Page:The Early Indian Wars of Oregon.djvu/375



THE ROGUE RIVER WARS. 357

E. R. Geary will superintend the arrangement of encampments, and designate persons to act as local agents for the respective bands.

Berry man Jennings is appointed special sub-Indian agent for the Willamette valley, and as such will cooperate with Mr. Geary in carrying into effect the foregoing regulations.

The encampments assigned the several bands, and the name of the local agent for each, will be reported to this office, and published in the papers of this valley for the benefit of all concerned.

The same precautions will be observed in regard to the tribes and bands within this superiri tendency embraced in the treaties lately negotiated east of the Cascade mountains; and agent R. R. Thomp son will assign the temporary encampments to the several bands, and designate proper persons to act as local agents, call the rolls, and distribute the necessary rations.

Agent Ambrose will make similar arrangements in regard to the Indians in the Rogue-river district, embraced in the treaties of the tenth of September, 1853, and eighteenth of November, 1854.

The various rolls will be kept with accuracy and care, and for warded to the superintendent s ofhce at Dayton; it being deter mined to make these rolls the criterion in the payment of annuities; and no Indian whose name is not enrolled, and who cannot give a satisfactory reason for the omission, or who shall refuse to comply with the foregoing regulations, shall be embraced in said payment.

This order, though it may be regarded as arbitrary, and unwar ranted in the ordinary state of affairs, is, in view of existing hostil ities, deemed necessary, as it is extremely difficult to distinguish among our Indian population, the well disposed and friendly from the vicious and hostile ; and from the fact that representations have been made warranting the belief that members of one or more bands have already left this valley and joined the hostile tribes north of the Columbia river.

The measure is deemed no less a security to the white settlements than to the friendly bands of Indians ; nor is it designed to abridge in the least the rights secured by the treaties to the Indians, but if possible to avert hostilities with these bands.

Citizens generally are requested to give this order a proper inter pretation, and to exercise a due degree of forbearance in their deal ings with the Indians ; but at the same time to keep a vigilant watch over them, and report to the acting agents the presence of strange Indians among us; and render such aid, in their apprehen sion, as may tend to protect our persons and property, arid secure

peace.

JOEL, PALMER, Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

Since preparing the foregoing regulations, information has been received at this office that a portion of the Indians in