The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-09-28
INDIAN ~DEPREDATI0Ns.
What Secretary Kirkwood has to Say on
the Subject.


The following from Secretary KirkWood
Is Id response to a letter addressed to him by
Delegate Maginpis. It will be seen that the
Secretary falls back on al old treaty, ratified
in 1866, and long since a dead letter, to
show that the Indians have as much right on
the stock ranges as the white men. The SCI
Element OF the country as well rs subsequent
treaties and laws has rendered that absOlete
and the honorable Secretary has only made
himself ridiculous by referring to it. If
the Indian has a right to occupy these lands
referred to he certainly has not the right to
wantonly kill the stock Of the citizens Of
Montana. It will be gratifying to know that
the Secretary has called the attention Of the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs to this mat
ter (including the treaty Of So but very lit
tie good will come Of it. There is too much
s'red tape" in the premises and the depart
ment has too little knowledge OF the true
state of affairs in this quarter. The letters
referred to are as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF III INTERIOR,
WASHINGTON, Sept. Is, 1881.
To tie Hon. M0rtn Magianis, Helena,
III. Z.
SIR Il have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter OF the I'd inst,
with the enclosure Of same date from Hon.
Granville Stuart in relation to depredations
By Indians belonging across the border, and
others from the Blackfoot reservation in the
%o 4 pno fhn& hn~In&rf
the stock raisers in the vicinity Of the said
reservation.
u Upon the subject cf the rights Of the In
dians to leave their reservations for. hunting
purposes your attention is respectfully in
vited to thesproyisions of the!treaty of Oct. II,
1866, I'll stats 657] with the Blackfeet and
other Indians. Arllcles z, IL and IL of said
treaty set forth the rights and privileges Of
the Indians and the settlers, and the remedy
for wrongs committed by either.v
| have called the attention Of the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs to this subject,
and enclose for your information and that
OF the stockmen, q copy Of my letter of in
structions to him of this date showing the
steps taken by the department to prevent
depredations on the part Of the Indians.
With this evidence Of its good faith before
them, | earnestly urge on the part Of the citl-
AOAS - luC ACtllGO1Y VI tnC CdClClSCU VI tAdt uuG
caution and forbearance that will assist the
government in its efforts to maintain peace
and good order.
The occupancy Of these lands, is, under
the treaty. as much the right Of the Indians
as Of the people of Montana who are graz
ing stock thereon, and SO long as the treaty
remains ia force its guarantees should be re-
spected. If this course is pursued by those
who are TINS keeping their stock on lands
belonging not to themselves, but to the
United States, their safety will be assured,
end an Indian war which must necessarily
bring much greater loss in property than is
now suffered, to say nothing of loss of life
and prostration Of public as well as private
enterprises, will be prevented.
| need not remind you of the fact that
while it Is the duty of the Government to
protect the lives Of the white men, it is equal |
" its duty to protect the lives of the Indians
committed to its charge. Our army is so /
small it is impossible fer it to do more than
it is doing. Our soldiers have hard duty to
perform and they perform it bravely and
well 50 far as their numbers will permit, and
>itis the duty and should be the pleasure Of
al our people not to add to their difficulties.
The Indians will be restrained SO far as
possible with the small means at the COM
mand Of the War Department and this De-
partnoent. V Very respectfully,
.. j.. HARDWOOD,
Secretary.