New-York tribune., 1879-12-19

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belongs to Indian the wool is sold by the Indian
himself, and he receives the proceeds thereof H
H." may have heard of the Navajo Indians who are
great sheep raisers, having over half million of
sheep Ii is well known that they sell wool and
manufacture blankets and nobody has ever heard
that the price paid for that wool and those
blankets goes into the Treasury of the United
States OF any where else except into the possession
| of the Navajo Indians.
Sirih-"H. H." asks how manv American peo-
pie know that an Indian cannot be legally prose-
Gated or punished for an offence committed
against an Indian?' "H. H." should have added
that this Department has been endeavoring for
considerable time to induce Congress TO pass an act
putting Indians under the protection as well as
under the restraints of law.
SCrcrh-Ihc seventh point made by III H."
refers to the same defect in the laws of the United
States, which tins Department has been endeavor-
ING 10 remedy by recommendations 10 Congress.
Eghlh-" II. H." asks. " how many of the
American people know that when the Ncz Perccs
Indians under Chief Joseph surrendered to
General Mills in 1877 on the express conditions
that they should he takcn back 10 Idaho
in the Spring thoy were taken TO a place on the
Missouri River where thcy lost great nanv of
their people by sIckucss?" The statement is true,
but II might have been completed by adding that
where their war broke ont they would have fallen
into the hands of population enraged against them
on account of the atrocities that happened at the
beginning of that war; What their condition
then would have been il is not difficult to couj"c-
turc aud further. they were held on the Missouri
River bottom at Fort Lcavcnworth, rs prisoners Of
war by the Army, and the things stated in the III
terrogatory happened before they were turned over
to the Indian Service.
Ninih-" II. H." asks how many OF the Ameri-
can people know anything about the true situ-
alton and experience of the White River Utcs I"
To be perfectly far Ii. H. should have added
that on account of the circumstances quoted thc
Indian Agency was removed fifteen mics south
ward TO probably the best place the White River
Tic Reservation, which, it mus. be admitted. does
rot contain very large tract of arabic land. bnt
more than the U!cs seemed disposed to
cultivate II appears therefore that the complaint
contained in "H. HIS" statement was remcdied
long before her statement was made. d" H. H."
further refers TO the circumstance that IN 1877,
supplies failed TO reach the White River Uies and
| that thev were during that time suffering rom
want of food. al. H." ought 10 have added that
the failure to supply Tho Ues arose from the de-
lnquency Of a transportation contractor, who has
since been prosecuted by this Department, tried,
convicted and sentenced 10 the penIteniary. where
ne now Is NtINlNr HIN lfllI anu 'h' rih'N
that time the Utcs have been pientifuly supplied.
so much so that their hunting parties this Summer
lefi a large number Of the carcasses of their
game on tne ground, taking Only the hides
for trade. AS To the statement of " II. H.
with regard 10 the payment Of aUnuitics
to the Utes in which she makes the Gov
ernment owe them 100000, the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs is just preparing an answer 10
an inquiry by the Senate. which will not here an
tcipate but from which II. H. undoubtedly Will
receive some useful information.
The tenth point refers 10 the Ponca case. with re-
gard TO which l have stated ever many times
that the Poncas were moved from their old reserva
ton in consequence of mistake made by the Com
mission of 1865 in forming treaty with the Sioux
and in pursuance of law enacted before this adj
ministration came into power that the present
Secretary of the Interior aud Commissioner OF In
dian Affairs the first persons TO bring tue wrong
inflicted upon the POncas To public notice; aud that
they have been dong everything In their
power 10 indemnify them for their losses.
How the ponca ca%c Is 10 20 before Tie supreme
Conrt is hot clear to me. he only WAY woUld he
on an appeal from the habeas corpus decision OF
Judge Dundy. and to whether such an appeal
should he taken am in doubt. The Attoruey-Gel-
crni considers il doubtful wheihtr under the cir
cuu,stanceS an appeal can he taken. | think that
nll the PRINCIPLES contained III the Dundy decision
which are of any value to the Indians can be Sc
cured 10 them by the enactment OF proper laws
which am heartily III favor OF.