Valdez daily prospector., 1912-01-12
GOVERNOR BRADY
 IN NEW YORK Sends Copy of Memorial Drafted at Convention Over Thirty
 Years Ego

The following memorial was sent to the ProspcctOr by former Governor John G. Brady, who is now in New York. He uncarthed the letter while searching through the Public Document library -ul
 that city. He took a copy of it in order that Alaskans might see
 that the present generation are not the first to become dissatisfied With government from Washing ton. Nine of the signers to the memorial have passed to their re- ward and few of them arc now liv- ing in Alaska. Conditions have changed since the memorial was drafted 3l years ago, but there is still room for improvement: Memorial of the people of iS0ulhcaStcrn Alaska to the pres idcnt and congress of the Unit ed States, adopted in general con- dents of iha Territory of Alaska | find themselves at this day in an anamalOuS and most remarkable situation.
 The supreme Of the pro- priclary of which the territory
 became the property fourteen years ago, has failed through all | that time to prescribe any rule of act ion or civil code by which
 their rights might be determined or protected, and through all it's broad limits there exists nowhere any authority before which they
 can lawfully arraign the perpe- tratOr Of wrong or demand the
 vindication of right. They are,
 therefore, reduced to that state of society in which their natural rights must be asserted through
 ing shape in such social compact
 and declaration as their condi- tion requires, and demanding the
 recognition of that authority to which they may rightfully appeal for. the sanction of their action and the relief Of the extremity. We, therefore, the people Df southeastern Alaska, in general
 convention assembled, by and
 through our.elected delegates, do
 most respectfully, but firmly, pre- sent to the president and congress of the United States the follow | ing facts:
 First. Upon the acquisition of this territory from Russia the
 government of the United States
 guaranteed to such of it's inhabi-
 tants as chose to remain in it,
 except the uncivilized tribes, the
 enjoyment of all the rights, ad- !vantages and immunities of citi- IZens of the United States and inc
 protection of their liberty, prop
 erty and religion. In this it has
 signally failed. There are no
 courts of record by which prop
 erty may be established or con-
 estates administered, or natural ization or other privileges acGuir- ed. or debts collected, or the com
 mercial advantages of laws se-
 cured. And persons accused of crimes and misdcmeanors are
 subject Go the arbitrary will of a
 military or naval commander
 thrown into prison and kept there for months without trial, or puBs'
 ishment by Imprisonment upon
 simple accusation and without vi lation of the Constitution of
 the United States.
 l Second. The Indians of the
 Alcxandrian archipelago, of whom
 there arc 6,QOO, have great re-
 spect for any form of law ex-,
 ecuted by legal authority, and
 were civil government ohce cs-
 tablished, there would be no necr
 essity for the retention of an
 armed vessel here, the expense of
 which is much greater than. that
 Of such a government need be; but without such law and the
 means of it's prompt. execution, ft will be necessary to continue an
 armed force in those waters. Third. The discoveries of rich deposits of the more precious
 metals in southeastern Alaska will undoubtedly prove sources of