper destination in the Indian country. You will consequently be authorized to make such contracts for freight and other incidental expenses as may be necessary, giving in all cases, whether for the purchase of said goods and merchandise, or for the em ployment of agents and experts, &c., and warehousing, forwarding, and freighting the goods, such vouchers as may be necessary to enable the parties to obtain the settlement of their claims against the Indian bureau. You will give such approved security as the law requires, in the event of any moneys being placed in your hands for the above purpose. You will be allowed your necessary expenses, and $10 per day for your services. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. LEWIS V. BOGY, O. H. BROWNING, Secretary. Washington City, D. C. In compliance with a resolution of the Senate of March 29, 1867, information in relation to the Indian tribes of the United States. APRIL 13, 1867.-Read, referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs, and ordered to be printed. APRIL 20, 1867.-Ordered, that there be printed two thousand additional copies for the use of the Senate, and five hundred for the use of the Interior Department. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, D. C., April 13, 1867. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated the 12th instant, and accompanying tables, containing the information called for in a resolution of the Senate dated the 29th ultimo. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. BENJAMIN F. WADE, O. H. BROWNING, Secretary. President of the Senate. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by reference from your department, of a resolution adopted by the Senate of the United States, March 29, in the following words, to wit: That the Secretary of the Interior cause to be prepared and reported to the Senate, at the earliest practicable moment, a statement, arranged in alphabetical order, showing First. The approximate number of persons belonging to each tribe of Indians in the United States. Second. The locality and extent of the reservations, if any, assigned to the tribe, and whether the lands are held in common or in severalty; and if there be no reservations, then a description of the country occupied or claimed by such tribe. Third. A statement of the treaty obligations now subsisting with each tribe, showing the date and article thereof, and referring to the volume and page of the Statutes at Large where the same may be found. Fourth. The amounts of money required to be appropriated annually under such treaty obligations, and the purposes to which it is to be applied; and also the amount annually appropriated since the year eighteen hundred and sixtytwo, inclusive, for the use of tribes with which no treaty stipulations exist, and how the same has been expended. Fifth. The progress of each tribe in education and civilization, together with such other facts connected with its history and present relations as may present, in short and concise forms, its true condition, with such remarks in reference to future policy and treatment as the experience of the department may suggest. Sixth. The name of the superintendent and agent having charge of the tribe, the extent of their jurisdiction, the date of their appointment, with such remarks in reference to the efficiency of such officers as their general conduct in the discharge of their duties may suggest. Understanding that it was the desire of the Senate to obtain the information called for in the above resolution before the expiration of the present extra session, all possible diligence has been used in its preparation, and to make it complete and accurate as far as undertaken; but I am aware that the limited time allowed to this office has not sufficed for the preparation of a statement which would fully comply with the resolution, or enable it to do justice to the department in regard to many points upon which information is sought. Presuming, also, that the statement required is more in the nature of an abstract, in regard to many items, referring inquirers to such public documents as will give full information upon distinct points, I have limited myself in this statement to such references, instead of giving full details, occupying a large space. In reference to the second clause of the fourth paragraph of the resolution, it is entirely impracticable to furnish a full detail of the information required, without occupying a considerable force for a long time, and embarrassing greatly the business of the office. This item embraces the expenditure of appropriations amounting to some $2,150,000, including a part of those in Washington Territory and Oregon, all of the appropriations for California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, part for Colorado, Idaho, and Montana, those for the Sioux at Crow creek, for the numerous refugee bands of the leased lands, and for various wandering bands in Wisconsin. To ascertain the manner in which these funds have been expended necessarily requires the examination of all of the quarterly accounts of the various agents and superintendents for the whole period embraced in the resolution. Should the Senate, however, 'still require this detailed information, the inquiry will be entered upon without delay. In order that the information furnished in the annual report of this office for 1866 may be used in connection with this statement, I have, in preparing the alphabetical list of tribes and bands, with the estimated population, (table A,) as required under the first head of enquiry, referred to the superintendency and agency to which the Indians belong, as given in the table of population at page 370 of the last annual report, which table is copied in this report, for conve nience of reference, (table B) This is done because in many cases several tribes or bands are included within one treaty, or are under charge of the same agent; and for the same reason, in furnishing the information required as to existing treaty obligations, or as to reservations set apart for tribes, I have followed the arrangement adopted in the table last referred to, (table B.) Table C, herewith, furnishes references as to the page and volume of the Statutes at Large, in regard to reservations, their extent, &c. money. Table D furnishes the information required under the third and the first paragraph of the fourth head of inquiry, being a condensed statement of the existing treaty obligations with the different tribes, requiring the expenditure of The liabilities stated therein are those occurring after the first of July, 1867, and the appropriations for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1868, are made in the Indian appropriation act of the late session of the 39th Congress. This table does not give the amounts of stocks or bonds held in trust for the Indians; for this, reference can be had to pages 325 to 329, annual report of 1866. Having thus provided for such branches of the inquiries of the Senate as can conveniently be placed in tabular form, I proceed to furnish, in as brief space as possible, the information required under the fifth and sixth heads of the res olution, stating the general condition and progress of each tribe, or aggregation of tribes, with suggestions as to the policy to be pursued towards them, with the names, dates of appointment, and remarks as to the character of the several superintendents and agents. The field is a very extensive one, and the limited time allowed to this office will only permit a casual glance at each agency; and reference must be had for particulars to the annual report of this office for 1866, and the accompanying papers. In preparing this statement, I follow, for convenience of reference, the order adopted in that report and in table B, annexed. INDIANS IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY. Tulalip agency.-The tribes or bands connected with this agency are about twenty-five in number, comprising such names as the Tulalips, Lummis, Snohomish, D'Wamish, N'Quentlmaymish, &c. They were brought under treaty relations with the government in 1855, when, in consideration of the cession of a large tract of land, payments were secured to them, intended to be used in such manner as would gradually fit them for sustaining themselves by tilling the soil. The experiment has not been a success with these bands; and, with the exception of the Yakimas, and a few bands at other agencies, the same remark may be made with reference to all the tribes in Washington Territory brought under treaty relations. At the Tulalip agency, the Indians have had the benefit of the earnest labors of Rev. Mr. Chirouse, a Catholic missionary, for years, and he has succeeded in training some few of the children so that there is some encouragement in his work, but the mass of the people display little interest in the school. Recently, arrangements have been made for infusing more energy into this school, and good results are hoped for, but doubts remain, arising from past experience. The agent in charge is A. R. Elder, appointed March 4, 1864, to the Puyallup agency, but who, upon the resignation of Agent Howe, (the number of agencies for Washington being filled,) was assigned the charge of the Tulalip agency in addition to his own. Mr. Elder has shown himself a prompt and efficient officer. Another full agency should be authorized for Washington Territory. Skokomish sub-agency, composing the S'Kallams, Skokomish, and other tribes, numbering some 1,500, but comparatively few of whom evince a disposition to cultivate the soil. Under the influence of Mr. J. T. Knox, sub-agent, appointed June 1, 1864, some of the people have been induced to settle upon the farms, and buildings have been erected for them. The superintendent last year referred to the rapid decay of these tribes by disease resulting from contact with the whites, holding out, however, some hope of a better state of things. There is no school upon the reservation. Mr. Knox performs his duties satisfactorily, so far as this office is aware. Makah or Neeah Bay agency.-Several bands of Makahs are comprised in this agency, their reservation being located near Cape Flattery, the most northwesterly point of the United States, upon the Pacific. These Indians are the Nantucket men of the west coast, fishermen by nature, accustomed to earn a sufficient supply for their simple wants from the waters of Puget sound and from the ocean. The attempt to cause them to settle down to farming has met with very poor success. If they could be aided in the purchase of one or two small vessels, and their attention turned to the systematic pursuit of their fisheries, there is little doubt of their success. Their civilization progresses very slowly. Considerable sums, provided by treaty, have been expended in erecting school buildings and supporting a teacher; but thus far the school has been of little permanent benefit, on account of the short and irregular attendance of the scholars Mr. Henry A. Webster, appointed March 23, 1866, is the agent. He appears to be laborious and faithful in attention to his duties, and has displayed |