The herald., 1893-08-24


tions and damages to property during
the war that prevailed from 1862 10
1858. And to say that the early settlers
were in no danger from IndiAns ID sheer
nonsense. In 1884 two daughters Of
Benjamin Hickox, living eighteen miles
north Of Chico. were ravishsd and muir
dsred by the Rock Crock Indiana while
on their way to school and in August,
1866, the wife and two children Of
George Diersch. residing about 16 miles
from Red Bluff, were murdered BY Pitt
river Indians while the husband aud
father had gone to the Battle creek post
office, less than three miles away.
1t was with a view Of adjudicating
properly upon these matters that Sena-
tor Ever of Butte county at the session
Of 1868 reported q bill to cover these
cases. 1t provided for the payment at
par of all bonds issued for spoliations by
Indian raids. A. L. Tubbs, OF San
Francisco. was the chairman Of the
finance committee In the senate at that
session. and reported favorably on the
bill, which then passed the senate with
but three dissenting votes with 36 mem-
bers present. When it reached the
house the chairman OF the committee on
claims Cd. W. Connolly, OF San Mateo,)
held the bill back till the last day of the
session, and then reported that the COM
mittee had no adequate means OF deter
mining the justice or validity of such
claims.
Now the thing has gone along from
year to year till all the original claim
ants are dead and the bonds have be-
come greater source Of annoyance than
Mark Twain's beef contract. Mr.. Sena-
tor Ever evidently had the right view of
the case. The spoliation bonds were
evidently issued for imaginary damages,
in most cases; but those issued for hay,
grain and other supplies furnished to
the troops were iseued at about the value
of the articles furnished. At 4 cents per
pound for oats and barley and $40 per
ton for hay. there was no great leeway
for profit at that period; and when the
commander OF troop Of volunteers ap-
peared at some little ranch on Cotton
wood. Cow creek or the 'hay fork" of
Trinity river, the rancher was only too
glad to sell his hay and grain to the
state and take an order upon the quar-
termastsr. general Of the state, believing
that his claim would be paid at once.
No state can afford to repudiate q
iebt contracted in the preservation of
ner peace or the maintenance Of her
'oversignty. It hurts her credit abroad
md inspires q contempt for good gov
'rnment at home. The decision of
Judge Catlin (himself pioneer OF '49)
las established precedent that the
tate is not bound for the payment of
lebts contracted by her legally elected
md duly qualified officers. So far as
he bonds issued for spoliation claims
re concerned, the decision is not 30 bad
'ut the bonds issued for storage and
upplies furnished to the state troops
hould have been paid at their face,
Without interest. No state can afford to
'reak faith with its citizens in this
manner.
tits not pleasing thing for the aver
ge Californian to contemplate this pic
--.-A..o -ufIc4 rUvvif~vs- -A~--~ So
asued by the United States for green.
'acks worth an average of 81 cents on
be dollar, have been paid at par in gold,
md their interest in gold as we'll, while 1
debt contracted by full process of law,
n gold-producing state, is now repudi-
ted entirely. 1t may have been a
hardship upon the present generation to
'ay these bonds, But it should be recol-
ected that it. was the hsrdships en-
ountered by the pioneers in these In
Ian wars that made the prosperity of
california at the present day possibil-
ty. There are debts and debts.
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