Salt Lake City, U.T.
July 18./72.
Hon. C. Delano,
Sec. of the Interior,
Dept. of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
Sir:-
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 8th inst.
You may rest assured, that if my services can in any way promote the public peace, or tend to the welfare of the Indians of this Territory, you may command them.
Considerable apprehensions of Indian hostilities have existed here of late, although they have now measureably subsided.
Our settlers have generally pursued a wise policy with the Indians, treating them with kindness, and in times of danger, removing as much as possible, all temptations from the unruly. Stock herds have been driven to less exposed and better guarded situations, and parties at work in the fields, and the mountains, or travelling from place to place have exercised redoubled vigilance. Thus far, in the present raids, we have lost but one man, slain by a half breed Mexican and a small party of Shiberetch Indians from the Elk Mountains, Colorado.
Some of our most experienced men have had frequent interviews with the Indians within the last few weeks. On the 27th June, my eldest son and several gentlemen had an interview of two hours duration with Tab-by, Kanosh, and other chiefs, who evinced a friendly spirit, and consented to send for the hostile chiefs to attend a grand gathering on the 4th of July. Tab-by assured them there was no danger of a general war, the difficulties were created by renegade Shiberetch and Toas Ute Indians from Colorado.
On the 4th of July, the gathering was held, presents made, and 21 head of the stolen horses were brought in by friendly Indians, who re-captured them from the renegade party, but failed to arrest the murderers of the man before alluded to. The renegades had retired beyond Green River.
Messrs. Huntington, Bean and Jones, three of our Indian interpreters were sent among the Indians, and on their return here a few days since they made a report stating, that they found some 80 lodges gathered together, part from Uintah (Utah) and part from Colorado.
Tabby, the principal chief, they learned that the feelings of the Indians were good towards the Government and the Mormons, but that they were indignant at the treatment which they claimed to have received from the Government agents. Tabby spoke of a treaty which Supt. O.H. Irish had made with them some 7 years ago, in which it was stated the Indians were to have houses built, their lands fenced, their children put to school, and they were to receive $20,000.00 each year for twenty years. It was also stipulated that they were to have the privilege of visiting their old camping grounds, to fish and hunt, and now they had received a telegram to return to the reservation forthwith or be dragooned back. Tabby said to go back was to starve to death, but they would return if the agents furnished them provisions. He complains of an almost total failure on the part of the agents to observe the treaty. His words were "Washington gives enough, but it gets into the agents pockets." He said, in the fall a quantity of flour is hauled to them, a few sacks are handed to the Indians, but the great bulk is turned over to traders, who sell to the Indians at a high price. He said the agent came to them last fall, traversed the country over, telling them of lots of presents, but kept them back all the cold winter, and in the spring gave them a portion only of what had been due them in the fall.
He said they want "Washington to send them better men; and they ask that Government observe the treaty, or pay them the money now being received for their lands.
Such in substance is Mr. Huntington's report, given nearly in his own words, and endorsed by Messrs. Jones and Bean. From my long accquaintance with these gentlemen, I feel assured that their report may be relied on, and, while it indicates a strong disposition for peace on the part of the most prominent chiefs, yet there is reason to fear serious trouble should their leaders become unable to control the masses if smarting under a sense of indignity and abuse whether real or imaginary.
I may state here, that I am entirely of the opinion that the treaty alluded to, was never ratified by the Government.
Your apprehensions that evil disposed white men are contributing their influence to produce dis-satisfaction are doubtless well founded. Such characters have been mainly instrumental in inciting the Indians to hostilities, since the early settlement of this country, although perhaps less so within the last few years than formerly.
Our people pursue a conciliatory policy, and, although our resources are, and have been severely taxed, we will not relax our efforts to maintain a friendly peace.
Submitting the foregoing for your consideration, I have the honor to inform you, that should any further intelligence reach me of a reliable character, from the scene of the present difficulties, I will hasten to communicate with you.
Yours with respect
Brigham Young