New-York tribune., 1876-02-03
POOR PLACE FOR A COURT.


REFUGEES, BARBARIANs, AND DEsPERADoEs TIE
ONLY MATERIAL FOR JURIEs IN INDIAN TERRI
rORY-A COUNTRY WHERE DEFENDANTS AS
sAssINATR THE JURORS AND WITNESSES.
JYRox TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Feb Numerous citizens OF
Arkansas have sent 10 Congress rem0nstrance
against the establishment of United States Court
in the Indian Territory. They base their objections
to this court on the following grounds: First they
cav that of the 10000 Indians i'll the Territory about
$4,000 are not familiar enough with the English
language to make them competent jurors. Secondly
the negro population of the Territory, having before
the war not only been slaves themselves, but subject
to an undivided race they are even less intelligent
than the freedmen in the Southern States and are
therefore totally unfit to act as Jurors. Thirdly. of
the white population Of the Territory il is alleged
that abont 20 per cent refugees from Justice from
Rtates the acquisitions of whose Governors do not
run into the Territory F3urthly, these desptTadoes,
with their followers among the more vicious and un-
civilized Indians, are alleged to have organized
system Of terrorism which, II not positively encOuT-
aged 10 certainly not rebuked by the Indian poll
ticians who lind profit IN the existing condition of
affairs and this utterly forhids anything approach
ing freedom OF expression action, and would rem
der the administration Of justice by htung jurors
living in the Territory simply impracucable.
Filthy because from three 10 nVe Wllhtsscs pcioic
the District Court at Fort Smith, Ark, are assas-
sinsted every year between the semi-annual terms
for this reason the witnesses rarely appear vol
unfairly, and when constrained to appear, it
rs believed that in many instances their apprehen-
sion of personal danger il so great as TO deter
them from tesGfyiDg 10 the whole truth, if indeed
it does not impe them to testify to the opposite Of
the truth. Sixthlv because there have been sssas-
snated in the Indian Territory % deputy marshals
since 1855 and 81 Others have been wounded. Sew
enthly because there have been issued from the
District Court at Fort Smith, during the past year
I15 writs against persons in the Indian Territory
accused either Of murder OF of assaulting with in
tent to kill and yet the Court has jurisdiction OF
scarcely one-tenth Of the cases that arise, since 1t
can take eognzaIce only of cases where white per-
SONS are concerned. For all these reasons the ci-
zens Of Arkansas who signed the remOnstrance feel
authorized TO assert that attempt 10 establish a
Federal Court In the Indian Territory while In its
present condition, and with its present population
would prove a failure. IL would bring about an era of
assassination of jurors witnesses maTshals, lawyers
&C., unprecedented in the annals of even this ln-
dian Nation. 1t would render protection Of lives
and property Of the better class OF Indians even
more preeariOus than il now is. IL would intensity
existing terrorism. 1t would in short, they insist
be a cruelty as inexcUsabe AS ii would be extreme
aud would be attended with very great pecuuary