Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-05
MRS. swlssHELm's WORK,
She Appears as an Indian Reformer Upor
tho Basis OF Pure Horse Sense.

She Appears as an Indian Reformer Upon
tho Basis OF Pure Horse Sense.
Chicago Times.
Mrs. Jane Grey Swisshelm is soliciting
signatures to two petitions to be presented
TO congress. The first of these reads as fol.
lows:
To the honorable the senate and house of
representatives OF the United States of
North America, in congress assembled:
Your petitioners. citizens of the United
States, do respectfully entreat you to rccog.
nlze the services of Susan, wife of the Ute
chef johnson, 10 protecting the captives ia.
ken in the White river massacre of 1870. by
securing to her one section of land, to be by
her selected on The present Ute reservation
in Colorado, and that you would make the
title inalieniable in her and her heirs until
July 4, 1876.
To the above petition Mrs. Swisshelm has
obtained the signatures Of Prof. DAVID
Swing, Dr., Fl. W. Thomas, DR.. F. w. No.
ble. DR.. Jane E. Walton, L B. Noble. Sam.
uel j. Medill, William F. Bross, G. Hitch
cock, Joseph Medill, Daniel L; shorey,
Leonard Sweet, Charles Gossage, G. G. Bay.
ward, G. s. Hubbard, Jr., Rev. Mr.. Meloy,
DR.. John Peddle, William Penn Nixon. G.
B Laurence, j. Y. Scammon, Emery A..
Storrs and others.
The other petition which has also been
numerously signed by men and women of
prominence, including Mayor Harrison.
reads thus:
To the honorable the senate and house oi
representatives Of the United States ol
North America in congress assembled
Your petitioners, as lci,izens Of the United
States pray you to have the Utes in Colora.
forfeited reservation surveyed, and every
soon as convenient, while retaining the
Utes that these sections be held for theil
acceptance so long as you may think best
and that you would protect all the pre.emp
tions BY such guards as shall make thei'
titles inallenable for fifty years.
J, In explaining to Times reporter the
purpose Of these petitions, Mrs. Swissheln
said that the government and the peopl
should cease supporting the Indians in idle
ness. Their tribal relations should b
, broken up. Let them choose between civi
lization and determination. She believe
the white people Of the frontier state
and territories, if given an opportunity
would soon solve the Indian problem
aud on its merits. She feared, however
> that the church people of New Englan'
would oppose any change in the lndia
> policy. They were idiotic on the subjec
; She deplored the fact that so many peopl
}, become idiots the moment they becom
9 christians. Mrs. Swisshelm observed th,
such remark as that might aeem strang
e as coming from Scotch Convenantor Pre-
8 byterian. She said the people had no col
, ception Of the iniquities practiced und'
2 cover Of the Indian bureau, and added TIL
y. if the men connected with that ring bs
e their just deserts they would be hung
Of shot. The reporter inquired Of Mrs. Swii
helm if she was in possession Of any priva
information touching the conduct Of Il
equaw Susan during the captivity Of Il
Meeker women. She replied that she h
no information except such as had be
II made public through the press. She Dc
%, not doubt the statement that the VIII
d. women were outraged.