Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-03-14

the petition of certain citizens of Ore
gon asking an inquiry into the charges
made against Senator Mitchell. 1t was
referred to the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, where it is likely to re-
main, as it is understood to be the opin-
ion of large majority of the members,
who from previous publications are
coDversant with the facts in the case
that as the accusations are those en-
tirely of domestic nature and hap
pened twelve or thirteen years previous
to the election of the Senator, and with
which they are in no matter connected,
the Senate would not be justified in TAX
ing any action thereon. The past
therefore, with it's misfortunes and its
errors, is to be a closed book to the
new Senator from Oregon, and he has
the present and the future before him
in which to prove how far he may be
worthy of the confidence of his constit-
uents. He has comparative youth and
decided energy in bis favor, spurred up
with desire to atone for the mistakes
which he may have made, and even
those who differ with him in politics
can wish for the sake of the interests
OF the State he in part represents, that
he should prove useful Senator.
THE SIOUX Hosr1I1rrEs.
The outbreak of the Sioux may, in
the Senate, check the proposed reduc-
ton of the army. The declaration of
MIR. Shanks that oil was peaceful among
the Indians, has been answered back
with war-whoop. General Sherman
says he does not want any more Modoc
Peace Commissioner management and
is for short, sharp measures. He pro-
poses to punish the Indians who have
committed outrages, instead of turning
them over to prayer meeting and then
letting them go. He thinks that the
Interior Department, in fight with the
Indians, ought at least remain neutral.
1t comes out that the Indians at the
Red Cloud Agency, now on the war
path, who have been petted and fed for
the past four or five years by the Gov
eminent, have been trading off the beef
and supplies furnished them for arms
and ammunition, with the approval, or at
least the knowledge, of tho agents, and
this in addition to the arms which have
been presented them by the Indian
bureau. They have thus acquired n
large stock of repeating rifles. revolvers
and field ammunition. Indian agents
have thus virtually become officers of
the ordnance department of the Indian
service. The sooner that portion of
their Office is abolished the better it
will be for the poor exposed settlers.
TIE CHINESE QUESTION.
Senator Sergent has presented a
petition of over 10000 citizens of the
Pacific Coast, asking that some steps
be taken to check the influx of Chinese
into this country. He stated in his
remarks that there were over sixty thou
sand Cinnamon in the Pacific States
and Territories. which is probably un-
der the mark instead of over. 1t is to
be doubted, however, whether Congress
will take any action as the matter,
though of great local Importance, is not
in its evils understood or appreciated
in other portions of the country; nor
will it be, until by immense emigration
the Chinese invade the labor market If
the interior and Atlantic States. When
it is too late to remedy the evil it will
become question of national impOr-
lance.
LAND CLAIM or ST. JAMES MISSION AT VAN
COUvER.
Your Delegate has received notice
from Senator Thurman, Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Private Land
Claims, that the St. James Mission Bill
would come before that committee on
the 14th inst. This bill proposes to
give six hundred and forty acres of the
military reservation at Vancouver, and
covering the present town site of Van
couver, Claimed by the Mission under
the organic law of Oregon, to the
Catholic Mission of st. James. This
claim has been pending before the De-
partment for long time, and several
interests have been pressed. The De-
partment has, by its decision adverse to
Morse and Mrs. Bateman, placed them
outside of the list, the decision not
having been appealed from; so that the
contest is now between the United
States, the city of Vancouver and the
county of Clarke, the Interior Depart
ment having ruled adverse to the inter-
ests of the Mission, with the contest
undecided as between the city and the
county. The Mission steps in and
asks Congress to pass an act donating
the land to them. Your Delegate does
not undertake to champion the cause
for any one of the parties, but appeared
before the committee for the purpose of