Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-06-12

To the Honorable !.
The Secretary Of the Interior:
SIR: The Committee charged will
the organization of the Yellowstone
Expedition respectfully call your at
tention to the statement herewith, ant
ask for it such consideration and rcpl,
as its Importance Ito us, at least) re
quires.
It.asserts that there was 1nd is no
i any desire or intention to violate law
or to bring on la-war with the Sioux
nor was or is It intended to intrudt
upon any Indian Reserve. 1t wen,
armed, and were it to repeat the at
4 tempt it wonld 60 armed-no aggres
sively, but in self.defense.s It's object
was the survey, prospecting and prob
able settlement Of the country sought
the location Of a wagon road from
Bozenan, Montana, to the head Of
navigation of the Yellowstone River
and, thus, the opening Of a rich and
wasting region to emigration-the pro.
duction of tangible evidence that the
n. p. R. r. and river steamers have
something to come for, and the estab-
lishment of way in and out for us
and our purchases and productions.
Montana, and more especially East
ern Montana, is country or great re-
sources mineral, stock, agricultural,
and, eventually, manufacturing; but
it is isolated, deprived Of railroads over
its lands and steamers upon its waters;
its population is consequently sparse
! and scattered; capital will not ap-
proach it; its people are growing
poorer year by year; its resources re-
main undevelopcd; it can ship little or
nothing Of the large surplus it even
now produces, and almost despair has
driven us to attempt the Yellowstone
Expedition. I1g -
We have left the advantages and
comforts Of the East to settle dis
tant and deprived section Of the Uni
ted States-we arc law-abiding citizens
willing and anxious help ourselves,
and we simply ask permission t0,de-
velop that section and make it what it
cam and should be-one Of the richest,
it not the richest, of the Territories.
In SO doing we do not desire to make
war upon the Sioux, and with the pro-
lection duo us from the Government
such a war will hardly be necessary.
We intrude upon no Sioux Reserve,
and if the Sioux intrude upon us we
see no reason why injurious restric-
tions should be placed upon us or our
efforts to open a country not due them
and one which is sought by thousands
Of the citizens, not only Of this Terri
tory, but Of the other sections of the
United States. So far as the Sioux
are concerned. for that matter, they
are constantly, as. in the long past,
raiding upon Us, robbing and murder
ing our people; while they to-day, in
impeding emigration, opposing survey
and driving of our enterprise, actually
delay the advance toward lis Of rail
road and steamer approaches, upon
which depends our salvation.
The lines of communication sought
by us, and to locate which is one great
object Of the Expedition idea, cover
the natural and commercial way in and
out Of this country. Bismarck is the
point We must make, and the naviga-
bility Of the Yellowstone uust some
day be demonstrated.
Our sppeal FIR NJ estxhiilhnent Of
Posts below Il met With the endorse-
nent .of sGessrsl shesidan, that the
n. P. B. r is delayed, and it is by him
sugge.ted that the peop!e ef Montana
proceed to demonstrate the naviga-
bility OF the Yellowstone and. establish |
the head Of navigation. But how can
we do 50 in the face Of obstacles
thropn in the wsy BY the 0oveannenti
We equippedand cent Of saE Ekpedition
for that purpose composed of many
Of our best mcn-the Government |
upon il. We desire to send
It out sgain-the Government frowns
again, The Command demonstrated
what few determined men can effect
as against the Sioux; and its wholly
unnecessary and ill-advised return is
no. evidence that we cannot effect our
object il permitted by the authorities.
The establishment Of the required
Posts, the navigation Of the yellow
stone, the advauce q the n. p. B. B.,
IL