GENERAL NOTES.
—The Atlanta Republican says that, in proportion to their means, the colored people of that city are paying a much heavier tax than the whites, while their school facilities are far inferior. It also alleges that the hostility of the mayor to the colored school is evidenced by the removal of their best teachers, and especially of those who have gone thither from the North.
—Catlin says that the Indians preserve their health by keeping their mouths shut. Some pale-faces might preserve their spiritual health by observing the same rule.—Christian at Work.
—“It is a singular non sequitur to refer to the discovery of frauds made by the Interior Department, as proofs of its inefficiency and unsuitableness to conduct the service, when, in fact, they are proofs of exactly the opposite.”—Independent.
—The following resolutions, written by men who have worked in Oregon and Washington for thirty years, and who ought to know something about this question, were unanimously adopted by the Oregon Congregational Association:
“Resolved, That the Association affirm its faith in the redemption of the Indian from barbarism.
“Resolved, That we deplore the policy that tends to his extermination.
“Resolved, That the provisions of the Constitution, and the acts of Congress, and the pledges of treaties, furnish a strong motive for effort on the part of the friends of the Indian to secure him a homestead and citizenship as the best way to secure his rights in law, and promote his manhood and his welfare permanently, and
“Whereas, There is now a proposition in Congress to consolidate the various reservations in Oregon and Washington Territory, without regard to the previous labor and rights of the Indians, and without their consent, and
“Whereas, We believe such consolidation would be unjust to the Indians, dangerous to the surrounding settlers, and, in the end, of vast expense to the government, as well as a great hindrance to the civilization of the Indians physically, mentally and morally, therefore,
“Resolved, That before any consolidation takes place, we earnestly urge upon Congress the necessity of now, by positive act, granting to the Indians of industrious habits, on the reservations, homestead titles to their lands in severalty.
“Resolved, That the recommendation of the Secretary of the Interior, that boarding schools be established among Indians for the better training of their children, meets our convictions of what is needed.
“Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior.”
—General Crook is reported to have said, recently, to a newspaper man, “It is hard to be forced to kill the Indians when they are clearly in the right.”
—The question of Indian loyalty or revolt is generally decided by our treatment of them. If served by capable and faithful agents, supplied according to agreement, and protected from whiskey-dealing traders, they are peaceable and friendly. If defrauded of their rights, starved, and driven from place to place, they become “bad Indians,” and who wouldn’t? Witness the contrast between the Piutes and Shoshones, of Nevada, and the Bannocks.
—The Bannock war would seem to be nearly over. An official report announces that the Bannocks and Piutes have separated, and are fleeing, apparently towards their reservations or former haunts. Wheaton, and the boats on the Columbia, with Bernard and Forsythe pressing from other points, all under the direction of General Howard, who also operated separately with a small force of cavalry, prevented the intended crossing of the Columbia, and an escape into Washington Territory and the British Provinces. Settlers in the vicinity of Camas Prairie are now in terror from the returning Bannocks. Well they may be. The war began in connection with an attempt of these Indians to go back from their Fort Hall reservation, when nearly starved, to dig the camas, a nutritious root, from which that region is named. The white inhabitants objected, as they wanted the roots for their hogs. A difficulty arose, a white man was killed, the military was called upon, and, though the tribe did not justify the killing, nor shield the murderer, yet proceeded to inflict punishment upon the whole tribe by taking their horses and guns—largely their dependence for subsistence.—Advance.
—The President is said to be making careful inquiries into the facts as to the immigration of Chinamen to our Pacific Coast, and to purpose a special message to the next Congress on the subject. He has been reported as favoring its limitation by modification of the Burlingame treaty.
—On the 19th of July, Judge Belden, of the District Court, rendered a decision important to the interests of Chinese labor on the Pacific Coast, declaring the exorbitant license tax on Chinese laundries, of twenty dollars a month, to be void, and payments made recoverable, on the ground that such charges were excessive, disproportionate, and derogatory to fundamental principles of just government.
—Twenty-five Chinese laborers sailed July 19th for Peru, to work on a sugar estate. They are guaranteed prompt payment of sixteen dollars a month, and good treatment. Others will probably follow them.
—Judge Choate, of the United States District Court, ruled, July 10th, that a Chinaman cannot be naturalized under the laws of the United States. The application was made by a Chinaman known as Charles Miller, who has lived in New York for twenty-eight years. Judge Choate was guided by the decision of Judge Sawyer, of California, in the Ah Yup case, when thirteen hundred Chinamen petitioned that schools might be provided for them, as for Indians and negroes, and showed that in San Francisco alone they were paying $42,000 in school taxes. Their request was not granted, although it merely asked the carrying out of a provision of the State Constitution which the honorable gentleman had sworn to obey.
—Colonel F. A. Bee, attorney for the Chinese six companies, declares, upon official records, that during the past two years, up to June 1, the emigration and death-rate of the Chinese have exceeded the immigration by about 500; and that the entire number of Chinese residents on the Pacific Coast, as shown on the registers of the six companies, does not exceed 65,000.