Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-06-05
THE MAGNANIMOUS ORC VS..


: across their reservation will be a surpri
and disappointment to the stock men
the Territory. but especially SO to those
Eastern Montana We had hoped that,
view OF their protested friendship to ii
whites, and in grateful consideration of IL
generous treatment they have receive
from the Government as well as the almo!
uniform kindness which has been show
them by the people of Montana. the Gro,
Indians would have consented to the dri,
ing OF few herds OF stock once We:
across their reservation. However, the,
is little appreciation or sense of gratitud
in the breast, or head. Of an Indian, as
general rule. Those who expect the leas
from them. even in return TOR E.vors, wi
be least liable TO disappointment.
We are informed by Nr. Quivey. in III
recent contribution to the Hadrpenden,
that 1.-The people Of Montana owe much t.
the Crow Indians" and with as much O
even greater prOpriety we may say In
Crows owe much to the Government an,
the people of Montana. Nearly all tn
wars on our eastern border have been real
ly in defense of the Crows or in their in
terests. Even the land they occupy as
reservation was gratllity from the Gov
eminent after valid rights had been ac
qnired thereon by white men. Every on,
ccnvHrsant with the history of the Indian
tribes Of tue Northwest knows that tn,
Crow Indians lad been dispossessed o
their own hunting grounds by their he
| rcditary enemies. the Sioux, but shor
time before the Crow treaty was i:lade, ant
had it not been for the intcrposition Of tie
Government, but especially the hardy
frontiersmen of Montana, the Sioux ere
this would have either exterminated the
the Crow tribe or driven them out of the
Yellowstone valley. But aside from the
fact that the whites have saved them from
4 war Of determination. the General Gov
rnmcnt. very unwisely we think. and
without consulting the wishes. interests
or acquired rights of tie actual settlers ct
Montana, included one or more mining
camps within the Crow reservation: and
no efforts during the past twelve years
have been successful in redressiny this
wrong. During all these years. the Crow
Indians have been the special pets and
paDiperpd wards OF the Government. The
treaty itself was regarded as the most lib
eral one the Government ever made with
Indians. and yet. since some Of its most
liberal stipulations have expired, the Gov
eminent continues to make its appropria-
tons to the tune OF SlO0.OOO a year as
or for the sake of ''peacc and
In regard to their reported stealing proc
livities we have but little to say, but we
should like 70 know where Mr.. Quivey
gets his data for the assertion that white
men have stolen ten to one (horses) from
hem" Perhaps Mr.. Quivey is in a posi-
ion to know, but we doubt it very much. !
f there are white men in Montana who can
'out-steal" the Crows they should be CAP
''red. Barnnm would no toubt pay a SUIT
cient sum. for one OF them. to pay the Ter
itorial debt. Mr.. Quivey is simply mistak-
n in most of his assertions. As, for in
lance. when he says. ''they (the Crow In
lans) have been very inadeqnately com
ensated." when the Government is actu.
~ furnishing them with more -four. beef ,
'gar and coffee, than they can reasonably
'ns'lihe. and clothing them in the bar
lin; and also when he asserts that 1.-The
rows have kept tie treaty inviolite on :
cir part. while the white people have +
oxen it every day" All OF which SIM +,
leads tbs to infer that Mr.. Quivey is :,
her very much in love with the Crows !,
somewhat pcjudiceI against the whites.
perhaps little of both. 4
Mr.. Quivey is a Deputy Y. S. Marshal. D
pointed. we believe, for the express p,r- y
sc of protecting the Crow Indians from q
depredations OF hwless white persons, @,
j he knows ''ttre white people are break re
the treaty every day." yet he makes ia
arrests, nor does he appear to be doing N
thing towards bringing these lawless ty
n to justice. His statements and official In
'duct do not appear to- harmonic very u,
Il. r.
We are by no means in favor Of interfer- mr.
with the treaty rights or privileges Of ha
Crow Indians, nor with the munificent oc
s Of the Government to them from, he
r to year. The people Of Montana en- CO
ain nothing but feelings Of friendship di
good will towards them. and the Fed F,
officials Of the Territory have uni ";
My rendered their services to them in fire.
~ emergency during the past fifteen soi
RS. There is no general disposition on wi
part Of the people to encroach upon
r reservation OF in any way to interfere
their vested rights and privileges ,
in our opinion, if the Crow Indians
consulted their own interests or obi =
ons they would not have denied to '''''
Tents of Montana tile privilege Of driv-
their beef cattle across the rescrva- to-