than the lands were worth to them as hunting-grounds. And while as hunters they needed no proteetion of the law, they agriculturists they could not live without it; and they positively refuscd to sell their hunting-gronnds till the Commissioner of the United States pronised that they should be protected in their persons and property the samc as white Government never accorded to them this protection, which, in the view of the Indians, was a very important consideration in sclling the lands. This neglect on the part of the yearly complaints, and the massacres of 1862. These Sioux were most of them previous to the knew that as men Governineut led to living in comfortable homes, with well-cultivated farms and teams," and were receiving by annuity provisions, either in money or the equivalent, about $50 a head annually, from in terost on their money invested in the bonds of the Govern ment. Thesc Indians, in taking up their new homesteads, were required by the Department to renounce, on oath, all claims on the United States for annuities. Without doubt, citizenship of the United States, the protection of our laws, is worth a great sun; but is it wise or quire these natives of the country to purchase, at a price of several thousands of dollars, that which is givcu without noney or war right in our Government to re price to every immigrant from Asia, Europe, or Africa that asks for it?

Besides their annuities, there is due them from the Govern- ment the proceeds of the sale of their old reservation on tlie Minnesota River, which is more than forty miles long and ten wide; which, after paying expenses of survcy and sale, are, ac cording to a law of the United States, to be expended in as sisting them to make homes else where; and as these lands were valued at $1 25 an acre and upward, and are the portion which will be due each of the Tndians cannot be less than $200 or $300or $1000 for each family. The oath required of them is supposed rapidly selling, to bar them from any claim to