, 1877-11-23
CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN ALASKA.

CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN ALASKA.
We call the attention of our read
ers to the valuable and interesting
letter from Mr.. Isaac Dennis, De-
putty Collector of Customs at Fort
Wrangel, Alaska. Mr.. Dennis is
well-known in this town as man Of
education and experience, and one
well qualified to write on Alaska af-
fairs, from his long residence at Sit
ka aud Fort Wrangel, in an official
capacity. He fully endorses the
views contained in the official report
of Commissioner Swan to the Com
missioner of Indian Affairs, to which
we called attention in our last is,
sue.
Mr.. Dennis views relative to the
great mineral wealth of Alaska are
also true, and in proof that the re-
port taken to San Francisco by Cap
tain John NJ. White, commander of
the u. S. revenue steam cutter,
Thomas Corwin, relative to these de-
posts, and that the subject is begin
ming to excite the interest of the
capitalists of San Francisco, we will
state on the authority OF the "British
Colonist" of Nov. 18th, that Flood
& O'Brien, the bonanza kiRgs, are
represented as having taken an active
interest in the development Of the
deposits in Alaska of gold, silver,
iron, copper and coal. Nor is the
wealth now lying dormant in Alaska
confined to the minerals. Her fish
cries of cod, salmon, halibut, eula-
chon and other varieties of edible
fish, the great quantities of whale,
sea-elephant, porpoise, and other oil
producing inhabitants Of the ocean,
and the inexhaustibls quantities of
fur bearing animals of both sea and
land, are now only awaiting the mag
ic touch of capital to be developed
into prolific sources of wealth to
those who have the energy to go
and seek for them.
The remarks of Mr.. Dennis res
pecting the Indians are correct, and
have been fully corroboratsd and
proven by the reports of Commis-
sioner Swan, and Captains White
and Seldcn of the U. S. Revenue
Marine; and if the policy as laid
down in the Commissioners report
can DO adopted by our government,
and the same method of treatment of
the Alaska Indians be carried out as
is now done in British Columbia,
there will be no need Of troops or Of
extending the farce of our present
system of Indian agencies among
them-a mistaken policy, inaugu-
rated in the days of George Wash.
ington, and continued to the present
day. A policy of treatment of the
savages, which the enlightened pub
lie of the United Statas have weighed
in the balance of common sense,
common humanity, and common
charity, and found lamentably want
ing. Let Congress adopt the same
system of governing the Indians of
Alaska as is now so successfully car
ried out by DR.. John w. Powell, In
dian Commissioner for British Col
umbia, under instructions from the
Dominion Government of Canada;
and the various tribes and bands
placed under charge of missionaries
and teachers sent by the various re-
ligious denominations, as has for
more than thirty years been so emf
nently productive ofgood at Metla'
katla, BE-, under Mr.. Duncan Of the
Episcopal mission, and at Fort Simp-
son, B. c., under Mr.. Crosby, of the
Wesleyan Methodist mission. If this
system is carried out, and adopt
ed by our government, we shall hear
no more of the rascalities Of Indian
agents, and no more Indian wars pre-
cipitated by the cupidity of Indian
rings. What Alaska now needs is q
civil government, as stated by Mr..
Dennis, and petitioned for by more
than four hundred residents at Fort
Wrangsl. William King Lear, Esq,
whose name has accidentally been
mispelled as one of the signers to
the petition to Congress, on our first
page, is one Of the wealthest mer-