The New York Herald Newspaper, May 17, 1875, Page 4

“LOUISIANA. 'The Truth About the Color Line Outrages. WHAT CRIMES ARE UNPUNISHED. Swindling and Fraud in Parishes. STEALING THE SCHOOL FUNDS FRANKLIN, La., Apri! 22, 1875, A government so bighly centralized as that of Louisiana can scarcely fail to be costly and cor- ‘rupt, But it ougatat least to secure peace and order. CRIME UNPUNISHED. 1 asked Governor Kellogg wnat was the real con- dition of the State im this respect, and he gave me a long and deploravie catalogue of @isorders, Parishes which refuse to pay taxes; others where the judges have been driven away; otvers where murders have een committed, and so on. Other radical politicians spoke ratner boastinily of these things, as the New York newsboy took pride in his sore toe, They related to me by the balf hour melan- choly instances of crime and outrage, most of trem dating back to 1866. What they did not tell me was some such story as this, whicn neverthe- less is true:—In the parish of Plaquemine, which es under the Governor’s nose, aloug the Lower | Mississippi, below New Orleans, thirty-three mur- ders have been committed since 1868 Of these thirty-one were of Diacks by blacks, one otf a white py @ white, and one of a white man, @ Northern man, ® republican and an office-holder, the tax coliector of the parish. Tuls man was shot by a colored man ior | ducing bis sister and turning the young girl j adrift with her baby. Of these thirty-three mur- | ferers not one has been hanged. Those who were apprehended mostly broke out of jail, and only last fall vhe Deputy Sheriff, who acted as jailer, was indicted for permitting turee murderers and defaulting tax collector to escape out of nis bands, in other cases which I have on my note books men sentenced 10 imprisonment for life for murder have been pardoned. No one, not even the Governor, pretends that murder anc iawless- mess Dave Leen punished, though in many instances is have helped the uuthorities to ar- Test white murderers, 1 am satisfied that since tue year 1870, except in the Coushatta and Colfax afairs, most of the murders in Louisiana have Deen non-p litical in their origin, and a great pro_ portion of them nave been of negroes by negroes, Mainly on account of jealousy iu their reiatious ‘With their women. This dves not lessen the degre* of criminality. Nor does it take away trom the duty of the rulers, possessing, as these did, greater and more unlim. ited powers than the rulers of any civilized State 4n the world 10 punish these crimes, The Gover- norof Louisiana appoints, in effect, almost the ‘whoie judiciary and constabulary of the State; ue has express authority to use the metropolitan police as a standing army in any part of the State, ‘and to appoint an extraordiuary constabulary force iu any parish; his own judges superiniend The selection of the juries, both grand and petit, and these are usually largely composed of colored men; he has aiso the militia; and, finally, he bas the army of the United States ready to help him at lis cai, Is there any excuse for lum 1 be permits lawiessness, murder, vicience? When he and those woo rule with him speak of murder and vivlence unrepressed do they not fataliy condemn themselves as incapa- bie and unfit to rule the State’? A United States army officer, an extreme republican, after giving me an account of some murders of which be had heard and which ne believed to bave happened, addea :—“Eut [ taust say that if the Governor bad been & man Ot for nis place suck things cou'd uot ppened, Let me be Governor, and I wouid with the great power he has, pat a stop to such things.” THE TRUTH ABOUT LOUISIANA OUTRAGES. It cannot be truthfully said that the State of Louisiana bas been peaceful ever since the war. In the early days, between 1865 and 1863, there is no doubt teat many barbarous and beartrending murders and outrages were committed om the biacks. The white people, sore at their defeat in the war, unused to tolerate free negroes, fearful to a degree that seems to a Nortuern man absurd of combiaations aad conspiracies among the blacks to murder the whites and outraze their women, and rendered frantically furious by the sight of negroes assembled in Meetings, oiten at night, aid, without doubt, commit atrocities of which [ should be sorry to see any format record made. such crimes de- creased ‘rom year to year, bus Idoubtif they en- tirely ceased until 1870. They happened oftenest in counties—ot which Louisiana has @ good many—w.ere the negro populstion is as three, Jour, and in some cases even as Line to one white; where a few white families, isolated from eaca other, are surrounded by adense negro popula- tion, and where tne dread of arising to extermi- nate the whites is to this day the secret terror of every white man, the dread which makes bim frantic aud desperate whea even a rumor of con- spiracy reaches bis ears. 1 speak here that which | know. Now ato) = such regious came w men, strangers, often fanat- foes, often knaves, who gathered the freed- men togetier at barbecues and in camps, end told ‘hem of their ‘“‘rignts.” Iwas shown Jesterday a colored man who still keeps in his house the mule naiters he got tn 1808, when @ mite man travelled througo St. Mary's par tetling the blacks that ‘they had mace the land what it was; had cleared {t and cultivated it, and they Ought to own It; and the government, which had set them free, was golug to give them each jorty aeres of land anda mule.’ Tne biacks pe- Mevea i. Many of them believe it stili—jast as there are planters down here foolish enough to believe that the Uniied States government will pay them for their losses in the war. Ali this irri- tated the whites and aromsed tne fear of negro in- surrection, aud it ied wm the rewoter parts of tue State ny inexcusable acts of barbarity. Tnen came the reconstruction, in 1463, and the negro wos made, not only a voter, bat an ofMfce- holder. it was, I believe, absuluteiy nec ry to confer these rights upon nim; he would never have been a [ree man without them. But it wasa nusjortune that demagogaes and adventurers were his introdocers to political ive, and led bim to regard not fitness, but color and sumbers, as the reasonable ciaim tooMce. I have been op- posed to slavery ever since | sat om my father’s knee, ano was taught by him that slavery was the greatest possible wrong; but when, tn New Orleans last Weanesday, | for the first time saw negro tors, ( was unpleasantly startled. What, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, Jnry this year. My instant and thoughtless reply was that I had never Known a negro to be drawn on the Grand Jury tn the county tn which I live. But the cases are widely difereat; numbers must count; and tt is best and absolutely necessary ‘that the negro shall take bis share of tue respoa- sibilities of citigensbip. TIME, THE CORB-ALL. But you cannot quiet unreasonable fears or change wrong habits by act of Uongress, | asked 4 citizen ofa northern parish, a frank and intelli- gent man, whether they had schools for the colored children, He replied, ‘of course, as many as for the whites,” and added, “at frst all our people were bitterly opposed to negro schools; whea after some time we bad come im to that, then we would not for & while allow white men to teach in them, but now we are all agreed that It is Just as well not to interfere, and one of my own neighvors, a weakly map, is teacher in @ colored school, and nobody thinks the less of nim for i.” A promiWent citi- zen of New Urieans said tome, “when, in 1863, the biacks were for the first time to vote, | was @ candidate for oMce, and I heard, just before the election, that Jobn, aman | had raised, who was my personal servant, and who, since his freedom, bad lived with his family in @ house of my own, rent iree, was going to vote against me. Now, | love the boy like @ brother, but icalled him tome and asked tue question, and I was deeply irritated, He repited that if I was on the repuolican ticket he would gladly vote for me; but if not, he would certainly vote against me, | vold bim toat tf he did he must leave the house In | which he lived and must never show me bis face again. The next day was election day. I watched tue poll, which was near my house. I saw John | Come to vote; he did not see me, but he pulled | out bis ticket, unfoided it, be'd it up over nis head, | months, and I missed John. | @ namver and said in aloud voice:—‘I’m voting de repubil- | can ucket.’? I drove him out of his house, took | away all his employment and ordered that he | should not be admitted to my house. I was very sore and angry toward him, |My pride waa hort. It lasted several One day, om the an- niversary of the deata of one of my children, be sent me a bouquet of Mowers, and I did not refuse the peace offeriug. He lives with me now, and will till he dies, but since then I have never tried to control a black man’s vote, I have learned better. would like them to vote; and as those | employ necessarily lose ® day if they go to ihe polis I no- Uced that in 1874 many did uot vote at all.” How clearly such instances show that the freed- man would never have been a [ree man without political rigats, but, also, that the adjustment of his new reiations needed time as well as law to complete it. One thing more was very much needed, and that was a vigorous enforcement of the laws. Unfortunately the reconsiructors of Louisiana have utterly failed in tuis, It was not only mur- der and personal outrage they should have pun- ished and repressed, but maiversation In oftice, pubiie robbery, bribery, fraud. When the United States Supreme Court, in a solemn and public de- | eiston, denounces as an inexcusable fraud and breuch of trust the act of @ man who !s now Chief Justice of tue Supreme Court of Louisiana, and when neither the Legislature nor the Governor takes measures for months after that decree to purily the highest judicial court in the State, that is only astraw whch shows the general drift of political demoralization. Ali sense of honor, of honesty, of propriety and self-restraint seems to me to nave been lost by these men who have 80 lomg misruied the State. That lam not speaking extravagantly or in mere tule denunciation let this recent instance show you, The re- publican or Habn Legislature, that which after the dispersion of Wiltz’ Assembly in January Was recognized by the federal government, among other acts passed @ pew charter for the city of New Orleans, an mstrument calculated, I am told, to factisate still greater robvery and mis- government of the city. Governor Kellogg did Nowadays they come to me to ask how! | not sigu the bill; but neither did he veto it. The | Assembly adjourned while it was still properly tn | nis nands, aud under tne constitution he mast re- vurn Lt signed or vetoed on the frst day of the next mecting—namely, lust Wednesuay. The merchants aud property owners were alarmed at the mischief which would be wrought if tois bill became a law. They petitionea against it, and tue Governor quietly gave them to understand that if tuey would unite to prevent the election of Wiltz as Speaker he would veto the bill, Now, I do not believe Wiita to have beon the best or even @ proper man for Speaker, but that does not excuse a Governor for trading upon the fears of ciuzens. More tuan this, am bonorabie repud- lean, 8 man respected by the other side, told me, with indignation, that of radical members of the Legislature had made it a condition of their sup- porting the adjustment, that an injunction issued by @ State court stopping the proceedings of a corrupt Board of Audit should pe dissoived, ana it was so dissolved the day betore the Legislature met. PARISH ROBBERIES. As for minor rooveries, take this as an ex- yarish of Piaquemine lies on the Mis- w New Orleans. Jt contains a large r of sugar plantations, and besides these ite people, mostiy Frenea crevies aud colored men, e rice aud the orange. It is a charming, J, aud the small farmers, who mostiy eter than English, are @ quiet and Gimpie-nearted people. In the year 1868, when re- construction began, tis parish had mo debt ana $6,000 in cash im ws treasury, which sum was turned over to the recoustructors. Among these was Caristopler Columbus Packard, @ brother, I pam to of the United States Marshal for ‘Louisiana. This Packard owned a smal sugar plantation in the parish; he was elected to the State Senate, and, by a cu- i | then, must have been the feelings of men who saw | biacks but lately their own siaves preferred before them for office, set over them in authority, making | jaws for them—and making them very badly at that—openly plundering the State, bribed by ra cally wiles, the jead of white adventurers, shamefully abusing | place and power? Even in 1874,1n one of the | northern parishes, the republican candidates for Sheriff and Parish Judge cvuld not write. The ne- groes on many parish juries (supervisors of counties) are totally illiterate, yet they bave compicte power over the parish taxes, roads, bridges and ail county matiers. Negro jaries are @ailed to ait upon intricate cases of commercial law and other matters which even intelligent men fina it dificnit to understand; and the biack man bimself has, tt would seem, an instinctive Appreciation of tue absurdity of this, for it is potoriows that a negro criminal always asks nis Counsel to get a white jury, If possible, to try lim. Vhines which are commonplace bere are unheard of with ue. it was made a matter of complaint to me the otver day that iu a certain county nota single colored man had been drawn on the Graad d not merely enjoying, but ander | | tne $6,000 in the treasury; in 1875 « debt of $93,000, Meantime, in every year since 1868, taxes to the amount of from $20,000 to $25,000 have been levied and coliccted. And for all this large sum, amount- ing, taxes and debt, to over $200,000 in six years, the parish bas received neither roads, nor schools, nor ievee repairs, nor public buildings. Before the war the (axes never excesded $7,000 a year. In the report of tue Stave Superintendent of Public Instruction the management of school afairs in Plaquemine parish is thus mentioned :— A controlling portion of the School toard could hot resist the temptation to use their position as &® means of political advancement, and a large Portion of the schoo! funds was expended for pri- vate and partisan purposes, Furnished with a Li funds from the State treasury, which were iberally increased by local taxation, the money has been wandered or expended without even ordinary judgment, * Access to the books and papers pertaining to the ome of the Treasur- er was denied me from time to time upon irivo- lous pretexts, and, finally, peremptorily and insultingly refused. Obstacles of every pos- sible characier were thrown in my way to prevent me from obtaining reliable information, the Treasurer even attempting ty imprisoument on the charge of larceny. * * * ‘The result of ® somewbat protracted in- vestigation cam be summed up in a@ lew words, The accounts, as they appear lu the re- Mmarkable document before ailuded to, are, in many cases, faisified by being “raised; fictitious claims are allowed and paid to fictitious persoa- ages; unworthy, incompetent and dissipated teachers have, in some instances, been employed to perform political services of questionable honesty, and the public money expended to tue last ceut, leaving @ heavy load oi debt, * * * Knowing as I do the detalis of this most disgrace- | ful matter, | charge the then Treasurer o1 tho Board with embezziement, aided and abetted by the tnen President and the parish Judge, who also was a member of the Board, and am prepared to establish this besore any competent tribunal. Now, the Treasurer of the School Board here denounced was also at the same time State Sena- tor and member of the Police Jury (Supervisor). Mahony, who was President of tue School Board, was at the same time member of the Assembly and Police Juror. SCHOOLS PROSTITUTED TO POLITICAL PURPOSES. Ifndthatin a great many parishes the mem- | bers of the Legislature are members and officers | ofthe School Board. As the latter office is not salaried I was dull enough not to see the object of the Senators and Representatives in holding it, until an intelligent colored man, a republican and an office-nolder, explained to me that in this way the public schools are made political engines throughout the State. The Senators or Repre- sentatives appoint the school teachers, and select men who are their own political adherents, and | | who, living among the colored people, help to keep them in office. ‘In this parisn,” said the mao to me, “we have a great many more colored schools than white; but 1t isa fact that most of the teactiers are ignorant men or lazy, or, sometimes, drunkards. They are appointed by our Senator aud Representatives, ana their work is not to teach school, bat to talk up the man who appoints them. If a teacher were the smartest man in the township and he went agaist the man who appointed him ne would be turned out; but this is not all. Over here there 1s a colored sciovl, and another one close to it. here is no ueed for two so near together; but | neither of them ta wortn anything; for they were both set up ior politics, and the teachers are only politicians and the scnoois are hardly ever open.” ‘The colored man who told me this ts a republi- can and an office-holder. I shall not mentuon the name of the parish in whicn he lives, because I don’t want to get him into trouble; but nis testt. mony was confirmed to me by many other men of both colors. STEALING SCHOOL FUNDS. The school report, to which I have referred, gives @ melancholy picture of the Louisiana school system. Of 272,434 children, between six and twenty-one, only 67,433 were eurolied in the pub- lic scbools; and a3 my eye runs over tne pa; I find tbat in one parish the Treasurer of the School Board has used tue fands for his private purposes ana paid the teachers jin scrip to the amount of $4,0v0; im another $30,000 was spent, and the schools were openfiess than @ year—tnis in a country parish, io two parish the school treasurers “had absconded with quite a large amount of money belonging to the school fund.” in another “the money appropriated to lish schools was invested in private business and speculation.” In yet another “all the forms of jaw which should govern school affairs bave been totaily ignored and disregarded.” In the parish of St, Martin the Treasurer of the school fund was discovered to ve @ defaniter to the amount of $3,700. In St. James the School Board had prudently burned their records when they left the office, and J. W. Hunsaker, President of the Board, alter giving ball of $5,000 to auswer vo the charge of fraud, left tue Stat OSTRACISM, SO-CALLED. Do you wonder, in the face of such things as these, that, according to the admission of Marshal Packard nimself, only 5,000 white men voted the republican ticket 1m 1874” Tuatis to say, the oMce- holders and their reiatives. Is it matter for sur- prise that but forthe fear of the tederal power the people would sweep away this State govern- ment tm an hour—that, In fact, these rulers would disappear of themselves if they did not know that they have the federal gov- ernment behind them? Do you wonder that enterprise languishes and property 1s valueless when men see a lair election defeated by a fraudulent Returning Board, and the Presi- dent of the United States appointing to federal office the chief officer of that Boara—the engineer of the fraud, which was denouaced as such by two committees of Congress? It is not contempt which the people here feel for their rulers, but fear, The man who takes part in the state government, even If he should be honest himself, gives uls influence to public plunderers, and he must expect property owners to be shy of | nim. Wid honest men associate with the Tam- | many thieves in New York? Or, if they did, were rious coincidence, the Legisiature passed a law | removing the parisn seat from Point a ia Hacne, where ad been time out of mind, to a spot at Jesuits’ Bend, furtner up the river, amd on Pack- ard’s plentation. Of course, to get the county town removed ‘o one’s farm is not a bad specula- tou. Lawyers and many other people must live near the Court House, and they make a market for town lots. Tne records of the county were in fact remov pat the people made such a clamor that, after a struggie ofayear, the project was | given up. Presently Packard became a bankrupt; but he is all right, for tne Governor has appointed him Tax Cotlector of the pafisn, a place said to be Worth $10,000 a year. Butler, a colored man, from the isiand of Nas- sau, also came in 186% Brainard, a white man, formerly in General Neal Dow’s corps, waich campaigned in this region, was an- other politician, He became Supervisor (member of the Police Jury they cali them here), and soon after the reorganization the parish autuorities began to issue serip in such abun- Gance that intwo or taree y it fell to fifteen cents on the dotlar. Bat it was always receivable av par for parish taxes. in 1872 Butler, above mentioned, was State Senator; Mahoney, another colored man. Was member of the Assembly, and O. B. Sarpys, colored, was Sherif. The Legisia- ture passed a law authorizing these three and two white citizens to ascertain and report the out standing debt of the parish and to fund it. The three colored men are accused of issuing bonds | filegally and without consent of the whites to | amount of $96,000 in exchange for scrip, much of which bai been bought up by them and their friends at agroat discount. On an investigation by citizeas it was found that the seal of the Court, whicn had to be amMixed to | these bonds by the parisn clerk, to make them valid, had not been aMxed hy bim; but had been | port, passed Waly surreptiviously obtained and used by the three | bond issuers, The parish debt ts now $93,000, and Jadge Pardee, @ republican, but praised by everybody here honest snd incorraptibie man, bas granted an injunction probibiting the | conversion of the remaining $57,000 of scrip into | bonds. Finally tne last Grand Jury of the parish, composed of twelve colored men and four whites, indicted water for bribery and embezzling the School fund; Mahoney for stealing the school fund and Prescott, the parisn judge, a white man, strange in the parish, for suvoraation of peryary, | Now, thea, tie Gnancial stasement tn Piaqne | mime parish stands thus:—In 1498, no aebt, and they not, in the public opinion, stained by the con- tact? “Do you see that man?” said a citizen im an toterior parish to me; “he is our parish jad he ts as ignorant of law as a horse. During the last election I heard him openiy, and to his face, charged with theit. Not only that, but at a public political meeting where he was speaking, im bis presence, he was accused of taking @ bribe of $10 while he was Prosecuting Attorney, ana the man who accused him was toe man who paid him the money. In spite of this the colored people were persuaded to elect him judge. Every decent colored man in the parish will tell you that {t was an unfit nomination; bat he got on the ticket, and the whole Bar of the parish firmly believes that he sells justice. He says be is ostracised; bat can you expect me to invite him to my house? He coaid not to-day get myited to the house of any respectable colored man in the parish.” “Can you expect us to like people under whose rale sach frauds go on for years ana are anpun- ished ?’ asked another; ‘who allow the fountains of jastice to be corrypted, who never panish crime and are too corrapt to check corruptionin their sabordinates; who degrade the v-ry schools to serve ti rtisan purposes; appo.nt rogues to collect the taxes, and irame a returning board to cheat us by aciumsy and glaring fraud, when tions to procure betver govera- ment?” i must reserve to another letter some details of the actual politica! condition of the State. CHARLES NORDIOFF, YACHTING NOTES. Mr, G. A. Beling, trom New- tone yesterday en rowle for Yacht Meta, B.Y.C. New York. Yacnt Sea Witch, of B.Y.0., arrived at Newport yesterday afternoon, in five hours from New Lon- don. She will leave for New Bediord to-day, Her owner, Vice Commodore Stott, of Brookiyn, ison | Doard. | FIRE ON BLACKWELL'S ISLAND. At about half-past ten o'clock yesterday morn- ing @ fire broke out om the second Moor of the two story frame buridiag on Blackwell's Isang used a3 a stable and storenouse. A consideravie quan- tity of hay aud coal was destroyed berore the flames were extinguished. The entire damage is estimated out $4,000, on Which there is iusurance, cause of tue Gre is UbknoWa. MAY 17, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. THE SIOUX PARADISE Tendency in the Far West to Invade the Black Hills. THE GOVERNMENT PREDICAMENT. Delicate Negotiations on Foot with the Indian Chiefs. THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON. A Fresh Excitement Likely to Produce Trouble. THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLORERS. Oueyenne, Wy. T., May 8, 1875. Although less manifest than I anticipated, tt cannot be denied that there exists throughout the seitied portions of the country, between the Missouri River and the Pacific coast, great excite- ment 1m relation to the supposed existence of mineral wealtn in the Black Hills, There t# an anxious waiting for the expected period when the government shall bave thrown open the mountain gates of that region for the advent of the miner and settler, From every vil- lage, ranche or mud bamiet along the Union Pacific, Kansas Pacific, Centrat Pacific and Colorado Central railroads are watched with especial interest the action of the Indians and the government, and thousanas are expectant of an opportunity to try their fortune in the new goid field, in the existence of which they have perfect faith, Cheyenne 1s undouotedly the point most conveniently situated for access to the pro- scribed region, and 18 also best provided with | means of outfitting any expedition designed to move In that direction. It is greatly alfected by the prevailing excitement, and its destiny will be a termined by the resait of the sctentific expiora- tions about to be made, for the existence of gold in the Black Hiils would insure it a great gro wth. Avery little sensation, produced by a fresh re- | dians. There would certainly ensce a collision | between the Caucasians and the Sioux, in which | tory; port of auriferous discoveries, would draw hither @ host of adventurers, bent upon penetrating the charmed bourne aespite the precautions of the government. Many military oficers whom 1 have met confess that in the event of alarge and sud- den influx of miners the available army of the United Syates would scarcely be adequate to preserve the assumed rights of the In- the former might prove @ match for the latter, and the diplomatic negotiations now on foot would be futile for the achievement of a peaceiul adjustment. As General Brisbin remarked to me the other day, the first biood shed would arouse the sympathy of the white citizens and the troops 1m opposition to the reds so strongly that they could look for no further observance of the | treaty of 1863 as @ valid instrument. A DELICATE TASK. These considerations show the delicacy of the task entrusted to Mr. Jenney and his associates, upon whose researches public sentiment much depends. It is necessary that the results of tis discoveries, if they are aMruative of popular be- | hef, should be kept profoundly secret until the government is ready for arevelation. If they get | prematurely to the ears of the people its policy is | defeated and the Black Hills will be speeaily dug up with the profane implements of the white man and become populated im @ wondrousiy prief space of time. It 18 essential for the sale carriage of the President's poitcy that | the public mind be kept conservative regarding | the question whether rare and rich products exist 1m the Biack Hills, and its aetermination 18 of less | grave importance at the present moment than tue Immediate conclusion of the negotiations wits the | Indian chiefs. It is said here that no negative re- ports of geologists would convince the rude seek- ers after gain now waiting their opportuany thas sne hills are uot ribbed with gold and silver. An affirmative decision would, of course, be met with preconceived belle! the | desire being father of the faith, actual experi- | ment alone would cure the class of adveaturers who think Paradise a@ rich gold digging, of the fever of goid huoting burning in their veins. Prudence, emphasized by very palpable dangers, | has restratneu large numbers irom acts Of inva- | sion, while several bands who have ventured into the sacred limits bave been so promptly driven back by the soldiers and so dreadfully menaced by the red-hanced Minneconjous, whose ciutcnes some of them barely escaped, that @ wholesome awe Of both bas been eagendered ia their vreasis, 80 that these attempts are only likely to be re- peated in large bodies, called together by renewed excitement, A MINER'S CAMP. One of the parties recently returned ts now en- camped on the pialns a snort distance north of Oheyenne, The story of the leader, J. Newtoa Warren, is of muci interest, but has already been puodiisued. He pow. endeavoring to induce recruits to join bis band in | camp, where they can live with remarkable cheap- ness and husband their funds until the moment | yor marching. He ts in communication with a large number of towns and villages and declares that miners are congregated at ali the important points on the Pacific jiway, in anxieus antici- | pation of the removal of the band trom the cov- | eted gold district, It is much to be Jeared that | ‘until the title conterred by the treaty of 1865 upon the savage Vassals of the guverument ts abro- gated and all pretence for excluding the whites | Temoved, oniy the moss fortuitous circumstances | can avert tne danger of rasa ventures and bloody revenges which overhangs this border region ‘With 4 gioom of threatened Rorrors. The delicate diplomacy now undertaken involves so many | chances of defeat that 1t would be wise to con- Summate It as Soon as possible. THE DISPOSITION OF THE SIOUX is not more amiable than formerly, and hie spirit, though somewnat broken by the vigilant re- pression of its warlike instincts by muil- tary power, only craves provocation to glory in blood’ and scalps. Skirmishing with the settlers on the plains, resulting from the theft of their cattie oy the sav: While crossing the country toand from tne publican River while on hunting excursions, 18 of almost daily occur- rence, and wounds or death are irequently caused on either side. These constant viviations of the treaty of 1968 are of sufficient magnicude to have jong ago rendered its stipulations no longer bin on the government, ‘TWo days ago a band of Sioux, who are reported to have been engaged in stealing, were seen cross- | ing the Union Pacific Ratiroad near Julesvurg, in Nebraska, carryimg the corpse of one of toeir braves, who had been shotin a fight. A detacn- ment of cavalry followed a few noura afterward in pursuit. THE PROMISED LAND. It is remarked as a singular fact that previous | to General Custer’s exploration o: the Biack Hitls Bo scienust or military officer who visiteu | w eported the eXisieace of precious metais. vT jJavished praises on the great forests | and their magnificent growth, the fine streams, | ful grasses, sweetly laden flowers and sai climate; bat neither Hayden, Reynolds, nor Warren breathed a suspicion that tne mountains were composed mainly of gold and silver, as the Indians impressed upon Father de Smet. They enjoyed Opportunities then of determining the question Which is Dow of so much interest, but themselves by so doing. In ly balanced minds there is mach “El Dorado.” It is time aud reduce the common on to jess exagwerative forms. re much to be blamed for this | , LO-day, weeks to stimulate the ex- of tae time by advanciug the argument the portion of the Biack Hilis lying in Wyoming 1s outside the limits of the Sioux reserva~ tion, it 14 pot included under the pronibition of the u He also inti don 3 revealed riche: Dakota. This may be true, position is erroneows. An adyeuturer named Carpenter, Who is organizing an expedi- tion for this region im St. Louis, is said to misiead his followers with toe same belie!. The evil effect of such counsel is when its faisity is explained. Waile tt is trae that the western limit of the reservation is the eastern bounaary # Wreming, viding almost equi rons, treaty wnron eranted he Sioux the exclasr of the land in Dakota also set apart ‘th of” the country north of the Platte River of the summite of the Big Horn Mountains, to be | held and considered to ve anceded Indian terri- | and aiso stippiated and agreed that bo white person or persons sali be we to settie pon or occupy aay or, without and obiained, to pass throug! ‘ibis additional territory was the | thing We could carry away from the convoy and district as in his proprietorsnip of bis reservation. pat oe oming boundary Big Horn Mountains may cause much trouble. GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS, The immediate object of the Sreramess diplo- macy 18 to bring the ontefs of the Sioux people into @ conference with the Cabinet at Wasling- ton, By this means {t 1 hoped to cause as perfect an understanding betws Great Father and his proteg’s as 18 possible. At the same thine dis- tinguished hostages will thus be placed within the Power of tae governdient, ao that thelr bands will hot dare to murder she whites during their ab- sence. GOVERNOR THAYER'S VIEWS. Governor Thayer, of tis Territory, started for Washington 4 Jew days since, intending to remain there during the stay of the Great Father's cop- per toured cuests. stated tome yesterday | hat he should earnestly urge the right of the peo- a of this Territory to ask the President to lift ber es See rai eis richest bare, ee Ed | Possible, The purchase of the re- servation he wiil also favor; Dut his particular mission will be laboring to secure to Wyoming the power to profit by the riches of ber soil, un- circumscribed by the id the Indians, but to bont in the very garden of her domain, and taus retard her development as a commonwealth. Governor Thayer declares ‘wat the savages should be forced to relinquish the chase and osteaty sponte he eee ous to Oth or which they pe: believes that Wyoming will derive great future prosperity from her mineral resources, ‘The agrt- cuitural qualities and magnificent timber of the Black Hills country, aside from its supposed mines, will be alone & source of large revenue to the territory. EXPLORERS, THE The scientific company appointed to make the oMcial survey of the Black Hills have veen here about a week, and are engaged in perfec ing their outfit, ‘The following gentlemen have commis- sions:—Walter P. Jenney, geologist and chiefex- | jorer; H. Newton, assistant Po ge ot Captain P. Tuttle, astronomer; Dr. T. B. MeGillycuddy, topographer, and Dr. ©. G. Newberry, assistant topographer and naturalist. A practical miner, Mr, W. H. Root. accowpanies the expedition, and Jonn Brown, son of the immortal John 01 Wate omie, has been engaged to act as commissary of composing escort are now ‘ort Laramie, for moving nerti- wi apy time, They nm er about 600, com- prising six companies of cavalry and two of in- Jantry. The proportion of cavalry and infantry muy be changed, as Mr. Jonney is understood to preler thar the majority of the body should not move rapidly, in order that a compact Jorm may be presented in maroning, The expedition is expected to start about the 15th of May. The scientists will commence their work at the 104th parallel of longitude west from Washington, on the dividing line of Dakota and Wyoming. it will, probably, be still unfinished when the snows return in late autumn. The area | to be Ca ba and surveyed is about equal te | that of the State of Connecticut, and so many | tures are to be taken note of | task is predicted, ‘The beauues of scepery and climate, however, of the northern land of fowers ougut to compen- sate for tolls, hardships and extle, Tne sicckade and log cabins erected by the Warren band of | miners last winter in Custer’s Park may afford | comiortable quarters while the survey ts pro- gressing in taut vicinity, Ample tents will, of course, be taken along for gemeral u: trans- portation of luggage; implements al provisious will be carried in army wagons. or fe CUBA LIBRE. | THE WAR OPERATIONS IN CAMAGUEY AND THE EASTERN DEPARYMENT—VICENTE GARCIA VIC- TORIOUS—BULLETIN FROM THE FIELDS OF BATTLE, Au extra sheet of the Boletin dela Guerra, pub- | lished by the Cuban patriots, brings us news that tm the Central and Eastern departments, as well as in the Cinco Villas, the Cubans are making con- siderable headway against their Spanish adver- sarica, The paper from which the tolluwing ex- tracts are taken was published under date of March 5, in Camaguey. When we consider the | rength of the Spanish, navy and ine peculiar cir- | cumstances under which the Cubans are operat- img, the wonder 1s not that the news of their vic- tories should reach us so late, but ratuer that it | could get here at all. GENERAL GARCIA'S REPORT TO THE CUBAN SECRE- TARY OF WAR. Major General Vicente Garcia, In an oficial com- | munication to the Cuban Secretary of War, says:— I proposed to attack the enemy’s convoys be- tween Cauto and Bayamo, With this object I re- | turned to Escandiaa, where General Ruiz was already stationed with some forces, and, having Joined these, took up the line of march, eucamp- ing on the 15th of Feoruary at Macio, three leagues from the Cauto road, to watch toe passing of the | convoy. To the right of this road, at about 200 metres from it, 8a densely Wooded space, called Vio 0, having an extensive plain in front ot it | known a3 Savana Grande. reconnoitred this | Position on morning of tne ith, apd | ordered General Kulz, with 200 um jorm an ambuscade near Duint of the wood; also Arcadio Leyte Vidal saonla per A operation witn 150 mem, in the rear of Gene! Ruiz’s posiuon, and in supports Of fim, and that the cavalry shoud be concesied belind tne point of the wood. infantry Ww: ed the auiy of atiacking the g and centre of the euemy by the right flank. 1 maining forces, under the orders of Colonel Cespedes, were | formed in reserve. THE AMBUSCADR. With my forces in this position, and the enemy not presenting himseli during tae morning of the 17th, I ordered that io the nigst men of the first line of the ambuscade should He down in tae | Jong grass at about forty paces from the road, THE ENEMY IN SiGHT. At four o’clock in tue afternoon of the 17th, and im our sight, a Soate guecte passed over the savanna, escorting a small convoy ior Jibacoa; and atten o’clock in the morning of the armed mea, one mounted, passed along We were marching in the direction of Canreje. We allowed these people to pass. At seven o’clock in tae night of tue 18th our scouts announced that the convoy was advancing | aud nearly in (rout o: our ambuscade, the men of | bei had been placed within jorty yards of the | To: | o that A VOLLEY SENT INTO THE SPANIARDS. Our infantry, witu adwirabie boldness and dect- sion, Manw@uvring as if on parade, fred a general | bento 3 aud thew themselves apon the enemy, mac in Band. ihe enemy's vanguard and | cenire Were immediately put in disorder and THE CONVOY CAPTURED, after some little resistance on the part of the Spaniards, wno tried to make ® parapet of the carts, Through @ mistake on the part of the guide Who accompanied tae cavalry under command of | Lieutenant Porforio Gonzaiez, this iorce did nut | charge by the live that lad been ass.gmed to it, in order to throw (he euemy into the savanna, bus took the left flank, and thus divided the forces of | this arm, throwing it ite some disorder. Order Was soon restored, and isent my aide-de-camp, Captain Miguel Valdivia, to charge by the flank first indicated. Tis obliged the Spanish rear to take the savanna, Where it was totaliy destroyed by the cavairy, THE SPOILS. One hundred and eleven rifles were taken, to- gether wita ammunition, machetes, revoivers, thirty-four carts, 235 beasts of burden, loaded wica foreign mercaandise and products of the country, and more than $100,000 in specie paper money. SPANISH LOSSES. ‘The enemy's columa which escorted the convoy was composed o/ 300 injantry, and the ascertained losses of this force were 130 dead vodies leit on the field and seventy-seven prisoners, whose names | send you in the accompanying statement. PATRIOT LOssks, Our losses were ve wounded, whose names I also senu yo PRISONERS AND VOLUNTEBRS. Four of the peninsular prisoners and forty of the Cubans chose to remain in our camp atier they hag been reieased from custody, The returned to tue spanish ines alter being the wounds whieh they nad received. A SAFE RETREAT APTER VICTORY. At daybreak on the lyth, after securing every- burning the rest and ali tne carts, Lretreaied to | Canto el paso (the ford). j THE SPANIARDS RETUR! On the 20th the enemy, to the men, appeared on the late fled of baving gone to reconnoitre them wi twenty horsemen, received the fire oj an ints y buscade, by wuich one of my men Was severely, d two others siigutiy wounded. We deploved On the savannas as skirmishers, to see if the enemy Would advance bis cavairy, bat he a1d not send out forces of any kind, not with: ding the many provocations giver him. f have the honor, &c., V. GARCIA, General of the Department. A NEW CUBAN WAR VESSEL. THE FILIBUSTER STEAMER GENERAL SHERMAN AGAIN IN REVOLUTIONARY COMMISSION. The filibuster steamer General Sherman, which was recently sold by United States Marshal sale at Key West, bas been purchased by the Cubans as a war vessel. The readers of the HeRALD will doubt- less remember tnat this famous contrapand vessel ‘Was captured in 1573 as a pirate, by Commander ut of the Wyoming, and sent to Key West as alawiul prize. Now that the Cubans In this country have possession of the steamer ft Is mot diMcult to imagine her future employment by them, as it ls quite evident that they aid not bay her to be idie long. But the characcer of th eral Sherman will be more difficuit to determine. Heing Without a register and faring Ho Dation- ality, It Will be necessary for the Cubans to 0b’ oMciai papers for her irom some Central Ameri- LD hunting ground for the Sioux, and he 1s, virtually, just as strong (a bis right (0 control the Wyoming | cag repuvilc fav to sneir cause, “Cubs | came the property of Mr. Frederick Sclimiat, whi | nis death witn heroic bravery. | President Cespedes, of Cuba | phe Pemaing wer Livre.” The history of this vessel 14a most re markable one, as will be seen by the following Qarrative of facts:— AS A REVOLUTIONARY CRAFT. In 1873 the government of Honduras was repre. sented by President Aria, who overthrew Medina in 1371 and heid him captive iu & filthy dungeon, His friends were not idie, and, although defeatert in their Rostilities to th vernment, united wile other parties in Guatemala and bought and dites up the American steamer General Sherman for the purpose of overthrowing the governmen: Guatemala and Honduras, She left Aspinwali oq the 27th of May, 1872, loaded with a full cargo o arms, including mitrailleuses, and munitions o war, and flying the American flag, ‘The first ports she visited were Isabai, In Guatemala, and Puer's Cortes, in Honduras, where forced loans were ob tained from the residents of both places; thence she preceeded to Bellze, where some recrulta were waiting for the expedition, but were } re- vented from embarking by the British authori ties, who feared a breach of the peutrality tawa. Being foiled at this point, the steamer left for tha small istand of Uttila, belonging tv the Republio of Honduras, and took summary possession of it. Here water and provisious were obtained, avd it was aetermined to make Uitiia & base of operations. General Enrique Palacio, Commander-in-Chief of the revolutionary forces, was found here at the head of a numper of re- crults, who were taken on board, All being finally in order the General Sherman sailed away for ihe Islana o: Ruatan, where more volunteers were waiting to be taken on board, The veaset duiy arrived at the island in question, took on board the men, and on Sunday, June 8, 1873, boidiy headed for Truxiilo, the capital city of Honduras. CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF TRUXILLO. When the General Sherman was signalled trom tna lookout station at Iruxillo the greatest excite- ment existed in the town, news baving been re- ceived irom the Island of Uttila a6 to what tue mission of the steamer was. Hundreds of people fed to the mountains, and the military com- manaant of the town prepared tus forces for ac- tion to repel the filibusters, The General Sher- man came to an anchor Six miles to the west o¢ the town, Several canoes were sent ous to inguire the steamer’s mission, bue they ‘@ captured and not allowed to return, Supsequently the vessel sailed into the bay and there came to an anchor. As the canoes were capturea and no word had yet been recervet {rom tue steamer, the military commandant of the town requested the captain of the New York schooner Racket to go ulongside of her io bis vessel aud learn hererrand, The captain «id aw he Was requested ana asked tie necessary quds- tions. Tne reply of General Palacio was, “We are loaded with guns and arms, abd are ready for ac- tion. Heave to, and we will give you @ couM- miuutcation for the commandant of the town. In a few minutes a boat put off from the steamer, with several revoltionary oltic bringing the letter, the purport Of wuicn was that the town would be attacked in two hours ii not surrend- ered, and that it would ve weli, tn case resistance was eee 4, to send the women and cbiidien ontol w ity. When th remptory 1m ie was received, a council of military and civil ufli- cials was held anda surrender agrecd to. Aw eleven o'clock the following morning the revolu- tionary forces took possession of the city. During the night which foilowea Major Turcios, of tue overnment forces, came down from the moun- ‘ains and made @ Vain attempt to recapture the town, alter losing about forty men killed and wounded, THE BOMBARDMENT OF OMOA. The Britisn steamsiip Niove, commanded by Sir Lambton Lorraine, arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, on tue 27th day of September, 1873, and reported “that General Estraba’s troops, after assassin- ating the detachment of Palacio’s torces, wihicit under @ flag 01 truce ‘approached tbe lort, sacked Omea, imprisoned ail British subjects, gatted the Consulates of America, cogiand, Spain and Por- tugai, tore the Stars and Stripes to pieces, sacked ail warebouses and and left tue place & per- Mr. Devrot, the Britisa Vonsal, tad at Belize. ‘ne Niobe had arrived ac Oimoa 8000 aiter and demanded the prisoners, an indemnity of £20,000 and an apology, otherwise his ship’s guns Would be opened upon the city. The Omoans uesitated to comply with these terms 80 on the 19th of August the Niobe bombarded the city all day, killing many peopie. Tae iolluwing aay fring Was continued til toe authorities sent out a flag of truce and au officer to say tthe money Woula ve paid aud the British flag saluted. ”* ‘These terms were fulfilied, and the Niobe departed. SEIZED AS & PIRATE, On November 5 tue ‘ilibustering craft, the name of which had been changed to General Arica, aud laying claim io the Honduras fag, arrived im Panama, which she oad leit during tne May previ- ous. It was Known thatshe fad been using the American flag on several occasions, 80 she Was seized on the 8th of Novewver, 1573, by Com- monder Cusning, of the United states war vessel Wyoming, a8 4 lawiul prize, When taken posses- sion of she bad no formal ——_ upon ber save her American register and her last lorwal clearance A prize crew Was theu pal on from Aspinwall, board the Mlivu-ter ana she was iaken to Key West to await tie action of the goverament, aud | was Gually soid by the United staces Marsal. WHO HER COMMANDER Colonel Puciueco, ver commander, is now at Key West. He is a native of Bayamo, in Cuda, aud escaped from tuat island after the attack om the fortincations of Guamo, Waere he received three WounGs, tie was ou tue Hagar Siuart expedition in 1872, and landed on the Cuban coast with bus Iu May, 1572, he crossed in an open boat irom Jamaica to Cuba, crrying despatches to the Presideut oi Cuba Libre, Lu 1873. he, omnec- tion with another well Known Cuban patriot, Brigadier Geveral M. G. Burnete, Was connected with the Village Brige (scovoner) expedition, which, through unfavorable winds, terminated most disastrously. A few months ago, at tue re- quest of President Aquilera, of Cuva Livre, and the Cuban agent in tui na Mr. M. de Aldam Pacneco crossed the Caribbean Sea once more, from Jamaica, with @ tones. He was seven lituie boat was bearly days on the trip, acd 4 sWamped on several occasions. Lls mission accomplisued, however, SCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. The Get Sherman is a screw steamer of 202 tous burden, apd was bull! at New Haven, Coun., in 1864 The following are her dimeusions:— Length i36 feet, breadtu of beam 23 lect, depth of hoid 16 eet. Ske was ouilt for the firm of M. L. & G. Griswold, and was used a8 @ transport vessei during our civil war. She subsequentiy be fin 1672 to Mr. O, Keith, the contractor of Rica Railroad, Wate lying early that foot of Wall street loading for Port Limon, in Costa Rica, sae sank in a very mystery ous manner, Aiter beilug raised she was thor oughly overhauled and surveyed by American Livyds, and on the 9th of October, 1872, she pro- ceded to Costa Kica from tnis port, carrying @ Jarae amount of arms among her cargo. She was commanded by G. T. Gordon, wuo remained wico her tli she was seized at Panama, ARRIVAL OF A CUBAN PATRIOT. Among the passengers who arrived in this ctty yesterday, by the West India mail steanner Alps, the well known Cuban patriot Genera! Rafael Quesada, who landed the first expedition of the Virginius in Capa. On the pedition of that vessel the son of Manuel Quesada, a lad of some fifteen years, met The widow o Libre, residing In this city, ts his sister. Ibis reported tn Quesada bes been engaged, whie abroad, arrangements toward obtaining mate! Cuban cause, and working im co with bis brother Manuel, former Generalissimo of the Cudan liberating forces, who i# now {0 year at | South America. THE PIRACIES ON On Saturday morning Michael Basset, the canal boat captain, bis wife, and William Hearn, whose arrest in connection with the river piractes was an- nounced in yesterday's HERALD, were conveyed to New York on @ requisiticn and lodged in jai! Messrs, Falkner & Pi of Leonard street, went to the Hoboken police station four bales of flannel found in the canal boat a: part of ® large quantity of their property whico Was stolen from pier 27 on the might of the Lio inst. Chief Donavan immediately put tne New York detectives on the track of the three robbers wno escaped from the Hoboken dock at the bine of Hasset's arrest. The latter cannot long ele the search, as they are well known to uthort ties, Hasset’s wile, having @ clid yr arint since her arrest, and there bemg Ho evidence \i implicate her, was discharged In New York There tweive large bales stolen altogetue , valued at $1,000, FUNERAL OF F. ‘The fooeral of Frederick R. Anderson, one o our oldest citizens, took place yesterduy from the Methodist Episcopal chuich, coruer of bedford and Morton streets, The rematus reposed ta anu elegant rosewood casket, covered wirh biack clot and heavily silver mounted. The foral tributes were numerous and beautiiui, consistiug of brokem columas, Wreaths and crosses. Kev. Mr. Grequry preached the funeral sermon. At the cousiuswn Of be Services, Which Were solemn aud linpressive, aKED WO CY press Hills Cemetery for interment, Mesars. 1. L, Young, Barctess Smith, Wiliain Bia, Jacov Stowe aud others act. \Og as pallveare:s, THE HUDSON 3 R. ANDERSON