Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-08-29

We have promised for two weeks to refer to
Indian affairs and deem it best to wait no longer,
as we have already a suficiency of correspond
ence on that subject at hand to give employment
to paper mill on a small scale for some hours
at least. Fourteen foolscap pages is deemed q
modest venture in treating the vexed question
now prominently before our people. We have
letters from all points on the Trinity below Big
Flat, from New River, klamath River and Hoopa
Valley. The substance of this correspondence
is generally to the end that affairs are badly
managed at the Hoopa Reservation that the res
ervation system is humbug, and if entirely
abolished the settlers would take it for granted
that they were expected to protect themselves,
and would take the most stringent measures for
doing so.
We are we'll satisfied that anything which may
be said in relation to Indian matters, let the
showing of grievance be ever so great, will have
but little effect the authorities outside the res
CREATION These complaints and published state
ments of outrages certainly reach the coast
headquarters of Indian affairs, but it seems to
have grown to be old thing, and hardly
worthy of passing attention. We have the best
reason to believe that the Indian Agent at Fort
CASTOR is doing his utmost to keep the Indians in
subsection, for he is evidently disheartened at
being made a special target for all offences COM
mitted by red SKINS whether within his jurisdic-
ton or not. And such diversity of reports
reach US that it is hard to decide which to place
the most confidence in. B tells US that A has
suffered at the hands of the reservation Indians
who have been allowed to leave 60 pass
from the authorities. But A says the Indians
who disturbed his peace of mind and deprived
him of his worldly goods, were never on the
reservation, but belong to a predatory band of
Redwoods or Grouse Greeks who have been in
the mountains for years.
communication from citizens of Cox's Bar,
asking whatever assistance may be able to
render, is among the number received. They
complain that only few days before the shoot
ing of Sanburn the Tax Collector made his an
nual visit, and that the citizens, to q man.
obeyed the requirements of the law. portion
of the property assessed, and on which the tax
was promptly paid, was burned after the shoot
ing of Sanburn. They ask if taxes are not paid
for the support of Government, and if it is not
right and just that the Government should in
turn protect its subjects? The Cox's Bar people
charge that the Indians who committed the out
rage above referred to had ''pass' from the
reservation authorities for ten and sixteen days
They charge further, as going to show how
things are managed, that when John McCammon
was last robbed by Indians his rifle was taken
In due time note from Hoopa Valley informed
him that he could have his rifle by paying fifteen
dollars. and pay it he did. This, they say, was
done to pacify the tbieying Indians.
In turn, both the military and civil authorities
at Fort CASTOR protest that none of the outrages
committed this season were by reservation In
dams, and that SanbuTn was shot by the same
party that killed the at Fort Baker last
Spring. This opinion prevails very generally,
and it would be a source of the greatest salts
faction to us to know to certainty whether the
Indians were the stragglers, as believed,
whether they were reservation boarders at Gov
eminent expense. Il the former, We have reason
to hope that they will be speedily disposed of
outside the reservation. We are not at liberty
to explain now in what manner this is to be
done, but if matters terminate as we have rea-
son to hope they will, quiet may again be re-
stored along the border.
We have never had very exalted opinion of
the Indian reservation system in California, yet
it is far from our wish to do the managers of the
Hoopa Reserve the slightest injustice. But the
people Of Trinity have suffered much at the
hands of the Indians. We could recall long
list of names Of those vino have fallen victims
within the past eight years. If we could devise
any possible means to rid the northern section
of the State of this pest it should be speedily
done. But we do not believe security to the
settler will ever come as long as there is an In
dian north of San Francisco Bay. We favor ex-
termination-a scalp bounty-or any other feast
BILE way to get rid of them.