Las Vegas optic., 1914-06-12
COURT OF INDIAN OFFENCES
TRIBAL LEADERS WRITE ELo.
oUENT LETTERS OPPOSING
INNOVATION A
mo IDLENESS, NO DRUNkNEsS'
CLAIM RIGHT, BY PAST PER-
FoRMANCE, TO MAINTAIN
INDEPENDENCE

Odutd re, june L. he TueDiO iu-
dians are appealing to the state au-
thorities of New Mexico in their
fight against the policy of the Indian
bureau to make them wards or vas
sails of the federal government the
same as the reservation Indians.
Declared citizens of the state by
the territorial supreme court, guaran-
teed their rights as such by the trea-
ty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, governing
themselves from time immemorial,
they now resent and protest against
having the federal government ap-
point minor courts TOR them, or re-
ducing them to state of absolute
servitude government by special
agents superintendent, special dep
uties, not chosen by themselves, but
by the Indian bureau. Accustomed to
electing their own officials, regulating
their own affairs, and governing them
selves for 800 years, they now feel
that they are to be deprived of all
of those privileges rooted in tradi-
tions, religion and treaty rights. From
Santa Clara came today the following
pitiful appeal to Attorney General
Frank w. Clancy:
we respectfully request your at
tention to our objection to the estab-
fishing among us of a court of Indian
offenses. This step would put us on
a level with wild reservation Indians,
which the pueblos have never been.
1t would mean a gerat step backward
for us who are endeavoring to go the
other way. We are aware what our
status is in the courts at this time
and that there is ali effort to make
us wards of the United States govern
ment. This may result in time but
not with our consent. Even if the
courts decide against us and make us
wards, we do not wish to be afflicted
with the abuses of reservation life
as we have seen it.
"a court of Indian offenses was
contemplated by congress no doubt
for the wild Indians who are radical
ly different from us. We wish to live
as nearly as possfDl. ike the other
inhabitants of this state, and not be a
people set apart for particular set
of laws. Even If we are compelled to
accept this situation. we still feel thats
a court of Indian offenses would -bes
intolerable Such courts are not
common even on Indian reservations.
They have been miserable failures
wherever tried. as far as our know
ledge goes. These mock courts have
no real authority and are the arbitra-
ry creation of Indian agents. They
may possibly be of some small use
among a people which has never had
any native form of government, but
we have always had tribal govern
ment which will compare favorably
with any now existing We realize
that at present our tribal govern
ment is without real authority, but at
least it is recognized voluntarily by
a large majority of our people so
that it will be very much superior to
a court without authority to enforce
its mandates. as this court of Indian
offenses viii be.
Our tribal government is humane.
Just and does not in any manner in
terfere with the individual thought
and action of the members Of the
tribe. It is merely advisory at this
time and the new court could be no
more. The judges are ignorant men,
and not all good men. The forcing
Of them upon Us would mean the
hatred Of our people toward all
things governmental. as it would be
a violation of all decency Of dealing
with us,