Note 67 — Chapter XXX · THE INDIANS OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY.
Reading edition
“Traders in former years have run the only boats to that region, and had connected with their stores the only safe places for deposit; hence a convenient mixture of government and traders’ goods has so amalgamated matters as to have converted government annuities into mercantile supplies.
“Our further progress up to the more remote tribes has disclosed to us more mortifying evidence of negligence by former agents, and most probably stupendous frauds and outrages.... Immediate arrangements should be made to place the present agents independent of traders and also to enable them to build safe storehouses, where the goods can be properly protected and preserved....
“Deliveries of goods should be witnessed by some Federal officer who should certify that he saw the delivery.”—Report of the Northwestern Treaty Commission to the Sioux of the Upper Missouri, 1866.
“The government appropriations are supposed to be liberal; but it so happens that by the time they reach their destination, they have, and not mysteriously either, dwindled down into a paltry present.”—Henry A. Boller, in “Among the Indians.”
“This system of issuing annuity goods is one grand humbug.”—Report of Gen. Alfred Sully, August 18, 1864.
Evidence like the foregoing could be presented by the volume.