Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-02-27

.tF MONTANA WAX C2IA2NDs
In the House of Representatives, January
31st, the bill for payment Of the Montana
Indian War Claims was up on motion of Mr..
Donnan to reconsider the vote by which, on
the 24th of May last, H. r. No. % was re-
committed to the Committee on Military
Affairs. In the debate which ensued, Mr..
Clagett spoke as follows:
'With the consent of the House, should
like to say few words. This is bill which
has been pending in one form or another for
the last six years. In 1867, when there was
not to my knowledge a single soldier in the
Territory of Montana, the military operations
of the Government itself, in the neighb0rhood
of South Pass, threatened to drive these Indi-
ans pell-mell, as it were, back upon our un-
protected frontier. With those Indians, the
Ogallalla Sioux under Red Cloud, was CO.
Teton Sioux, who, in the fall of 1857, at the
mouth of the Yellowstone river, was besieg-
ing Fort Buford while was going down that
river. They were about to be driven, as l
have said, pellmen back upon our settle
ments. It was something which the people
of the Territory had nothing to do with. This
crisis was precipitated by the action of the
Government itself, all of which appears in
the report of the Committee on Military Af-
fairs, which is submitted with this bill and
the testimony accompanying it. - ta r,tj.....'
"Now, sir, in the absence OF any Troops to
furnish protection, and by virtue Of authority
from the United States Government, the gov.
ernment of that Territory called out and
maintained in the field for six months bat
talon of about five hundred men, who did the
work which it was the duty of the United
States Government to do. There was war in
Montana that summer. There was an inn
pcrative necessity for this action, and that
necessity was recognized by the officers of
the Government and authority was given to
call out these troops. Our people responded
to the call of the Government; they put in
their money as reported here, and after cut
ting out all extra and unfounded claims,
which were put in in the confusion and hurry
of the moment, the report of General Hardie
shows the amount actually expended to have
been $513, 900. And, sir, let it be remem-
bered that money at that time was worth five
per cent. month, in gold, in Montana. It
is, to-day, worth three per cent. month on
paper with the best security. And
counting only the money actually paid, ac-
cording to General Hardie's report fo- sup
plies furnished, it would amount to much
more than $500, 900. The interest alone since
those supplies were furnished would amount
to more than 81, ,000, 900, and no interest is
allowed by the committee.
s.Further, the certificates will show that
even if this money. is paid we will not get
justice done to us, in consequence of the
smallness of the amount recommended. But
[ have not risen for the purpose of entering
into any details in this matter. have risen
simply for the purpose of calling the atten-
lion of the House to the fact that this matter
has been investigated by five standing COM
mittees of the Senate and House altogether
It has been investigated in the Senate by the |
Committee on Indian Affairs, and by the |
Committee on Territories q Last year it was !
investigated by the Committee on Appropria- |
ions, who, after q full investigation included
his item of $513, 600 in the army appropria-
Jon bill, but it was ruled out upon point of
order raised in the Senate, simply because |
here was no previous legislation authoriz-
ng IT, ,~. ..' '''', -,
he Military Committee of this House. 1t has |
,een thoroughly investigated by the Military |
Committee of the Senate. And every one of |
nd of the House. which have taken the pains |
" AASCoCS0 tAAo 4uVOt1Vn DU0f uu0AAlIAVuSAy5
lecided in favor Of the payment of these
laims.
"Now, then, this being the case, and hav-
ng waited five years for the payment of this
small return for the money
which we paid out of our pockets, on the au-
hority of officers of the Government, think
ny friend from Indiana (Mr. Holnlan) will !
low me to request that this matter may be
eferred to the Committee Of the Whole, and
hat day certain be assigned for its cOnsid-
ration" ,.~
Mr.. Holman.-I make the point of order
hat this bill contains an appropriation and
aust have its first consideration In Commit
&c of The Whole on the Private Calendar.
The Speaker. The Chair sustains the
ONT Of order: and the bill is referred to the
Committee of the Whole on the Private CAL
l'ear'' I-uU 91I q l...l. la9G9 hnG d1inl
TiiE editor Of the Desl Moines Regsster,
'ho has just got away with 81, 800, which
g flched from the public treasury, is trying
hide his own moral deformity by blacken- |
lg the character hi Of Senator Harlan; This !
ont doLthe garment is too short. The
steal {, shorter fish. j In his present, plight
is pitiable spectacle Pr 4BE'u''i''gFq9A zooa)
ianoo -s-li " <n.- ---~-.lJ 9taIiId
-IHE Grand Rapids, Mich, Times says that
man in that city bet $50, one llof the cold
sys last week thatsibe1 could walk fromll
ranA !sapids to 4onia-o Henspoiled a forty
We dollar suit fof fclotheso asfourteen dollax.I
air OF boots, paid a. doctor ten dollMs to.
law out his sassy- y-and Yves -assested at Ionia
a Suspicious ~ chaFacter and locked up two
JgDGEl l9MlIH, of Iowa, after he WssseHeptyiI
arTied 9 wife cQnsid his Junior. One
~. soon after the ceremony, he Vas fitiin1 I