OCR Text |
Show lxxii FIFTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF Ifl reply thereto, November 4,1887, Commissioner Atkins made full report to the Department, and gave the following as his conclusions: In t,he present aspect of the case I do not see that any further action on the part of this Department ia practicable, at least until the injunction has been dissolved, and I therefore have the honor to reoommend that copies of the papers be submitted to the AttorneyGeneral with the request that they beforwarded to the distriot attar-ney, with inatruotions to use every possible legal remedy to arrest these parties and correct the extraordinary state of affairs at Raund Valley, which has so long been a reproach upon ail who an, responsible for its continuance. On November 19, 1887, the Secretary of War transmitted a telegram from General Howard, stating that injunctions against Captain Shaw and himself had been transferred to the United States circuit court, and suggesting that as there was likely to be long delay before a decision could be had, it would be well that the troops be witbdrawn until the fol-lowing spring; and,November 29,1881, this office reported that in view of the fact that the matter was pending in the United States courts, and that the agent had been instructed by the district attorney to stay all proceedings, it was not believed that the military could accomplish any good by remaining on the reservation. Thus the second attempt to regain possession of the reservation by military force ended in utter failure. Concerning the progress of the matter in the courts I have no information. On December 14,1887, Commissioner Atkins submitted to the Depart-ment a very fill1 report of the state of atiirs then existing and that had existed on the Round Valley Reservation during the past thirty years, and of the various attempts that had been made to rid it of in-truders. The report was accompanied by a draught of the bill which, together with the Commissioner's report, was forwarded to Congress by .the President on January 5,1888, with the following message: [IT,E . Ex. Doo. No. 30. Fiftieth Con~ress5, rst seasion.] To the Smats and House of Repreaentalive8: I transmit herewith a oommuniaation of 23d ultimo from the Secretary of the In-terior, submitting a draft of a hill " to provide for tile reduction of thsRound Valley Indian Reservation, in the Btatte of California, and for other purposes," with aewm-panying papers relating thereto. The doauments thus submitted exhibit extensive and entirely unjustifiable en-cmsohments upon lmda R O ~ap art for Indian oooupaney, aaud disclose a disregard of Indian rights so long continued that the Government call not further temporize without positive dishonor. Efforts to dislodge treepassers upon these lends have in some eases been resisted, upon the ground that certain moneys due from tlle Government for improvements have not been paid. So far as thie claim is well founded, the sum necessary to ex-tinguish the same should be at once appropriated and paid. In other oases the position of these introders is one of simple and hare-faced wrong-doing, plainly ouestiooing the inclination of the Government to protest its dependent Indian wards, and its ability to maintain itself in the guaranty of suoh proteotion. These intruder8 should forthwith feel the weight of the Government's power. I earnestly commend the situation and the wrongs of the Indiana occupying the reservation named to the early attention of the Congress, sod ask for the bill here-with transmitted careful and prompt conaideration. GROVER CLEVELAND. ExEcc~rvI\~I*N SIOh-, Je.=wary 5, 1888. |