Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-03-30
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY, MARCH 80. |

tuO cVASlSC Ill CilIS oCCClOII, UC CuCy
whom they may. Far better for us to
have no Indian Agent or Superintend-
ent, than to have the service conducted
in the feeble and imbecilc manner in
which it is and has been conducted
for the past two years.
Tn this instance, an Indian peaccably
passing on his way home in his canoe,
laden with white mems goods, to the
value Of thousand dollars or more, is
foully murdered, and the white men s
property destroyed, and yet the agents
of our muniticent government have not
the means at their disposal to detray
the expenses of going to arrest the
murderer, or to attend to the matter in
any way. 1t is right that the public
should know something about this mat
ter. Who is to blame? We know
that Congress has made the necessary
appropriation for the Indians service,
and for all the treaties. And yet, l
know of several instances where bills
against the Indian Department for
goods furnished the agents in this Vi
entity have been left unpaid for the last
two years. The published laws of
Congress Tor the last session, show that
the appropriation for the Duwamisl,,
and allied tribes, the Clallams and the
Mackah's, were all made. And it is
very generally believed that the money,
or drafts for the money, have been re-
ceivcd. Why it has not been applied
as intended by Congress is Il matter for
others to answer.
In relation to this matter of Swell $
murder. the Mackah's have cvinccd Il
proper spirit. They said to Mr.. Maggs
"our custom is. to avcngc the murder
crs of our people ourselves, but Col.
Simmons has told us if we would not
retaliatc when other Indians commit
lcprcIations on Us, lie will redress our
wrongs. If you will go and see Col.
Simmons we will wait. We can now tell
whether he has talked true to us, or
lied. If he has lied, and will do moth
ing for us, we will go ourselves and kill
the Elwlas.
l shall return with Mr.. Maggs, to
Cape Flattcry, and take with us the
body of Swell. If we can induce Tie
Mackah's to leave the matter for the ti,-
turc action of Il department which has
already, in more than one instance lied
to them. we shall do so. But if they
carry out their threats to cxterminatc
the Elwhas. the blame must rest on
the inctiicicncy of the agents of the
Indian service in this Tcrritory-a,l
inctlicicncy, created almost solely by
the neglect of superior officers in the
department. in not furnishing the funds
requisite for the service. Whether
that blame rests on the head of the de-
lartmcnt in Washington. or his subor-
dinatcs throughout this Territory and
Oregon, the public certainly have the
right to inquire.
1t is to be hoped that a radical change
will be made by the new Adninistra-
ton in the Indian affairs. so far us re-
CARDS this Territory. / believe the
blame rests with the officials in Wash
inyton, and that their neglect, their
pcculation, and their want Of official
capacity, has been the sole reason why
the agents in this Territory, have not
been provided with the means to
promptly execute the requirements of
tie Indian service. JAMES &. SWAN.
Port Townsend, March 18th, 1861.