Arizona citizen., 1875-06-05
THE CITIZEN .
Indian Depreciation Claims.

l We acknowledge receipt of Governor 1 McCurmick's speeches in Congress on the Indian depreciation claims, the Indian deficiency appropriations and the Zachary Taylor Statue. The several subjects were handled in the usual able and logical manner by the Governor, but our space will only allow us to print short extract showing the difficulties and delays of get ting appropriations for losses incurred by Indian outrages. The Governor said:
 Even in the settlement of clearly au- thoriZcd and regular accounts one who has business with the departments or claim before Congress is daily and fOrcibly re- minded Of the experience of Mir. Mark Twain in connection with the beef contract of Mr. John Wilson Mackenzie. It will be remembe bered that after tracing that famous claim through all the departments, and the sacrifice of a mum Der Of valuable lives in fruitless attempts to collect it. the fol- lowing colloquy enSued between the ex- hauSted MT. Twain and treasury official; !;
 Where is this John Wilson Mackenzie?
 Dead.
 When did he die?
 He didn't die at all-he was killed.
 How?
 ss sTomahawked.
 Who tomahawked him?
 NAJB oA Ol COU1SS. 1Ou suppose it was a superintendent of B Sun daySehool, did you? E N4 An Indian, was it2 ThA same.
 Nahe of the Indian?
 His name! 1 don't know his name.
 Must have his name. Who saw the tOmahawking done?
 don't know. e. ...s ..- ....H.
 You were not present yourself then?
 Which you can see by my hair. I was absent.
 Then how do you know that Mackenzie is dead?
 Because he certainly died at that time and ] have every reason 10 believe that he has been dead ever since. know he has, in fact.
 We must have proofs. Have you got the Indian?
 Of course not.
 Well, you must get him. Have you got the tOmahawk?
 never thought Of sucn a thing.
 You must get the tomahawk. You must produce the Indian and the tomahawk. If Mackenzie's death can be proven by these you can then go.befOre the cOmmis- sion appointed to audit claims with some show oi getting your bill under such head way that your children may possibly live to receive the money and enjoy il. But that mans death must be proven.
 The humOristS eXtravagance gives hard ly more than a fair illustration of the ab- Surd technicalities insisted upon by some of our department officers and by some of the committees of Congress in the con and adjustment of very simple and proper claims.
 MT. Chairman, during the several terms have held a seat upon this floor l have discussed the Indian question in nearly every aspect under which it has presented itself to the American people. If l have not dwelt upon this matter of claims for losses suffered by settlers from the Mis- Souri tO the Pacific, it has been simply be- cause I have had faith 10 believe that despite the legislation for the Indian, much of it foolish, partial, and unneces- Sary, which has been here enacted of late years, ;s spirit of justice to those of OUT own kith and kin who have planted our own flag upon the frontier would lead at least to the prompt and careful cOnsidera lion Of these claims.
 have not thought that in order to deal fairly with the Indians it is necessary or even eXcusab1e to deal harshly with the | whites, or by any techniealiIieS of law to | relieve the government rom reSpOnSibil- | ties which could not have arisen had the | frontier enjoyed that measure of protec- | ion to which it's citizens were entitled, ! and which, as have before Said upon this | floor, 1 think any other government of | strength and standing would have prOvid- ed. 1 feel warranted from any personal ! in saying that a large prOpor- ion of these losses are the direct result of | he want of a fixed and definite Indian l policy upon the part of the government tnd of the cool and ineXcuSable indiffer- 'nce of Congress to the state of affairs | lpon the frontier, as repeatedly set forth l )y petitions from the people, legislative reports of the departments, md statements of the press.