Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1880-08-21
NE,Maaaa'S LETTER.
some Reasons Why James A. Garfield Ought
nut - Receive the electoral vote Of ore.


foI SDuSKSsass dNu III eue southern couu-
lies met many persons who were salier-
ers by tile then recent outbreak by the
No .oc Indians. Persons who had been,
-ies2 ,ile,l Of their. property, and their
:rienls, demanded Of me that, in th..
event of my election, I should try to
% cure or them from the U. s. Gov
ernf2l mt some indennifcation for the
l,ss-s hey hal su ,sained at the hands
Of the Indians. In speech which 1
made at Jacksonville, [ pledged myself
to do all in my power for the relief of
those people. stated that their claims
for indemnitica.ion were meritorious and
just, AMI referred to the act of Con 3ress
which recognized that character of |
claims, and stated that upon general
principles of right and justice that 10y /
atty to the Government and protection
| of the citizens We're rec;pr.cll o4ilgt-
tions and duties l sta ed IN It the Gov !
srnment did not hold the Indian tribes
| to be foreign nations; but treated then
as their wards and protected them
against any attempts Of the citizens to
hold them responsible, legally CT other
wise, for any wrongs they might perpe-
trate. In pursuance of this soieMn
pledge, did, in "a few days after taking
my seat in Congress, intro, uce bill to
provide for ascertaining the losses sus-
tanned by citizens of Southern Oregon
and Northern California by reason of In
dian depredations in the Yeas 1928.
The bill was referred to the Committee
on Indian affairs, and after much labor
succeeded in obtaining from that COM
mittee q unanimously favorable report.
5 On the 18th of February, 1874, my bill
came before the House, and was under
consideration in committee of the whole
Mr. Averill Republic n member from
Minnesota, was Chairman of the Com
lnittee on Indian Affairs, and as such,
had charge of the bill, and advoca! ed its
passage. The debate Is too leny hy, per-
haps, for you to publish. Suffice to say,
y that occupied ell the time the rules OF
the House allowed in advocating its pas
IL sage Gen. John Peter Cluer Shank, a
;. long haired specimen of Republican hu
manity from Indiana, antagonized the
bill, and uttered charges against Bel
Wright and other frontiermen, as tbs
cause of the Modoc outbreak, and ii
= his charges quoted many Of Meachani'
j lies. I got an extension of time to re
ply to Shanks. and the debate became
warm and interesting. / had read t.
the House a strong letter from Jess
>. Applegate in favor Of the measure, ant
was ably supported by Mr.. Averill ant
49, Mr. Lowe, Republican member fron
Kans IS, and Mr.. Luttrell from C.lifol
81 MIA. Near the close of the debate NJ,
Garfield participated and spoke as fo
lows:
rs Mr. Garield-I should have 10 OF
o. Jpction at all to the appoinoment OF
CO omission, ii the commission and tn
go work it might do would bring any resc
luton OH which Congress would he jus
ifed in giving relief. Suppose con
- mission should be appointed and its e:
Z. penses paid, and it's report made; VIII
will we do with the report2 TIL Sc GU
, RACES and depredations were conm;tte
b. by one of two classes of persons; eith'
by private robbers and mur!erers, or i
o's els. public enemies. If by private nurde
'ao to. ers, then who in this House props. es
tons ons adopt the principle that Congress sha
sinh snh paw the damages intlictedl
,b1. IN. When Buffalo was burned to ashes
med 1isn the enemy in the war of 1872 Wi
most Great Britain, the case was laid befo
an sn,s Congress, and that was probably Il
strongest ever presented.
After full and able discussion, Co
5 gress considered the laws of war did n
- sustain demand for payment for 70
- ages by the common enemy.
l move to strike out the enacting ciau
in the bill
Mr.. Towae, OF Kansas, said: l b
the indulgence of the committee OF t
~. whole for few minutes, in order th
,es o I may state What the committee on
dian Affairs believe to be the right
public rol:"v e-ld the ground OF pub