The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-05-23
rnr r,lArIl,.A rnornLls.

On our FIRST page we print dispatch
from Gen. Howard to Gov. Thayer,
charging certain depredations upon In
dians by white settlers of Umatilla
county, and we herewith present the
answer of the Governor
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
SALEM, May l6.
General o. o. Howard: Sir-Your letter
of the 18th inst, addressed 10 me, and pub
lished in the Daily Oregonian of this date,
duly came under my observation, and /
assure you that / very mach regret the
existence of the condition OF affairs be-
tween the whites aud the Indians at Una
tilla, which your letter would seem To in-
dictate. Though am 10th to believe that
there Is any secret organization for the
purpose of killing the Indians. IA reported
TO YOU, which includes any of the citizens
of Umat,lla county, that 1t such organt2a-
ton exists at all Il N confined to class of
reckless itinerantS who are liable to infesi
any border community. l am aware, of
course, that intense bitterness of feeling
prevails upon the part of cur citizens of
Eastern Oregon towards the Indians in
that LEGALITY. The destruction and cruelty
perpetrated by the Indians during last
summer is too fresh in the minds of the
and doubtless has lstluenoed them to view
with indifference, and perhaps, in some In
stances, to sanction, injustice and wrong
have full condolences, however, thar the
civil officers and magistrates in that and
every other part of the State will, TO the
best of their ability, attend To tho enforce
ment of tho laws. THIS can bo accom-
plished only through the machinery of
| government. In case of outrage aud vio
lence towards the Indians, complaints may
| be made before the proper tribunals, COM
/ pulsory process sued out Tor the parties
| charged and their arrest secured, If II re-
uuire tho whole executive power of the
State aided, II necessary, by tho power oi
the United States But there is nUauthoI-
! ity vested anywhere TO compel grand
| Jury to indict them. The action of that in.
| stitution must bo LEFT wholly free and un-
| restrained, except by the sense OF duty
which its members owe the community as
q sworn boay 70 investigate aud present
| such matters, and without such tudict'
ments duly found and presented no ono
can be held to answer for a capital or 9TH
wise infamous crime.
With u grateful appreciation for youi
past heroic and effective services to the
country generally, and To this state IN par
ticular, III the suppression OF Indian hos
tilities, l further assure you will do al
in my power, within tue constitutions
limits of my Office, tu prevent u continue
ton of the wrongs towards the Indians, I,
which you refer, aud TO bring to justice nj
who have been guilty OF such enormiiies
and that the great body of the citizens O
Umatilla county do not sympathiLe Will
parties guilty oil the conduct imputed, anI
that the courts aud officers there will bt
faithful in the discharge of their oflicia
duties. Yours with great respect,
". w. THANER,
Governor OF UTegOL.
In addition to this Gen J. IL. Tur
ner, of Pendleton, Umatilla county
publishes letter in the Portland pa
pers in which he says there are "a
many falsehoods contained in Howard
dispatch as there are lines" He says
Thomas, Belknap and Simpson were al
arrested and all had their examination.
assisted in the prosecution. The two for
, mer were held to answer, and there bciu
no evidence against simpson hs was dis
charged. The two held To answer wer
brought to Portland and discharged ON
writ OF habeas corpus, but were not re
Quired to appear before the State CouTl
. The matter was brought before the grani
jury, the witnesses were there aud TIA
grand jury failed To find All indictment
The grand jury was composed OF gentle
men who knew their duty aid performe'
!, it as honorable men No PendIeton mel
ever told Lieutenant Farrow that they hat
the law in their own hands; no secret OF
ganization existed for the purpose Of kill
ing Indians at all, or al any time, place Q
places, nor was Lieutenant Earrosg- eve
threatened with being shot. No Unite
States marshal or deputy ever stood in Tn
presence of Stanley with warrant iB hi
pocket for Ills arrest and feared to max
the arrest and there are no reliafle cit
zens that fear tU move against these meI
1 was employed 10 defend young Stanley
who is mere boy. and went 10 the Unite
States authorities and informed them tha
would have him come in al any tiIno 70
, trial, but was told that IL was unnecessar
To bring him in or Lother with the magte
till the other cases we're determined b
Judge Deadly. For the truth oil the abov
, 1 refer 10 any reliable man in Umatill
| county.