No. 325.
Sir Edward
Thornton to Mr. Evarts.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday’s date, relative to the intrusion of British half-breeds and Sitting Bull’s men upon the Crow Reservation in Montana Territory, which has been reported by the Indian agent of the United States at Fort Peck Agency, and to inform you that I am transmitting a copy of your note and of its inclosure to the governor-general of Canada.
At the same time I take the liberty of reminding you of my note of the 30th of September last, in which I inclosed copy of a report of the [Page 499] privy council of Canada, relative to the prohibition imposed upon Canadian Indians from following the buffalo into United States territory, although United States Indians are allowed that privilege in Canadian territory, and also to the desire of the Sioux Indians, who took refuge in Canadian territory, to return to the United States.
In Mr. Hunter’s note of the 4th ultimo he was good enough to inform me that the subject should receive the attention of the Government of the United States.
I need hardly assure you of the earnest desire of the Canadian Government that some arrangement should be come to with regard to these matters, which have caused it great embarrassment and have been a burthen imposed upon the Dominion by no fault of its own.
I have, &c.,