, 1877-11-23
WHY ALASKA SHOULD KAYE CIVIL
GOVERNMENT.
Forr WRANGEL ALASKA, !
October, 81, 1877. J

October, 81, 1871
EDITOR ARGUS;
S1R:--Witbin the columns Of your
raper, having read Commissioner
swans report to the Hon. Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs, relative to
this county and its people, and be-
lieyiuc the ARGUS to be an advo'
yate Of the best interests and future
welfare of this Territory and its in
hsbitants, conclude to send you
for publication and circulation, pc
tition by the residents of this place,
to the u. S. Senate, praying for law
and order to be extended over this
region. :,
This petition (hitherto annoxed)
states, nothing hut facts, and in or
der to be brief, does not lay before
the Senate one tenth part of our
grievances. Therefore l take the
liberty and ask space within the
columns of the ARGUS in order
that a few naked truths may be laid
before the public.
Having been resident ofthis Ter
ritory near eight years, and having
had my eyes and ears open portion
of that time, ! know whereof speak,
This petition is not our first effort
in striving To be recognized by the
Government as people, having
rights worthy Of consideration. We
have petitioned and repetitioned to
the heads at Washington, to do
something for US, and thus far, our
petitions have accomplished nothing,
hence we try again, and our prayer
is that the present Congress will
enact a law whereby whites and In
dians in Alaska may obtain justice.
We as American citizens claim as an
inalienabIc right, that we are en-
titled to protection in life and pro-
porty.
Ten years have elapsed since the
acquisition by our government OF
this country, and during that time
Government has neither encouraged
or sanctioned the development of its
resources. Nothing has been done
towards improving the condition of
its inhabitants, either intellectually
morally. All that has been done
has had tendency to stagnate our
commerce, impede enterprise, and
debase and demoralize the native in.
Misrule has been the fate Of this
Territory, ever since the hosting Of
the stars and stripes over it, and now
we humbly ask change.
An effort is being made to have
the military return to Alaska, and in
the name of humanity and common
sense, ask what for?
Is it for the best interests of the
Territory that they should return9
Look to the past for an answer.
Whenever did they do anything for
the country or the people in it that
deserves praise?
Did they encourage enterprise and
assist in the developing of the re-
sources of the co4ntry? No! 1t
stands recorded that they foisted the
developing of it, and placed restric-
tions on enterprise and improve.
mcnts.
Did they seek the enlightenment
of the Indian, and endeavor to ele-
vate him to a higher moral stand
ard? On this point let the Indians
themselves testify. "Sakes," Toy
ayah," and "Sboe- stack" chiefs of
the Stickeen Indians, say this: "For
many years we have been desirous
of having schools and churches es
tablishcd among US.
With the coming of the military
among US, came 4 big church "tyhee"
who told us that the soldiers were
come to protect us, and that he
would have schools established and
churches built for us.
Time passed, no schools were es.
tablishtd, aud no churches built, and
instead Of the soldiers being any pro-
lection to US, they sought to debase
and demoralize us.
Liquor they sold us that crszed
the brain, and trouble came that end.
ed by Capt. Smith being killed and
one Of our men hung" Such is the
testimony Of Wrangel Indians re-
gArding military rule here.
With the exception Of Capt. Jose
lyn, no efforts were made by the mil.
40 4