Mr. HUBBARD, of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I was present when most of the treaties referred to were made, and it is therefore, perhaps, proper I should say something in regard to them. 1can say from my own personal knowledge that the charges made by the Gentfrom Dakota against the commissioners as well as against those treaties are without foundation. I only qualify my statement, that so far as the treaty with the Ogalalas is concerned, I psrhaps was not present when it was si ned. ith that exception and one or 2 ot ers, I was present at the time negotiations were enteretTnpon and at the time they were concluded; and I can say from my own personal: knowledge that those Indian bands were fully and properly represented in these negotiations. When I so they were fully and properly represented, mean to say they were represented by their chiefs, head men, and head soldiers. They were represented by the representative men of the dil erent bands with whom treaties were made. In addition, Mr. Speaker, let me make a single remark in reference to those who composed that commission. I will say you may search the country through and on will not find 4 more honorable men or etter qualified to discharge the duties assigned to them than were these commissioners. General Sibley, of Minnesota, once occupied a seat in this H’bnse, afterward was Governor of that State, and during the late war held the commission of a briga ier general; a man of large influence with the ndians. Indeed, no man in the northwest country has had more experience with Indians than General Sibley. He thorou hly understands and comprehends their c aracter. Major GenlCurtis was one of the commissioners. He was twice elected from my own State as a member of this House, and he took a distinguished and important part in the gent struggle through which 'l we have passed. e is a gentleman of large intelligence and ca city. may make the same remarks of the other members of the commission. They were all men of intelligence. In the discharge of their duties they acted for the best interests of the Government as well as for the best interests of the Indians themselves. In making those treaties they supposed they were acting for the best interests of the U.S. as well as of the Indians. The charges of the Gentfrom Dakota are, therefore, gratuitous. Those treaties were submitted to the SecyInterior, the POTUS, and to the Senate b whom they were confirmed. In the Senate they were met byawritten argument against them. The Committee on In isn Affairs of that body fully investigated these charges and declared them to be groundless; that they were without any foundation in truth; and the result has been the confirmation of all those treaties. After all thathas oecurredin this matter it ill becomes the Delegate from Dakota to offer further opposition. So far as the appropriation is concerned that is now asked for by this JtResolution I need make no remarks, as the matter has been fully and satisfactorily explained by the Gentfrom NewYork, [ Mr. Rsvnoxnj know the Arapahoes and Cheyennes were to be treated with on the upper Platte, the Indians most foremost in committin depredations on the emigrants on the over and route. They are now assembling in large numbers, exacting to meet the commissioners and conude a treaty of peace and friendship which shall be lasting between them and the Government. So far as the Indians on the u per Missouri are concerned they were included under the Fort Laramie treaty. I refer to the Crows, the Mandans, Assiniboines, Aricarecs, Gross Ventres, and Blackfeet Indians. They have received presents and annuities under that treaty, but it has expired by its own limitations. We have no treaty with them at this time; they are assembled at points on the Missouri for the purpose of meeting your commissioners and concluding treaties with them. Fail to meet them and carry out this arrangement and you have war on the frontier; the settlements that are represented here by the Gentfrom Dakota will be overrun by hostile savages, and you will have murders and deredations committed, and perhaps a new military expedition will be required against these hostile bands. There is but one wa, in my judgment, to secure peace on that rontier, and that is by negotiating treaties of peace and friendship. They have been encouraged to assemble at these points, expecting to meet these commissioners. They are there now, and the commissioners, as I understand, are on the way for the purpose of conferring with them generally. ' ithout continuing these remarks, I think it is of the highest importance that we should pass this appropriation, and give to the Presient and the Dept the means with which to carry out these negotiations and conclude these treaties.