Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-10-24
Washington Letter.

The Indian troubles, which have occu
pied so much attention for some days past
are likely to pass over without so serious al
outbreak as at first seemed imminent Bu
what has already transpired reviyes the talk
about our Indian policy generally, and O
the proposed transfer of the Indian Bureau
10 the War Department in particular. The
Indian problem promises to be one of the
most important questions before Congress
at the approaching session. Some time age
Congress called upon the Treasury Depart
ment for information MS to the amount OF
money that had been expended for the In.
dian service since the beginning of the Gov
eminent, but for the lack of an appropria-
tion to print, the statement prepared has not
yet been put in type. 1t may be stated, how
ever, that the footings of this immense mass
of tables show that 10 the LIST of last July
the Government has expended on account
of the Indians, a total of $1S1 100000. The
estimated number of Indians now living is
100000
Indians say that white man Is very UNI
certain, and in this Mr.. Lo appears to have
learned something by experience. Abstract
ly viewed, Ute Indian may be one of ma
lures nOblemen, but in the concrete, so to
remark, the unadorned reality, he is a dirty,
theying rascal, whose moral sensibilites, if
he ever had any, have been corrupted by
long association with bad white men. Res
eryations for such clements, located in rich
mining or grazing regions, have been, and
always will be, II delusion and snare to
both Indian and white man. Maj. Carson,
who hats Just returned from the West, says
that while he is not an eXpert<in Indian
matters the origin of the present difficulty
presents no mystery to him. He says the
excitement in parts of Colorado over the
mineral development is almost inconceiva-
BILE Everyone has the mining fever, and
stories of suddenly acquired wealth are on
every tongue. The daily arrivals at Denver
number from 500 to 1000 individuals Peo-
pie scarcely stop TO talk of profits amount
ing to anything less than millions, and,
more significant than all else, is the fact that
mysterious rumors are circulating of mines
in the Ute country richer than have yet been
found in the Leadville region. The Indians
know as well as others that all this means
expatriation or determination for them UNI
less the Federal Government holds its word
as sacred when il pledges ii to the red man as
il does when it pledges to the white man.
The Post-ofiice Department is making
some lively times lately. In his war on the
lottery companies, and refusal TO deliver
mail to them, the Postmaster General will
be sustained by public sentiment; but in
one of his late orders about imperlectly-a
dressed letters, Deacon Key has raised q
very large sized hornets nest about his ears
Under this order all postmasters are forbid.
den to forward letters not addressed to the
exact designation of the post-oflice and
State for which they are intended. A letter
addressed to certain number and street
New York city, or TO Boston or Chicago
| will not be forwarded, but must be returned
to the dead-letter Office, or the writer, if Ii,
is known. The postal clerks know that
Boston is in Massachusetts,, and that Chica
so is in Illinois but Mr.. Key thinks it il
better that they should assume not to know
anything about it, and that the write
should be published for emitting TO put tn,
State ON his direction. Heretofore letter
so addressed thst the destination was wei
understood have been sent along, but here
after postmasters and clerks are TO be jus
! as ignorant as they can. The Post-oiiic,
| Department is maintained for the conven
fence of the people, but Mr.. Key thinks i
IS simply kept up for himself and employee
10 draw their salaries. 1t used 10 I've III,
pride Of the Department that even badly o.
imperlectly addressed letters promptly iounl
their destination. Now the p NJ G. flat
tiers himself that it takes pretty smart man
10 so address letter that the authoritie
can not find SOME excuse for sending it I,
the dead-etter Office. II is stated that th
new system causes the accumulation il
such offices as Boston and New York o
from 800 10 1000 letters per day, whicl
formerly there was no trouble in delivering
4 BY the way, this reminds me of the singua
history OF letter which, seven years ago
Mr. Albro H. Parsons, resident of Nash
vile, Tenn, wrote to Miss Julia Mays, o
London, England, which, from marks on
the envelope, certainly reached London
On the 9th of last month il was found yer,
mystcriousy in Il street letter box in Louis
vile, Ky. From that city, the postmarl
being Nashville, il was sent 30 the latte
place, and thence 20 the dead-letter office
where it was opened and returned 10 Nash
Vile for delivery, with a request for AN ex
PLANTATION. The Nashville postmaster, as
ceriaining that Mr.. Parsons was residing il
Denver, sent the letter 10 him. He there
fore got his original manuscript seven year
ailer he wrote il, and when Miss Mays, TN
lady for whom the letter was intended, ha,
been his wife for six years. The myster,
Is how the letter got back % this country
not being marked unclaimed, aud how
found is way into the street letter box a
Louisville.
The October term of the supreme Cour
opened ON Monday, an the Judges heinD
present except Justice Hunt who Is too IN 4
come, and Who will in all probability neye
occupy his seat again. II Is said that Con
gress viii he asked 10 retire him this winter
and that Attorney General Deyens want
The place don't think il is the duty d
Congress In the present emergency % doany
thing Of the SORT. There Is pariisanshil
enough IN the Court already, and il woul,
+ be a. well 10 postpone the needless creation
Of any further vacancies until after the PEG
I PIE have spoken on the subject Of the mex
presidency II is quite likely that the party
which has been putting is tools ON the hencl
for - years past won't have the naming al
another for a while Afler the performance
~ Bradley and his associates In The Electoral
Commission business, the people have lost
some of their reverence for the Court as az
present constituted.
DENocRIrEs.
fII.. .f4t.ta.r.a - fI.a t......f d.