ATKINSON, United States Special Indian Commissioner to Edward P. Smith , Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C, March 22, 1875

Mr. Atkinson to Mr. Smith.

Sir: I have the honor to report that I have held several councils with, the Kickapoos, Lipans, and Mescallero Indians, and have just concluded a treaty with between one and two hundred Kickapoos, who agree to start at once for their reservation in the Indian Territory. A portion of the Kickapoos have since 1873 been diving near Mapimi, in the State of Durango, some 700 miles distant from here. The remainder of the tribe, about 200 in number, I found near Santa Rosa. On account of the hostile feeling on the part of the citizens of Santa Rosa to our mission, I decided to make this the place of rendezvous and negotiations. The greater portion of the Santa Rosa Indians are now here, but a few are awaiting the action of those living at Mapimi. The last-named Indians have sent me word that they were desirous of returning to the United States, but as they are so entirely destitute of means of transportation and supplies, they have requested me to furnish them there what they needed in moving. I have made a close calculation as to the cost of moving them from Durango to the Indian Territory, and find it is impossible to move them without exceeding considerably the limit of the appropriation of ninety dollars per capita, and unless they can reach here without material aid I will be compelled to abandon the idea of moving that portion of the Kickapoos. The remainder of the Indians at Santa Rosa will be governed by the action of those at Mapimi, and were it discretionary with me as to the amount of expenditure per capita, I would certainly succeed in getting all these Indians upon their proper reservation.

It is all I can possibly do to keep within the limit of those here. I have and am still laboring under the most trying difficulties. The persistent opposition of the Mexicans and the arbitrary course of their officials have been a serious source of trouble. The Mexican General Fueno, and Colonel Aquilla, commanding the troops on this frontier, gave me assurance of their co-operation in my mission, but I have been informed since then they have sent in protests to the authorities of the central government against the removal of the Indians, particularly the Kickapoos. Only within the past few days has the Mexican commissioner exhibited an apparent intention to get out of the commission all that he possibly could and then covertly defeat its success, so far as relates to the removal of the Kickapoos. They have interrupted my councils by appearing and insisting on my paying for houses which they claimed the Indians were wrongfully in possession of, but which in most cases the Indians assured me the charges were false. Yet the alcalde would summarily take the houses or demand that I should pay for them, which I absolutely declined to do, and told them to reclaim them by law. Yesterday the Mexican commissioner failed to be present at the council with the Kickapoos, and when he did come to-day he told them he was instructed by his government to say that they could go or remain here, as they might elect; and upon my request that he tell them that it was the desire of his government that they should go, he declined, claiming that it was exceeding his instructions. Furthermore, he informed me this morning that he did not desire the Kickapoos should go until the Lipans and Mescalleros went, knowing that it was the intention of those Kickapoos who were here to go to their reservation at once. I informed him that if he assumed that position at this late day, after I had collected and subsisted these Indians at a considerable expense, that I would suspend all further negotiations and report the facts to my Government, intending, however, to order the Indians to move across the Rio Grande as soon as possible, where I would prepare them for their trip to the Indian Territory. The commissioner, evidently fearing I would act as I had suggested to him, and knowing that it would necessarily reflect severely on the action of his government, consented to complete the negotiations with these Indians. The citizens here combined to put up prices on beef, flour, coffee, corn, and sugar to such outrageous prices that I had to send off to surrounding towns for such as the Indians required, and I have absolutely refused to make any more purchases here. The majority of the Mescalleros are at San Carlos, in the State of Chihuahua, and Commissioner Williams informs me that he is confident that most of them will remove to their reservation. Lipans are a small tribe, consisting of but about 20 warriors, and number in all about 70 persons. I expect to hold a council with them in a few days, but have very little confidence in accomplishing anything with them, as I have already held several councils with them. I have received nearly all the information required in your letter of December 19, 1874, in reference to the Seminoles, which I will forward as soon as I hear from those families who are scattered from the main portion of tho tribe.

I have, &c.,