Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-13
AMONG THE MAINE INDIANS.
They Couldn't Fire a Salute Because
All Their Powder was Locked Up.
From the Neto York Sun.

From the Ne,o York Sun.
! CALAIS, Me, Aug. S.-A committee OF
the Governors Council have spent the
| last two days making their annual visit to
the St. CroIx reservation of the Passama-
quoddy Indians, 1t is the great event Of
the year in the tribe, but the visit this
time was unexpected. 1t is usual, when
| the annual deputation OF State officers
| heaves in sight of Peter Dinas Point, for
the Indian Governor or deputy to touch
of an old cannon that the Passamaquod-
dies have had as plaything for long
| time, but when the steamer whistled this
! time the cannon did not return the salute.
The trouble was, all the gunpowder was
| locked up in the castle Of his EXcellency
| TOmap Joe, the Governor of the upper
branch of the tribe, who was out of town
on some expedition. The Governors alb
sence led to several other serious compli-
cations. The Councillors started first TO
the chapel, where the revised statutes,
which are the sole basis OF government OF
| the Passamaquoddies, are posted. They
are as follows.
l. No white man shall be allowed to
live in the village, or to stay there after
sunset.
2. Any man that brings rum into the
village must be arrested, and, unless be
| declares from whom he bought the liquor,
he must be denounced to the magistrate.
3. No woman who is separated from her
husband shall be admitted to the sacra-
! ment, or to any place in the church, eX-
| ceDt the porch in summer and the back
seat in winter, unless by the consent OF
| the Bishop.
4. Any woman who admits men into
her house by night shall be treated as a
criminal and be delivered to the courts.
| D. Any woman who is disobedient to her
husband, any common scOld or drupkard,
shall not be permitted to enter the church
except by permission of the priest.
8. Any man or woman who dies drunk
shall not receive a Christian burial.
I. The Town Hall shall not he used I'M
less by the permission of the Governor aud
| Council established by the Bishop.
8. The Governor and deacons are
charged with the execution of the
| statutes.
| One of the errands OF the committee of
the Governors Council was to investigate
certain claims of the Indians with regard
to their hunting and fishing privile ges
and the sale of their lands. The Pas
samaquoddies say that under their
treaties with the pale faces they have the
right to fish and hunt in close time as
we'll as at other seasons, and are not
| bound by the fish and game laws of the
State. Their agent, G. II. Porter, OF
Calais, went to Massachusetts recently
to look into this claim. Among the
ancient documents Of the State he
| found a treaty of 1920 between
the Eastern indians and her MaJesty's
Province of Massachusetts Bay, wherein
the Indians, in return for good behavior,
were confirmed in their right to fish and
| hunt at all seasons. Mr.. Porter and the
| Indians who know enough to think about
it, think this treaty holds good to the
present day, while some of the Council
Tors maintain that this treaty was VIOLA
ted by the Indians, and it's provisions
were annulled by the provisions OF sub
sequent treaties. The Indians OF this
tribe now number about 1000 and lead
quiet lives,