Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-31
The PASS .nUODDY INDIANS.
Reconm y ndntiOns OF the Committee of tins
Council Regarding Their Com plants.

The committee Of the Council, composed
Of Messrs. Locke, Bixby and Sands, that
has been investigating the complaints and
claims of the Passamsauoddv Indians have
reported. The claim of the Indians was
that the treaties with them had been broken,
in taking, selling and leasing their lands
and in depriving them of the right of unre
stric ed hunting and fishing.
The committee made as full an lnvestiga-
ton of the treaties as was possible and their
conclusions based upon their investigation
are given in the following language:
Your committee consider that the Passa-
maQuoddy Indians possess no right of hunt
ing and fishing except a. is granted to all by
the general laws or statutes of the STATE and
they are equally holden with all good ci i
support these laws.
As to fishing, said Indians are equally
bound to obey the general laws and statutes,
unless they possess the right of fshing in
certain waters granted in said treaty which
the State has no authority to regulate, by
virtue of its power and authority as qua, dian
ov, said tribe.
These Indians are wards of the State, 80
treated and recognized. In other woris the
State is the guardian or the Indian tribe s
within its ,ip,is If thi. is The case, then it
i, the dntv of the State to take cure of, man
age AVID control the property ot these tribes
IN a prudent and economical manner and tor
their benefits. 70 this end it would be the
States dulv. If It found their property being
| d, pr, cated IN value OF wasting away, TO save
the same and invest thu proceeds in such way
and manner that the Indians shouid derive
the benefit Their from Ia accordance with
this idea of the States duly your committee
1 that hp trpsnlya ia pu
Tor the sale of timber ard prss,
on the Indian township," approved arch 30,
| 1858. Vas passed Resolves 1857, chapter 5)u".
der which motion there was received by the
trustees of the State So 500, the interest on
which amount at six PER cent. is appropriated
annually for the ben fit of the Pas>am tquod-
| DIV Indians Under this and subsequent K =
| solves the State now holds a fund OF 81,
I5l 81, the income Of which is applied anuu =
aliv tor the beuet: of said Inditns
Wheiher or not the State has had legal au
thori for so doing is not for your committee
to decide, but certainly il Is better for these
Indlans that the State has msnsgtd their AZ
f.irs in this wsv. and your committee are Of
thr opinion that as heretofore no otj cti6n
has been made to this mode of procedure
on the part # the State. and these Indians
| annually received the income from he money
!
ami the leasing of land without any pretext
or objection they are in equity AMI good
morals estopped from making any complaint
The a,ssmsQuoddy ladisus are de. irous
of having possession of the strip If land sd
| ininirg their land at Pleasant Point, AS ex-
pressed to YOUR committee by many mem bers
| of your tribe The boundary line of the Ia
dian Reservation is very indefinite, aud dis
| putes have arisen rs 10 its location. The
| original deeds mention as landmarks to start
| from "a stake and dwelling house" Tee
| stake is not there. and the location OF the
dwelling house Ia. lorg since disappeared
| Considering ali the fortg ling facts, your
committee recommends the foiosing resolve,
or one similar, be passed at the coming ses.
| sion IF the Legislature
| Resolred Ths. the Governor, with the advice Of
| IN t,ouuc be and is h,reby authorized to appoint
| two Commissioner, Who are her BY empowered, IN
bena of thu STA e, 10 purchase OF the tassamaq lot
DIV tribe of indians such of their lands WI hin this
State as they nav be sposed 10 sell; also any right
of ishiug they NAV have under treaty made bv the
| Commonwealth of Massachusetts with sad tribe
sent % i1ei approved h b. 10. 1875: also 10 pur
chase Tor the Sac for of sai tribe, such aut
| h-tween The "Csrrying Place at West Q loddy and
the Indian RI servation on Pleasant Point as thel
| deem proper, the 81 to be paid for from othe
| lands purchased of said Indians or from the iuut
belongng said tribe pu chsses TO De mace AT SUE
nr,ces and times aud modes oil payment as may o.
asgreed upon; provided said prices and times ant
modes of payment be approved by the Governor ans
Council.