Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 23

Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 23

We do not think that the display of military force on treaty grounds

is either necessary or politic. If to inspire a feeling of fear be the

object, it would require the presence of three or four thousand men

to effect it with the Blackfeet, and even then, there would be great

danger of collision with the troops who would endeavor to enforce

military regulations when they can not be understood and are not

required. Neither would Indians be induced to assemble when such a

body of armed men are brought without their consent, or if they did,

it would be with hostile feelings, and they could give no assistance

to the commissioners. A lesser force, or one inadequate to present the

idea of coercion, would incur their contempt, as they would necessarily

conclude that the Government had sent all the men they could raise, and

the few present would be imposed upon.

 

Indians do not like to be forced into measures, the utility of

which has yet to be made apparent. Besides, the spirit of treaty is

compromise, not force, as would be implied by these proceedings.

It must be a voluntary act on the part of the Indians, for and in

consideration of a certain sum, to obtain the stipulations. Again it

is entirely on the present state of the Indian and their government to

carry out this treaty we depend after the military force be withdrawn.

Their organization as pointed out in these pages shows them capable

of preserving order among themselves on these occasions, and a few

good, patient commissioners and sensible traders and interpreters

would secure what is necessary when force or appearance of it would

fail. If anything more was added it might be a few military officers

in full uniform and a good band of music. After satisfaction the

treaty would operate in detail as has been mentioned, and the next

best thing would be to take deputations of the principal men of each

nation to Washington, where they could council with their Great Father

(the President), and at this time the power and disposition of the

Government could be exhibited without giving offense, which in their

return among their people would be made public and the proper feeling

instilled. But Indians should never be treated with at the seat of

Government for many reasons.

 

The principal is that no deputation of prairie tribes could be taken

as the general voice, and even then would not think themselves treated

with on fair grounds—would agree to any and everything and afterwards

say they were forced to do it. Large bodies of whites in the interior

and on treaty grounds would necessarily be very expensive, and are

inexpedient, as pointed out, though the support of a great many Indians

would be very little. They bring their supplies along, hunt their

way back, and but a few groceries would be sufficient to feed them

during the short stay the business required. Another thing not to be

overlooked is that the assembling of different nations in a body at a

certain point is a great affair to them. It forms an epoch, a date, an

event, to be talked of for years. Each nation on these occasions feel

themselves bound to be polite, liberal, and attentive to strangers.

Hostilities for the time are laid aside or forgotten, and the whole

active force of the nations on whose ground the treaty is held is put

in motion to keep order. If the question of buying their lands is not

introduced, all goes on well, but on this subject they are jealous and

suspicious to a great degree.

 

In no instance should the principal of an Indian fund be placed in the

hands of any member of these prairie tribes to be distributed by him to

his people. They can not appreciate the use and expenditure of money;

neither could they with safety be placed in charge of any large amount

of goods for distribution.

 

If handed to the chief, they would be given by him to a few of his

immediate relations and friends, and the rest of the camp would get

nothing. The present way of distributing annuities is the best, if

not the only one that could give general satisfaction, and is thus

conducted. The whole amount of merchandise is separated into as many

portions as there are bands in the nation, according to the number of

lodges in each band. One of the bands is then visited by the Indian

agent, who, with the advice and consent of the chief of the nation,

chooses therefrom four to six soldiers and dresses them. The whole

band, men, women, and children, are formed into a semicircle with

these soldiers in front, and that portion of the annuities intended

for the band is laid in front of the soldiers, who separate it equally

among all, retaining, however, a reasonable share for themselves. This

appears to give general satisfaction. We can suggest no change in

the existing laws that might benefit the Indians, unless it be that

Indian agents should be people who have a correct knowledge of Indian

character. If it be really the object of the Government to benefit this

race of people their agents should be chosen from experienced traders

or others who have and still reside with them and are well acquainted

with their manners and customs.

 

How can a stranger who perhaps never saw an Indian, merely by

counseling with a few during his short annual visit, know their wants,

study their welfare, or make satisfactory reports to headquarters?

Besides, so much being dependent on these agents, their term of office

should not be limited to a change in the administration, as at present.

It is unlike other offices and requires many years’ close application

and constant residence among Indians to be of any real benefit to

learn in what manner they can be better regulated or to carry out any

series of measures the Government may wish to introduce. The pay of

these agents is also inadequate, and there are too few to be of much

service. The Sioux Nation alone is numerous and widely extended enough

to admit of an agency; the Mandan, Gros Ventres, and Arikara another;

the Assiniboin and Crows a third, and the Blackfeet a fourth. As it at

present stands, one man is appointed for all this, and the consequence

is some of them are neglected, if not the greater number. It can not

be otherwise. The nations are situated hundreds of miles apart and

each scattered over an immense district. Even one nation can not be

collected, consulted with, annuities distributed, and all business

settled in a less time than six months and often more. Should the

present officer do nothing but travel he could not make the round of

the whole in a year.

 

 

PROPERTY

 

The personal property of these tribes consists chiefly of horses. A

man’s wealth is estimated by the number of these animals he owns.

Besides which they have their lodges, guns, clothing, and cooking

utensils. Possession of an article of small value is a right seldom

disputed, if the article has been honestly obtained, as their laws of

retaliation are too severe to admit of constant quarrels. But horses

being their principal aim, possessing them is nothing without force

to defend. To explain this fully it will be necessary to give a few

examples of the different kinds of rights and their tenure. Rights to

property are of the following description: Articles found, articles

made by themselves, stolen from enemies, given them, and bought. Two

Indians traveling together, one discovers a lost horse and points it

out to the other, who pursues and succeeds in catching it. Now the one

who made the discovery claims a portion of the horse on the ground

that had he not seen it or not shown it to the other most likely it

would not be in his possession. The other, therefore, to extinguish

this claim, would be obliged to pay some article equivalent to half

the value of the horse, which in case he refused to do would end in

the horse being killed on the spot, and the dispute terminated. The

same rule would apply to finding a gun, but smaller articles would not

attract attention enough to produce a quarrel. An article is considered

lost when the owner has abandoned the search.

 

All clothing, skins, arms, etc., made by themselves are the sole

property of those who made them, and this is the only general right

among them that admits of no dispute. To take away such things by force

would be reckoned a mean action; would be discountenanced individually

by all; and the perpetrator would fall into general disgrace, among

both men and women. When horses are stolen from enemies the case is

different. Suppose seven Indians conjointly steal 45 horses in the

night from their enemies. They would drive them off in a body until

beyond reach of pursuit and then each would lay claim, catch, and keep

as many as he could manage and defend. No equal division or anything

like it would take place. Men of desperate character would take the

greater part and leave milder or less strongly supported Indians with

one or two and some would get none. To do this sometimes two to four

will combine against the others and take the largest share, but one or

two men seldom carry this so far as to incur the resentment of the rest

of the party. It generally depends upon the number of relatives each

has with him, or his force in camp, before either of which those not

so strongly supported must give way. Quarrels often occur about these

divisions, and horses in dispute are killed or stolen in the night by

those who have few from those who have many before their return home.

 

An Indian never gives away anything without some expectation of a

return or some other interested motive. If one observes another in

possession of a fine horse he would like to have he will take the

occasion of some feast or dance and publicly present him with a gun or

something of value, flattering his bravery, praising his liberality,

and throwing out general hints as to his object, though not directly

mentioning it. He will let the matter rest thus for some days, and if

the other does not present him with the horse will demand his gift

returned, which is done.

 

One will sometimes give a horse to another for some purpose or

equivalent and allow him to keep it; but should the receiver give the

horse to a third person the original owner will often claim him and

take him back, giving for his reason that he did not bestow him on that

person, and although he had presented him to the first, he should have

kept him and not given him away to another. Smaller gifts are regarded

in the light of loans and generally paid for in some way. They may be

considered as exchanges of necessities which they take this way to

effect.

 

One would think that an article bought by them or of them should be

the property of the purchaser, but this is not always the case. If an

Indian buys a horse from another and it is stolen the first night or

two afterwards, or lamed the first race, part, and sometimes the whole,

of the payment must be returned to pacify the loser.

 

If a gun is bought and it bursts or is broken shortly afterwards,

in like manner a refund of a portion of the purchase money would

be required. And worse still if the gun in the act of bursting had

crippled the man’s hands, which is often the case, the accident would

also be paid for by him who sold the gun. These things are so well

known and anticipated among them that the vendor immediately after

the accident or loss invites the loser to a feast and by the payment

of something settles the matter. This has the effect of their having

but few bargains or dealings with each other, so much so that a horse

bought and paid for by us from them can not be resold to one of their

own people if they know it, because the original owner will take it if

he sees it in the hands of one of his own people and that person is in

a situation to be thus imposed upon. Most of their horses having had

several owners, they are always a precarious gift or purchase. Property

obtained by gambling is also held by a very slight tenure, so much so that the loser has many chances in his favor and these operations are much fairer among them than among whites.