The Portland daily press., 1881-02-01
XLvITH CoNGREss-2d Session
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 81.
The Vice President presented the creden-
tials of Senators-elect III. p. Baldwin and o.
d. Conger of Michigan.
Mr.. Baldwin appeared and qualified.
Mr.. ingalls, presenting remonstrance
against the surgeons bill, purporting to be
signed by Kansas soldiers, remarked that the
paper emanated from the pension and claim
agents of Washington.
The Senate joint resolution passed for issue
OF American Register to Egyptian steamer
Dessong
Mr.. Morrill, formally presented the statue of
Jacob Collamer contributed by Vermont to
the National Statuary Hall set apart for two
statues of representative men from each state,
and resolution of acceptance was passed.
Senator Dawes then took the floor on the
Ponca question.
The text of Mr.. Dawes's speech was the as
sassination, as he termed it, of Big Snake, one
OF the Ponca chiefs, and brother, Standing
Bear, at the instigation or under the orders of
the cowardly agent in charge of the Poncas at
the time. Mr.. Dawes described the two broth
ers as brave, chivalric and born leaders of
men, and stated that they were cast into prison
by the soldiers because they advised against
submitting to the removal. Standing Bear
with thirty followers, made his way back to
the old reservation, and the interpositlon of
habeas. corpus has protected him from the ef
forts of the Indian Bureau to subdue him.
Big Snake visited a friendly tribe without the
consent of the agent, and was imprisoned in
consequence. On his release the agent, pre-
tending to be afraid him, asked the depart
ment TO arrest him and convey him to Fort
Reno, and there confine him for the rest of
his natural life. Without investigation or in
quiry the Department complied and sent SOL
diers to arrest him. The agent beguiledlhim into
his office by false promise, and then ordered
the soldiers to arrest him. Big Snake de-
manded the purpose of the arrest,iand indig-
nantly dedied that he had done any wrong.
All unarmed, he struggled against the SOL
diers, when one of them, from a prear-
brain; and thus ended the career of one
who, had he fallen in defence of the white
mans right to his home and his fireside, would
have passed into history as hero in holy
cause. The insinuations against Big Snake,
made before and after his murder, have ali
been proven 10 be groundless, and Indian In
spector Pollock, after full investigation, de-
clared under oath, "It looked to me, to put it
in plain English, like a cowardly. willful muir
der" Yet the agent who did this thing was
never even censured for it, and the Interior
Department, when inquired OF about it by the
Senate of the United States forgot to make
any answer for nearly year, and then did not
deem it worth while to express any opinion as
to the character OF the transaction. Mr.. Dawes
dwelt eloquently upon the cruel wrong thus
done, and declared that our dealings with the
weak who come under our power ought to be
characterized by scrupulous regard to justice
and humanity. He closed by presenting a pc
tition from Standing Bear and those with him
on she old reservation, praying that the land
on which they are may not be alienated from
them, and asking to share equally with the
others in such grants as the Government may
make.
When Mr.. Dawes had concluded, Senator
Kirkwood gave notice that tomorrow he shall
reply to Mr. Dawes statements.
Gen. Logan then spoke briefly in defence of
the DanartrnaDt of the interior which ha da-
clared had been managed honestly and fairly.
Senator Dawes disclaimed any intention to
disparage the general policy OF the Interior De-
partment toward the Indians. The more is
the mystery that withmuch to commend, the
Secretary should be willing to go into history
without single effort to remove a stain upon
his record He had not charged Secretary
Schurz with the commission of the wrongsto
the Poncas, but had begged him to set them
right.
Senator Plumb said that he would not enter
into discussion of the subject, but he must
say that the agent who was present at the
killing of Big Snake was not coward, as had
been intimated, but war veteran with four
years record who had endeavored to discharge
his duty. He may have been mistaken, but
he had endeavored to do right and he was no
coward.
Senator Logan regretted that attempts to
improve the condition of the Indians have
ALWAYS been thwarted by complaints of the
bad treatment of individuals. He deprecated
the aspersions cast upon the Secretary of the
Interior
Senate resumed the consideration OF the In
dian land bill and without action adjourned
HOUSE.
Several bills were introduced and referred,
among them one by Mr.. O'Reilly, to protect
the transmission of intelligence by telegraph
from the action of monopoly.
Mr.. Cox gave notice that tomorrow morning
he should call up the apportionment bill.
Resolutions of the Committee on Elections
were adopted and the sitting members from
the Sth and 9th Iowa districts, Sapp and Car
penter, will retain their seats without further
contest.
Mr.. Frye, from the Committee on Rules, re-
ported resolution that hereafter the sessions
of the House begin at II o'clock. Adopted.
Mr.. Springer introduced a bill similarito that
introduced in the Senate by Senator Kirkwood,
relative to postal telegraph company, which
was referred Also bill providing for the ap-
praisal of telegraph liues, property and
effects Of companies acting under the provis-
ions of the act of July IA, 1866. and to procure
information concerning the postal telegraphs
of other countries. Referred!
The House went into committee OF the
whole on the District of Columbia appropria-
ton bill.
The agricultural bill was reported. 1t appro-
pirates $388,800. Adjourned.