The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-04-29
THE BELMONT CHRONICLE.
CRUEL TREATMENT OF INDIANS.

A communication Of EDWARD F. BEAL
Superintendent of Indian affairs, to the d.
r partment of the Interior, dated March 8, 1856:
and published in the National intelligence
the Indians Of California are treated, whicl
although apparently well attested are almo
incredible. One thing is very certain, if the
are not clearly unfounded, our governmer
should forthwith take effective measures t
put stop to such burbarous deeds. Resoly
ing, and Eliminating, and declining tn
Monroe doctrine, and schemng for the ac
quisition of more territory, whether Cuba, tht
! Sandwich Islands, or other territory of ou
| neighbors, or descantng upon the cruelties
and lawless movements of European despots
will not justify or excuse the neglect Of such
! appalling cases of cruelty, and wrong, and
barbarous murder. We owe protection tc
these miserable and helpless children of the
forest. To discharge this obligation is a.
mong the first, and highest duties of our
powerful government, and if neglected, it
will fill page in our history that our poster
ty will blush and humanity will weep to read.
| now turn to the condition of the Indians
in California, and the necessity Of doing
something for their relief and protection
Their condition is truly deplorable; driven
from their hunting and fishing grounds, in
danger Of starving, many Of them made to
work entirely without compensation, and
continual massacres going on. To give an
account Of all these is impossible, and shall
chiefly have recourse to official reports hereto
fore made as a sample of what is done, and
to show the necessity of relieving them
And, first, give an instance of this new
mode of oppression to the Indians, of CATCH
ing them like cattle and making them work,
and turning them out to starve and die when
the work-scason is over. II relates to a
scene of which there are many instances, and
the knowledge Of which coming to me from
report, ] sent out reliable person to attend
to the case. 1t must be added that these op.
pressed Indians, while actually starving to
death, were only fifteen miles from San Fran
cisco, surrounded by settlers and their stock,
and took nothing. The indictment spoken
of consider as ending in nothing.
Copy Of a letter from J. r. Jealiss TO Super.
ihtendent Beale, dated San Francisco, Janu-
uary l3, 1853.
81 have the honor of informing you that,
in obedience to your letter of instructions Of
date narpmhpr 1870 -
San Pablo rancho, in Contra Costa county, to
investigate the matter of alleged cruel treat
ment of Indians there. found seventy-eight
on this rancho and twelve back of Martinez,
and they were there most of them sick, all
without clothes, or any food but the fruit of
the buckeye. Up to the time of my coming
eighteen had died of starvation at one camp;
how many at the other | could not learn.
These Indians were brought into this county
from some place near Clear lake by Califor-
mans, named Ramon Briones, Ramon Mess,
Jose NJ. Quiera, Jose francesca, and Juan
Beryessa, who have for some time made it
business of catching, and in various ways
disposing Of them, and have been informed
that many Indians have been murdered in
these expeditions. These present Indians
are the survivors of band who were worked
all last summer and fall, and as the winter
set in, when broken down BY hunger and la
Dor, without food or clothes, they were turn
ed udritt TO shift for themselves as best they
could. Your timely interference in behalf Of
these unfortunate people has saved the lives
of most of them, for Indians could not nave
lived through such weather as we have had
without any food, clothing, or shelter.
MARrISErz.
DEAR SIR: have the honor TO acknowl-
edge the receipt of your favor of the 18th ult.
in which you desire such information as |
may have concerning treatment OF Indians in
this county. | most cheerully respond to
your wishes. In the discharge of my duties
as District Attorney obtained the following
information, which is substantiuted by rela-
bic evidence.
Ramon Briones, Mesa, Quera, and Berry
eSsa, of Napa county, are in the habit of kid
mapping Indians in the mountains near Clear
lake; and in their capture several have been
murdered in cold blood There have been
Indians to the number of one hundred and
thirty-siX thus captured and brought into this
county, and held here in seryIude adverse to
their will. These Indians are now said to be
in the possession of Briores, Meso, and Berry
essa, and sundry other persons who have pur-
chased them in this county. 1t is also noto-
rious fact, that these Indians are treated in
humanity, being neither fed nor clothed; and
from such treatment many have already died,
and disease is now threatening destruction to
the remainder. All the Indians ullude to
were brough, here forcibly aud against their
will. From my observation that class of pop
ulation who have these Indians treat them
more like brutes than human beings.
There is also regular organized company
of persons who capture and sell these Indi-
ans, and several have lately been SO disposed
of to William and Ramon Castro.
There is now pending suit against the
persons above named for kidnapping these
Indians, bu. the statutes of this State afford
no adequate protection against cruel treat
ment of the Indians. Respectfully,
]. II. JENKINS, Esq. r. N. WOODS
Here is the account BY the Superintendent,