The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-02-27
FROM PHILADELPHIA.
rHE POLITICAL FzRNENT-- INDIAN LEGrs-
LATIoN-A BAD SPELL.

LATI0N-A BAD SPELL.
Special Correspondence New North West
PHILADELPHIA, February GA CORE
spondent ought to have not only eyes and
ears, bat legs and rs am deficient at
present IN III ,se useful mt MIXERS, you are
authorized to make commensurate reduc-
ton in MY salary. But it d'"s not require
much locomotion to discover abundant con-
firniation OF the opinion expressed last
week as to the effect Of the action OF the
Harrisburg Convention In instructing the
delegates to Chicago to vote as unit for
Grant. It is becoming very doubtful
whether the delegates will consent to be
mere automatons, though it must be adj
mitted that there Is Pennsylvania precedent
for it. The Republicans Of Wsstchester
are 10 a state Of
OPEN RESURRECTION
And those of many other counties are La
BILE TO insist that their representatives in
the National Convention shall disregard
the instructions and defy Don Cameron.
But the more serious consequence Of the
event at Harrisburg is what our new Min
lister to England would call it's "dsilu-
sionizing" influence. There had really
seemed to be some ground for the claim
which had been rather noisily put forth
that there was an overwhelming popular
demand for Grant, and Pennsylvania was
represented to be one Of the States where
this feeling was most enthusiastic and irre-
pressible. So the convention Was called
here to be held in advance of any other
State the Camerons, with less than their
usual sagacity, it would seem,
FORCED THE NATTER TO A TEST
Aud, while they escaped defeat, the halo
about Grants head instantly disappeared,
leaving him looking like any other candi-
date.
The effect OF this is obvious in many
ways. The newspapers that have had 9TH
or preferences all the time are afforded An
opportunity which they improve to the ut
most discreet public men have suddenly
grown bold and are talking freely, and in
the counts that are made here and there to
indicate tine choice Of the people, it cannot
be denied that the relative strength Of the
ex- President has fallen of within the past
ten days.
| But rejecting the lesson of these facts,
Conkling is obviously bound to attempt in
New York what Cameron barely succeeded
In doing IN Pennsylvania It is probable
that be, too, will succeed, but only at the
cost of intensifying the feeling against
Graut as the candidate Of the "machine."
The primaries in Albany county were held
last Friday on sir hours notice, and with
the election Of Grant delegates we read Of
murmurs Of packed caucuses and snap
judgment.
There are some measures
RESPECTING INDIANS
Pending in Congress which concern Mon
tana, and they may or may not have been
made clear 10 your readers In the dispatches
to the western press. One Of these proposes
to punish stealing from Indians, and to
give United States Courts jurisdiction over
,offenses Of this character. This bill en-
joyed the powerful championships Senator
Carpenter, but does not seem to have met
with favor and was reocmmitted. 1t is not
clear what objection there can be to the
measure. The United States ought to take
upon itself the protection Of Indians, and
to visit the expense Of Furnishing crimes
against their property upon the sparsely
settled counties of the frontier las the Law
nov does, unless the crime happens to be
committed ON reservation-is q grievous
hardship. For example: received infor
nation to day from Tom Irvine that be
had arrested man for stealing twelve
horses from the Crows; and now Custer
county will be required to spend perhaps Q
thousand dollars to convict him-a burden
that properly belongs upon the broader
shoulders of the Federal Government.
Another bill proposes to extend over
INDIAN RESERVATIONS
The criminal laws of the States aud Terri
torres within which they are respectively
situated. The effect OF this would be thai
when murder or other crime is commit
ted, say on the Blackfoot reservation, tn,
offender would be punished according Il
the laws of Montana, the United States, al
at present, conducting the prosecution
This measure has special reference to tn,
Indian Territory but itsprovisions are gen
eraL and 1t will be found useful in view o
the serious looseness and other defects o
the United States criminal code.
The third of the measures referred Il
; allows
MILITARY TRADERS
At posts situated within reservations I,
trade with the Indians without separat
license therefor from the Indian Bureau
This is obviously designed to meet the cas-
OF the trader at Fort Custer, whose good
J were seized by the Attorney General at thu
J instigation Of Commissioner Hayt few
: weeks ago. The trader at Fort Assinabois,
il Ia the same situation.
, The objection to all of these bills is tina
! they propose to patch up structures Of leg
! islation that ought to be
u REBUILT FROM THE GROUND UP.
! These are the criminal code OF the Unite'
States, the Indian intercourse law and tn
} system OF Federal judicature In the Terri
tories. Under this head comes the cryin
: shame in the matter Of paying Unite'
States witnesses. 1t is scarcely extrava
} giant to say that man had better be tn
, defendant In . criminal case than witnes
on the part Of the United States, 30 seri
! ously is the latter made to suffer by reaso
OF the inadequate compensation allowed b
: tho existing laws.
Tho Washington correspondents are hav
, ing . good deal Of fnn just now over tn
J discontinue OF
: A SENATORIAL CRITIC OF oRTHoGRAPHY
One Simmons had been appointed Superb
sor OF the Census in Georgia. aud Senate
Gordon objected to his confirmation on th
ground Of bis iiIiteracy. He exhibited an
commented severely on letter written b
Simmons, in which ''exceilency" wa
IL O..