Robbing the Indians.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 8, 29 December 1869, Page 7

Robbing the Indians.

This system-of peculation oven extends to tliu subordinates. Nut very long ago, I happened to he present at the signing of one ot the endless, and endless-broken,' “treaties of eternal peace and amity,” made between the United States and one of the wildest tribes, which had for more than eighteen yeais been at continual warfare with the whites. The scene was a wild valley within the shadow of the lloeky Mountains, filled with the horses and wigwams ot the assembled tribe. The commissioners, escorted by a body of dragoons, were there in solemn council, and one after another the nativochicf’s allixcd their marks to a document the contents of which were explained to them. {Shortly afterwards I was riding through tho encampment with an otlicial of the Indian department, one of those wandering eyed Yankees who have been not inaptly described as “ for ever looking about for .something to patent, and make 200,000 dollars by ” Suddenly his eyes lightened on a splendid mule, and close by it an Indian sitting at thobisc of a tree smoking. “ Whose is that mule?” ho asked. “Mine,” was the rather sulky reply. “ Well, look you here, said the oflieinl; “you know very well that you stole that undo from the whites, and that by the treaty and stipulations which you have as one of the chiefs signed, you have agreed to give up all property stolen from the whites, under pain of lasing your share of tho annuity next year. Now I won’t ho so hard on you as that. See, I will give you on order on the trailer for 20 dollars for tho mule, and say nothing about it!” The Indian’s eyes absolutely flamed as the man spoke, but hosaw that he was outwitted, and accordingly too>[ tho 20 dollars for a mule worth at least 2-30. I remarked to my friend that this was rather smart practice. “ Wal, yes,” was the rejoinder, as, with an air of self-satisfaction, ho cut a chew of tobacco ; “it is rather, colonel : but one lias to bo smart. I don’t know how it is in your part of the country, but in our’n ‘ the longest pole knocks down the persimmons.’ I’ll tell you what; it takes a tolerable long pole to make a living iu the Indian Department. But I guess I ha’n’t done so had for tho Indian. Ef that old cuss, tho superintendent, had come along he would immediately, with a long lectrtr’ on the sinfulness of his ways, hev taken that undo from tho critter confiscated it. Then, with a face as long as a fence-rail, lie would hev marked down in the books, ‘ Bought a mule for the use of the department—s2so.’ Then, artcr a while, lie would hev sold it, and accounted for the loss by marking opposite the first transaction, ‘ Stolen by Shoshones, in raid on the Reservation.’ Which, you will perceive, makes a clear profit to tho godly old sinner ot SSOO dollars cash. Oh! I guess," he continued, laughing, “I’ve done a philanthropic turn ! Guess I’ve got religion, and ’ll turn church-member when 1 get to hum. Why, a hull team o’ parsons, and a mootin’-house to let, ain’t a patch on this child 1 have no doubt, however, that honest agents but they arc so exceptional that I must speak of tho body general ly. —- Qui'nhill Magazine,

During September lust tlio curator of into,state estates at Hokitika had placed under Ids charge the estates of ten deceased persons, eight of whom were miners, and of tint number no less than five were killed by falls of earth.