New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-02

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chains and mt latest accounts were I" among the
bostilesu II we are to believe all that is tele-
grabbed. they are probably at this identical
moment cooking their chins at American and
Mexican alike from the rfted ridges of the
Sierra Novadas, with Whitney rifle and any
onantty of fixed ammunition
The most refreshing case, however, of
total depravity in an Indian is to be
found in n memoir of Hippy,' by the
agent. set forth in "Ex. Doc. No. Is, Ist
Sess. XLVIIth Congress-" "lIippy," it APP
pears. is Cheyenne rebel, recently arrested
and put in the guard house at Fort Reno by the
agent, which, as the paper in question informs us,
was a very skilful performance Hippy
| is n dangerous character. 1t is not stated
whether he was q chief, but that is immaterial,
since, if he had been, the agent among his other
acts no doubt deposed him. He, Hppy,' was
put in the guard-hOusc four years ago for
| "making an unreasonable demand on John III.
| Segur" We regret that they do not say what
it was. On page of the document quoted the
agent says: For some months past he (Hlppy)
I" has conducted himself very ugly and ION
"evcry occasion where opportunity offered he
constituted himself the champion OF all the
discOnten is, and there was no limit to his
abuse it has been exceedingly unpleasant to
"manage him and those who under better IN
iluence would be easily managed" Further
he says On the 9th inst, at the half corral,
"whlle the issue was III progress, he took 1T INTO
d" his hands to compel and to issue as he might
dictate" Poor lIippy, he probably did not
understand how a five hundred pound steer
could he made to weigh a thousand, but he no
doubt thought he could tell a pound of beef
when he saw it. The Indian police politely
declined to arrest him. The agent mar
rates: "On the morning of the 9th the
"agency employees (whtes) equipped them
selves privately and secretly watched his every
movement Further he says; In leaving his
| lodge in the morning he put on his war paint
"and told his women that he was going up to
q tile agency to die, that he would kill the agent
"and then he would be killed" He adds
" This move was exactly what we wanted, rs it
placed him in the trap set for him, and in
" three minutes time he was double shacked
"and in a wagon en- route tC Fort Reno.
:" BY the use Of rag sufficiently large to fill
" his mouth he was not permitted to call for
"help to his friends" Having got possession
of the leader of the macontents in this manner,
he modesty requests that IIippy-without trial,
of course-be sent TO the military prison at
Fort LeayenwOrth for n term of not less than
five years." and with a GOODNESS quite refresh
ing he sends draft of Il bill to amend the
statutes of the United States making 1t penal
offence punishable in the penitentlary Tor an
Indian to incite characterization or disturbance
"amOng any Indians .. and the lawfully con-
stiuted authorities of any Indian agency"
Strange as it may seem, this proposition was
submitted to Congress by the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs through the proper channels.
Readers will probably agree with us that i'll
stead of being sent to the Bastille,' the Indian
system ought to permit that Hippy" should
be hung, drawn and quartered, and his head
STUCK over the beef corral us warning to evil
doors.
All this is getting mOnotOnous. Our Indian
Bureau has been reformed Oftener than we
can remember, but seems to drift immediately
back into the old rut. On the one hand there is
half-cvilized or wild people, ignorant of our
| forms OF society, stripped of their ancient
| means of living, and cooped on IL small reserve
| on the demand of the settlers who have been
given their lands On the other we see
| them turned over to the tender mcrcles OF IA
hungry horde of agents and inspectors and
beef contractors and licensed traders. all prob
/ ably partners or the friends Of the Senators
and Members who appointed them. Each of
these is intent on making the largest
amount in the shortest possible time. The
| Indians are not encouraged to be stock raisers.
| IL is too mach to expect them to be successful
| agricuturists at once. The system, too,
keeps them under the closest surveillance. We
| question if more thorough despOtsms can he
| found in the world than our Indian agencies.
| The white employees who are not implicated do
not dare speak of the frauds practlsed on pain OF
| dismissal The power OF the Indian chiefs Is
| broken and the condition of the people IS truly
| deplOrabe. BY an infamous law enacted last
| winter an exclusive monopoly Is given the
agents trader and the mixed blOOdS, who
| had been fast getting into business and
| Offering competition, are Outlawed. In
| dian lands are now sold without consulting
! their wishes or their interests. Border mem
! bers of either House demand measures in the in
terests of their constituents injurious and dis
honest to the Indians, and unhappily find spirit
OF comfy and compliance unworthy OF American
statesmen. Indian chiefs are the most dem
ocratc of all officers. They have no salary. They
keep ne presents. They have no term OF Office
beyond the popular acceptance. To do the In
dams justice, they have almost invariably
chosen their best men, With few exceptions
these have been willing to lead their people III
the white mans ways rs fast az it was possible
to 90. BY the new system every prominent
Indian is tramplcd under foot. An Indian
police has been invented, regulated 10y no
! law. the organ of no court, the mere creatures
OF the will Of the agent. They are usually
selected from the most subscryicnt Of their
| t,;l Va, tbo uthoritV uul known