The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-01-25

"ssSOOo ~ ~0W's~~~s~ss '.~ .
Nh sarsent.-TAsy were made n the in.
eeance Of the Jadian Department.
Mr. Dunnell-I msan the appropriations
Ct last year.
NJ. 6argsn,.-lt vas made at the request
e tlss Indian Dsparsnsnt. The only gem
eJeman knew in connection with the mat.
ter WA General Walker, and have invsri.
ably found bis representations with refer.
ence to the Indian tribes u he correct. l
am glad of the present opportunity 70 say
this.
e. NJ. Clagctk- wish Y say . few words
In reference to this matter, for the reason
that these Indians ase within the geography
ical limits of the Territory have the honor
to represent, although several hundred
miles distant from the last outpost of civil.
zat,on. The statements which have seen
In the newspapers dssying the existence OF
these Indians ore totally unfOundeti. We
In our Territory have had too long ard
dangerous % experience, not only Of their
existence but of their hOsulc character. to
entertain any doubt st this day whether
they exist Or not ! first heard Of these
Teton Sioux in 1893. From that time. TO the.
present they have ranged from the British
line on the north down 10 the hunting
grounds of the Sioux tribe In Wyoming
Territory; and they have practically closed
that whole belt Of country (s0mc six huns
died miles in extent north aud sOuth) u
travel of any kind from either the east or
the west.
But while these statements - 10 the non.
existence Of these Indians are not we'll
founded, DO believe that the interests Ut
Government reqaire an investigation into
everything connected with the agencies up.
on the Missouri river. With the purpose of
arriving st such an investigation by diff
fercnt process than an ordinary congress
sional prOceetliug, have been engaged in
urging before the Committee a proposition
70 make u reasonable appropriation TO pay
witnesses and jurors and employ counsel to
ferret out and punish the frauds committed
In connection with Indian matters. Upon
this point, that 10 tho commission Of these
frauds, do not speak from pers0al knowl.
edge, because the Missouri river agencies
ore further removed from the settled parts
Of Montana than from here to New Orleans;
and we are cut of from any direct commu.
nicati0n with them In consequence Of this
wall which these hostile Indians have built
up between the settled portion of our Ter.
lilOry and the East; but l am satisfied from
what l have heard. particularly since I
have e,.ne To the city Of Washington, that
on the Missouri river, commencing Ut YANG.
ton ana running up rs fur No the agencies
extend on that river. there has been con.
'inual system Of fraud. involving ut least
most of the agencies, BY which the same
goods are taken from one agency to another
and not delivered at all. or only tO small
extent. although receipted for in whole; SO
that BY this means tho Government is an.
nually swinlIed out of large sums of money.
For the purpose of preventing the recur.
renee of such things in the future, intrO.
duced at the commencement of this session,
after much study and investigation, the hill
now pending before the committee on In
dian Affairs. which believe will prevent
In large measure, 1t not entirely, the per.
peiratiOn Of these frauds aud others of the
same nature wherever committed.
And wish to call the attention of the
House to fact which did not even my.
self suspect until recently, and that il, that
from the foundation Of tho Government
down 10 the present day there 10 not single
law on the statue.bOok requiring any Indian
agent or superintendent u keep the scratch
of pen in the shape Of record a. to his of.
fetal transactions There 10 therefore no safe.
guard thrown around the distribution of these
large sums annually appropriated by Con-
grcss. There Is NO law BY which ci,izsn
can have access to single act done BY or Q
single paper in the Office OF any of these
Indian agents and superintendsnis: aud
there are 40 means by which the ordinary
proceedings Of the law can he put into *.
ercise against them by which the punitive
element in the administration Of justice can
be brought into play o. well - the prevent.
i've. 1t Is TO cure these evils that have
drawn this bill, and trust the committee
ON Indian Affairs will have ~ opportunity
to report it.
These Teton sioux exist; they not only
exist hut they exist In large numbers. Last
summer, some time In July or August, the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company started
. surveying party. escorted by Col. Baker
with four hundred troops. down the Vel.
Those four hundred troops where whipped
by these same Indians and Others Joined
with them, and the surveying party and i,s
escort were driven hack to the settlements
and have never yet been able to carry out
the survey on which they started. in nd.
ditIon to that fact, and hearing on the pres
ent manner OF the treatment of these hostile
Indians wish to state that the Secretary
of the Interior himself. or rather the acting
Secretary Of the Interior, while at Fort
Peck distributing annuities last summer.
had bis party fired On ana attacked by these
same Indians. II II On important question
for determination by the house whether the
Government should treat with hostile In.
disns In the way of distributing annuities
TO them until they have been first reduced
TO obedience to the law by the military arm
OF the Government. 49,,
Mr.. Farnsworth.- much was paid 10
them ut that timer t
Mr.. Clagett.-l cannot tell. There are
three or four thousand ut Fort Peck who
receive annuities, and there are 10 far ~ can
be determined, four or five thousand Others
who refuse To come In. Now, these same
Indians drew snnuities One day and Came
hack and received further insla)mcnts I'M.
next day. and on the third day on being re.
fused additional supplies, turned loose in
hostility TO the Government and fired upOn
Fort Peck, containing ct the time the Assis.
tsnt Secretary Of Interior. Is previously
stated. ''s ~
Mr. shaaka-Hssins, pr0vsdu tho exist
ence OF these Indians in lurge numbers, l
must state now In their defense that find
certain railroad company have been A.
tempting TO make surveys through land
where the title 10 stillin the Indians, and mot
iu the railroad company.
Mt. Clagett- One word in reply to the
defense Of the gentleman. These Teton
Sioux arc themselves interlopcrs in the
country where they exist They came from
British Columbia In 1Saa and are them
selves c0ntinuallY in Z state Of warfare with
the Crows and other Aoalana Indiaus, Who
claim they afo irespaasers and attacked the
Iailroad Company while making ils SURVEYS
IN slsict conformity ID low.
III. 1aSnsw0sih.-As the gentleman from
Indiana hes defended these Teton Sioux.
does he think they would defend him II he
were going through their country?
Mr. 6hanka II shalt do what IL right In
this regard ..,ri =
The rules were suspended asl the res.,lu.
liOu was adopted.
~ VM - Yoass, an Years, anl Year,!
From ths 1islag Joarnal n. 7. JAM, as
The progress made on the Northern Pa.
cihc Railroad y highly saiisfyisg. The
rspidity Of It's advance has been Is great "A
ooald b. made consistent with due scpnon,y
Of expenditure. A Policy Of unreasonable
hnsse plunged the Union Pacific into the
sxtravasance Ut the Credit Mobilier hut ito
treat northern rival. avoiding . II erc,, 49,.