No. 153.
Mr. West to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Washington, December 12,
1883. (Received December 13.)
Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith a
proposal, embodied in a copy of an approved report of a committee of the
privy council of Canada, having in view the removal of certain Sioux
Indians, a remnant of the band of the American chief Sitting Bull, from
the Northwest Territories back to the United States, to which removal
the Indians are willing to submit on receiving a guarantee that they
shall not be punished for any offenses which they may have committed in
American territory. In submitting this proposal to me for the
consideration of the United States Government, the Marquis of Lansdowne
has requested me to ascertain the views of the United States authorities
in regard to the suggested removal and the terms proposed.
I have, &c.,
Certified copy of a report of a committee of the
honorable the privy council for Canada, approved by his
excellency the Governor-General in council on the 4th day of December, 1883.
On a report dated 23d November, 1883, from the superintendent-general
of Indian affairs, stating that the Indian commissioner for Manitoba
and the Northwest Territories, in a communication dated 3d November
instant, represented that the Sioux Indians encamped at or near Wood
Mountain, in the Northwest Territories (a remnant numbering 600 of
the band of the American chief Sitting Bull), who fled to this
country after the massacre of General Custer and his command, and
who returned to the United States in the summer of 1881, have
intimated their willingness to return also to the United States
provided a guarantee be given them that they will be treated as the
other members of Sitting Bull’s band were treated on their return to
that country,
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and that
they will not be punished for any offenses they may have committed
in American Territory.
The minister recommends that your excellency be moved to ascertain
whether the United States Government will receive the Indians
referred to back on the terms proposed by them.
The minister further recommends, should a satisfactory reply be
received from the United States authorities, that authority be given
to the Indian commissioner for the Northwest Territories to treat
with these Indians with a view to their early return to the United
States.
The committee concur in the foregoing recommendations, and they
respectfully submit the same for your excellency’s approval.
JOHN J. McGEE,
Clerk Privy Council
Canada.
