1875 Reports of the Commissioner Affairs and Indian Agent Reports
"Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs," pp. 505-879. In U.S. House. 44th Congress, 1st Session. Report of the Secretary of the Interior, 1875 (H.Ex.Doc.1, Pt. 5, Vol. 1). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1876. (Serial Set 1680).

History               

. . . CO-OPERATION WITH RELIGIOUS BODIES.

It is with great gratification that I record the hearty good-will with which the several religious bodies of the country have in general aided the work of civilization during the year, and the close relations of confidence and co-operation which have existed between them and the agents nominated by them and this office. The advantages derived from the nomination of agents by religious bodies are manifest on every hand. It secures a better class of officers than could be had by political nomination; it brings to the aid of the government the sympathies and co-operation of a large number of the best citizens of the country; it enlists a kind of aid for which the Government has no substitute, and without which all effort for civilization will drag heavily until it is abandoned. (pp. 524)

From: Information With Historical and Statistical Statements Relative to the Different Tribes and Their Agencies, pp. 574.

. . . NEZ PERCÉS.

Of the 2,800 Nez Percés, nearly half, located on the Kamiah and Lapwai reservations in Northern Idaho, and a few others settled on lands outside the reserve, are prosperous farmers and stock-growers. The rest are "non-treaties," who, with other non-treaty Indians in that region, make every exertion to induce the reservation Indians to leave their farms and join them in annual hunting and root-gathering expeditions. The settlements made in the Wallowa Valley, which has for years been the pasture-ground of the large herds of horses owned by Joseph's band of the "non-treaties," will occasion more or less trouble between this band and the whites until Joseph is induced or compelled to settle upon his reservation.

The prosperous condition of those of the Nez Percés who are upon the reserve was fully set forth in my last report. That no special advancement has been made during the year is largely due to the distraction caused by the attempt of Langford to take forcible possession of the section of land embracing the sites of most of the agency buildings, claimed by him under purchase. The nature of this claim was fully set forth in my last report. Under the decision of the Attorney-General that Langford's title to these lands was not valid, military aid was procured, by which he was ejected from the reservation and the buildings and lands again turned over to the charge of the agent to be put to their intended use. . . .

Report of John B. Monteith, United States Indian Agent, Nez Percé Indians, pp. 762-763.

OFFICE INDIAN AGENT NEZ PERCÉ INDIANS,

Lapwai, Idaho, September 6, 1875.

SIR: In compliance with the requirements of the Department, I respectfully submit the following as my annual report for the year ending August 31, 1875.

The efforts put forth during the year past for the advancement of the Indians under my charge in civilized pursuits have, in a measure, been successful. Circumstances have arisen which have worked a great deal of inconvenience, and impeded the carrying out of extensive plans of improvements in the way of erecting houses for the Indians, especially in the vicinity of Lapwai.

The first cause which operated against my efforts in trying to benefit the Indians was the course pursued by one W. G. Langford, whose actions have been repeatedly reported to the Department. Said Langford obtained possession of the old mission claim, upon which are located all the agency buildings, and closed the saw and grist mills, thus preventing us from getting out the necessary amount of lumber for building Indian houses, also preventing the Indians from getting their wheat and corn ground, forcing them to sell the same at a sacrifice and buy flour from the merchants. The mills were closed from February until June, during which time there is plenty of water to saw and grind, and during which time all the lumber for the summer season is sawed. As it is, we have hard work to get out enough for the use of the shops. Such circumstances would naturally create no small amount of dissatisfaction among the Indians dependent upon said mills for their grinding and lumber for their houses. It seems strange to me that an outside party can come on to an Indian reserve, and, under some pretense, work a decided injury to the Indians of said reserve and go unpunished. After said Langford was ejected, in June, I immediately set to work and repaired the mills and water-ditch leading to the mills, so far as circumstances would permit. We can run the mills only about two hours out of the twenty-four, on account of low water in the Lapwai Creek, and said two hours are consumed in grinding wheat; hence we can do but little toward building houses this season.

Another hinderance in the way of efforts to advance these Indians in civilization is allowing the Indians known as the non-treaties to make their visits to the buffalo country. These non-treaty Indians, together with many who do not claim to be non-treaty, live outside the reserve, and consequently cannot be controlled by the agent. The non-treaty chiefs are the ones who start the movement of making the trips in question. They gather their forces from all classes, principally from those outside the reserve; still their influence is exerted to some extent among those living on farms within the reserve; and as the Department instructs me to adopt no forcible measures to prevent said Indians from making their visits to the buffalo country, I can do simply nothing, as to reason with them is useless. Many of these Indians went to the buffalo country during August and September of last year. Most of them are still in that section of the country, but few having returned. The sooner steps are taken to prevent said Indians from going off on these wild excursions the better it will be for the tribe generally.

The crops this year have been, generally speaking, good. The Indians have raised more vegetables than usual; and as the season was quite favorable, they have good returns. Those who have remained at home and attended to their crops have done well, having a great plenty for their own use and some to sell, the proceeds of which are expended for clothing and groceries.

When I received information from the Department to the effect that the Wallowa Valley had been opened to settlers, I sent for "Joseph," and upon his arrival informed him of the same. At the first interview he was inclined to be ugly, and returned to his camp very much dissatisfied with the action of the Government. In the course of a week he came back and talked more reasonably. To guard against any trouble that might arise, I requested General O. O. Howard, commander Department Columbia, to station troops in the valley during the fishing season, which request was complied with. I think the question of the Wallowa Valley ought to be definitely settled. The Indians go there with large bands of horses, from which springs nearly all the trouble between the Indians and settlers, the latter having large herds of stock in the valley also. So long as so many Indians remain outside the reserve, they cannot be kept out of the valley during the summer, unless a guard is kept there.

The monthly reports of the schools have kept the Department informed as to the progress made in that direction. The schools were closed the 1st of July for vacation of two months, but during the time the boarding-school teacher and matron have resigned, which leaves me with but one white person (Miss S. L. McBeth) as teacher in the boarding-school department. However, I think the vacancies will soon be filled, at which time the schools will be opened, and all the scholars that can be accommodated will be received. The superintendent of teaching resigned his position last June, and I have concluded to dispense with that office, giving each teacher full charge of his school, and holding him responsible for its management. One cause of the teachers leaving is the reduction of the salaries, which took place at the beginning of last fiscal year. The scholars have made steady progress in their studies, and show that they do not care to fall back into their old manner of living, from the fact that during vacation they would not go off on the hunting and fishing excursions with other Indians. Some of the scholars have remained at the school-house during vacation, and have worked in the garden, assisted in thrashing, and performed other work.

The progress made in speaking the English language is not as great as we could wish. They can understand nearly all that is said to them, and can read readily and write well. Still as they gradually overcome that diffidence natural to them, so, little by little, will they have confidence in themselves to speak the English language, and eventually converse freely in said tongue.

There is in each mill a boy learning the trade, one a full-blood and the other a half-breed. In the blacksmith-shop at Kamiah there is a half-breed learning the trade. In the shop at Lapwai we had a full-blood, who was proving a success in learning the trade, but when the Indians commenced moving off to the root-grounds he disappeared. I sent for him and brought him back, but he would not remain. However, he has been at the agency lately, and intimated that he would like to go into the shop again soon.

The health of the tribe has been very good generally during the year past.

I hope to be able to put up a few houses for the Indians before the winter sets in.

On the whole, taking into consideration the circumstances I have had to contend with, we have reason to be thankful for the progress made during the year ending August 31, 1875.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. B. MONT[EI]TH,

United States Indian Agent.

. . . CO-OPERATION WITH RELIGIOUS BODIES.

It is with great gratification that I record the hearty good-will with which the several religious bodies of the country have in general aided the work of civilization during the year, and the close relations of confidence and co-operation which have existed between them and the agents nominated by them and this office. The advantages derived from the nomination of agents by religious bodies are manifest on every hand. It secures a better class of officers than could be had by political nomination; it brings to the aid of the government the sympathies and co-operation of a large number of the best citizens of the country; it enlists a kind of aid for which the Government has no substitute, and without which all effort for civilization will drag heavily until it is abandoned. (pp. 524)

From: Information With Historical and Statistical Statements Relative to the Different Tribes and Their Agencies, pp. 574.

. . . NEZ PERCÉS.

Of the 2,800 Nez Percés, nearly half, located on the Kamiah and Lapwai reservations in Northern Idaho, and a few others settled on lands outside the reserve, are prosperous farmers and stock-growers. The rest are "non-treaties," who, with other non-treaty Indians in that region, make every exertion to induce the reservation Indians to leave their farms and join them in annual hunting and root-gathering expeditions. The settlements made in the Wallowa Valley, which has for years been the pasture-ground of the large herds of horses owned by Joseph's band of the "non-treaties," will occasion more or less trouble between this band and the whites until Joseph is induced or compelled to settle upon his reservation.

The prosperous condition of those of the Nez Percés who are upon the reserve was fully set forth in my last report. That no special advancement has been made during the year is largely due to the distraction caused by the attempt of Langford to take forcible possession of the section of land embracing the sites of most of the agency buildings, claimed by him under purchase. The nature of this claim was fully set forth in my last report. Under the decision of the Attorney-General that Langford's title to these lands was not valid, military aid was procured, by which he was ejected from the reservation and the buildings and lands again turned over to the charge of the agent to be put to their intended use. . . .

Report of John B. Monteith, United States Indian Agent, Nez Percé Indians, pp. 762-763.

OFFICE INDIAN AGENT NEZ PERCÉ INDIANS,

Lapwai, Idaho, September 6, 1875.

SIR: In compliance with the requirements of the Department, I respectfully submit the following as my annual report for the year ending August 31, 1875.

The efforts put forth during the year past for the advancement of the Indians under my charge in civilized pursuits have, in a measure, been successful. Circumstances have arisen which have worked a great deal of inconvenience, and impeded the carrying out of extensive plans of improvements in the way of erecting houses for the Indians, especially in the vicinity of Lapwai.

The first cause which operated against my efforts in trying to benefit the Indians was the course pursued by one W. G. Langford, whose actions have been repeatedly reported to the Department. Said Langford obtained possession of the old mission claim, upon which are located all the agency buildings, and closed the saw and grist mills, thus preventing us from getting out the necessary amount of lumber for building Indian houses, also preventing the Indians from getting their wheat and corn ground, forcing them to sell the same at a sacrifice and buy flour from the merchants. The mills were closed from February until June, during which time there is plenty of water to saw and grind, and during which time all the lumber for the summer season is sawed. As it is, we have hard work to get out enough for the use of the shops. Such circumstances would naturally create no small amount of dissatisfaction among the Indians dependent upon said mills for their grinding and lumber for their houses. It seems strange to me that an outside party can come on to an Indian reserve, and, under some pretense, work a decided injury to the Indians of said reserve and go unpunished. After said Langford was ejected, in June, I immediately set to work and repaired the mills and water-ditch leading to the mills, so far as circumstances would permit. We can run the mills only about two hours out of the twenty-four, on account of low water in the Lapwai Creek, and said two hours are consumed in grinding wheat; hence we can do but little toward building houses this season.

Another hinderance in the way of efforts to advance these Indians in civilization is allowing the Indians known as the non-treaties to make their visits to the buffalo country. These non-treaty Indians, together with many who do not claim to be non-treaty, live outside the reserve, and consequently cannot be controlled by the agent. The non-treaty chiefs are the ones who start the movement of making the trips in question. They gather their forces from all classes, principally from those outside the reserve; still their influence is exerted to some extent among those living on farms within the reserve; and as the Department instructs me to adopt no forcible measures to prevent said Indians from making their visits to the buffalo country, I can do simply nothing, as to reason with them is useless. Many of these Indians went to the buffalo country during August and September of last year. Most of them are still in that section of the country, but few having returned. The sooner steps are taken to prevent said Indians from going off on these wild excursions the better it will be for the tribe generally.

The crops this year have been, generally speaking, good. The Indians have raised more vegetables than usual; and as the season was quite favorable, they have good returns. Those who have remained at home and attended to their crops have done well, having a great plenty for their own use and some to sell, the proceeds of which are expended for clothing and groceries.

When I received information from the Department to the effect that the Wallowa Valley had been opened to settlers, I sent for "Joseph," and upon his arrival informed him of the same. At the first interview he was inclined to be ugly, and returned to his camp very much dissatisfied with the action of the Government. In the course of a week he came back and talked more reasonably. To guard against any trouble that might arise, I requested General O. O. Howard, commander Department Columbia, to station troops in the valley during the fishing season, which request was complied with. I think the question of the Wallowa Valley ought to be definitely settled. The Indians go there with large bands of horses, from which springs nearly all the trouble between the Indians and settlers, the latter having large herds of stock in the valley also. So long as so many Indians remain outside the reserve, they cannot be kept out of the valley during the summer, unless a guard is kept there.

The monthly reports of the schools have kept the Department informed as to the progress made in that direction. The schools were closed the 1st of July for vacation of two months, but during the time the boarding-school teacher and matron have resigned, which leaves me with but one white person (Miss S. L. McBeth) as teacher in the boarding-school department. However, I think the vacancies will soon be filled, at which time the schools will be opened, and all the scholars that can be accommodated will be received. The superintendent of teaching resigned his position last June, and I have concluded to dispense with that office, giving each teacher full charge of his school, and holding him responsible for its management. One cause of the teachers leaving is the reduction of the salaries, which took place at the beginning of last fiscal year. The scholars have made steady progress in their studies, and show that they do not care to fall back into their old manner of living, from the fact that during vacation they would not go off on the hunting and fishing excursions with other Indians. Some of the scholars have remained at the school-house during vacation, and have worked in the garden, assisted in thrashing, and performed other work.

The progress made in speaking the English language is not as great as we could wish. They can understand nearly all that is said to them, and can read readily and write well. Still as they gradually overcome that diffidence natural to them, so, little by little, will they have confidence in themselves to speak the English language, and eventually converse freely in said tongue.

There is in each mill a boy learning the trade, one a full-blood and the other a half-breed. In the blacksmith-shop at Kamiah there is a half-breed learning the trade. In the shop at Lapwai we had a full-blood, who was proving a success in learning the trade, but when the Indians commenced moving off to the root-grounds he disappeared. I sent for him and brought him back, but he would not remain. However, he has been at the agency lately, and intimated that he would like to go into the shop again soon.

The health of the tribe has been very good generally during the year past.

I hope to be able to put up a few houses for the Indians before the winter sets in.

On the whole, taking into consideration the circumstances I have had to contend with, we have reason to be thankful for the progress made during the year ending August 31, 1875.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. B. MONT[EI]TH,

United States Indian Agent.