OCR Text |
Show H-& territories and oountries under the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the United States, the territory saw fit to legislate independently in the matter of Indian slavery. " From time immemorial the practice of purchasing Indian women and children of the Utah tribe of Indians by Mexican traders has been carried on. The Indians gamble away their own families, or steal or conquer those of others. Robbery, murder, ill- treatment are incident to this inhuman trade. The act was the result of the coming of a party of Mexicans traders into San Pete Valley who were trading horoee for Indian children and firearms. Their leader, named Pedro Ledn, showed a license dated Santa Fe, August l4th, I65I, and signed by James S. Calhoun, governor and Superintendent of Indians in Hew Mexico, authorizing them to trade with the Ute Indians, " in all their various localities." By virtue of his authority as governor and superintendent, Brighara Young forbade all trading of this nature, and told the Mexicans their license was not valid. The Mexicans, ordered to leave the territory, avenged themselves by stirring up the savages against the settlers. They furnished the Indians with guns a n d ammunition, |