The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-05-11
PERTINENT PROTEST.
An Earnest Protest Against the Removal
Of Troops from Fort Benton.

The mass meeting Of citizens on FRIDAY
evening, at the Court House, was 9 success
in so, far as attendance was concerned and il
the very general expression Of interest tina
was manifested in the subject which occas
Toned the meeting.
Judge Tattan called the meeting to order II
q few pointed remarks in which he briefly
touched upon the precarious terms BY which
business was carried on in this section owing
to Indian depredations, the necessity Of mill
tary to assist in regulating them, and the
general usefulness of q military organization
in this frontier post.
z. e. Collins was elected chairman, and
Jas. Armour secretary.
Mr.. Collins asked for the sense of the
meeting relative to the desirabiljty or neces.
sity of retaining the Post, or the order allowed
to go into effect without protest.
The secretary then read a digest of a mem
orial to be telegraphed to the War Depart
ment, setting forth the greatloss and depletion
Of stock by Indians, the paucitY of force to
prevent them, and the necessity of more pro-
lection than could be afforded by one com
pany; closing with q protest against the
removal Of the present company and a prayer
for more, and the establishment Of q perma-
nent post.
Mr.. Tattan moved that it be adopted as the
sense Of the meeting, and that q committee
Of three be appointed to collect funds for tel
| egraphing the same to the Secretary Of War.
Mr.. Buck thought that the question should
be confined to 3 resembling Of the order of
removal for the present that it would not be
wise to ask for a permanent post at this
juncture.
The motion was withdrawn.
i Mr.. Hunt moved that q committee Of three
be appointed to draft resolutions in accord
ance with the above.
MIR. Todd did not like the terms of the
resolution.
MIR. Tattan explained that it was hurriedly
drawn, and that it was simply the intent of
Mr.. Hunts motiont to amplify it. The country
TdC Ill tkC ia VA O. AAO4GA AAA
stolen and were now stealing great numbers
of cattle and horses; the troops had not been
generally used, but the knowledge by the
Indians that the troops were here prevented
greater trouble; the business men of the
town were interested, even when they did
not derive direct benefit.
Mr.. Turner thought the troops were USE
less.
Mr.. Hunt concurred il the remarks Of Mr..
'Tattan, and added that it was q matter Of
evidence that Indians had destroyed more
stock than the cold Of winter. The military
were the only protection to the people Of this
section ~ giving some security at least, to
settlers and stock men.
Mr. Todd believed the military had not
been q protection. Cattle had been killed in
every direction and the military were power
less to prevent it.
Messrs. Buck and Todd engaged in some
rhetoric pro and con, in which the points
above were reiterated.
MIR. Tattan remarked that the discussion
was becoming irrelevant. This meeting was
not q committee Of investigation on the con-
duct of the troops at this post. That was 2
solely within the province Of the War
We were to discuss simply the
state of the country and the necessity for
protection. 1t was not the first time
private interests had conspired against
the troops to abandon the post now would
be to abandon all efort to obtain a permanent
post; il the power Of the troops was insufic-
lent to cope with the Indians they should be
increased, not diminished.
Mr.. Todd had no barracks to rent-no sill
yer dollars to lose or gain by the military,
and no private interests one way or the other.
The chair declared the discussion irrelevant
md out Of order. It must pMkethe motion to
reconsider. The motion was put and lost.
The i%nterregnum was q void owing to the
Of the Ciceronic element in the
meeting.
A resolution was read by the secretary ask
ng that 9 permanent post with four compan-
es be established at or near Benton, as fol
Be it Resolved By the citizens Of Fort
Benton in mass meeting assembled:
l. That all honorable means be inaugur-
tied to have the military authorities rescind
he order removing the troops from Fort
2. That all the interests OF Benton and
;hoteau county demand that 8 permanent
post be built BY the Government, to be gar