Speech #450034822

That gentleman did me the honer to give me one of a series of petitions. several of which he has presented in the House of Representatives. signed he states by between four and five thousand adult male citizens of that Territory. addressed very peculiarly. (I suppose from the terror that the Secretary of the Interior was creating out there they were addressed in this wise:) To the honorable the Secretary of the Interior. the Senate and House of .Rreseatative of the Fortyfifth Oongrees of the United States. Yon remember that Dogberry was very particular as to which name should be put down first. and the Secretary is here put down first: "To the honorable the Secretary of the Interior. the Senate and House of Representatives of the Fortyfifth Congress of the United States." the major premise first. The document may be a trifle overwrought in point of style. but I am going to detain the Senate to read this entire memorial : Your memerialtets would respectfully represent thatVhereas the citizens of Montana have during their residence in this Territory exercised thesameprivileges as settlers upon the public domain s havobeen sanetioeid at ercogniized by the Government and timehonored customs since the first settlementof lail in tie United States. and Wherea in the occupancy of the land in a now country where markets are not entablitohod in which to purchase the real necessaries. each as fuel. building materiot. &c.. it ti as natu to procure these i the most convenient place as it is to btatho ti free air of heaven. and Whereas in distant Montana. while the settlers are improving and making valuatoe the public dlensain anit use the wood ant timber for domestic purposes only. a tax of $1 per cord on wood and $2 per thousand on lumber Is evied ano collected by the Goveiment officials among us. which is onerous. unjust. and a burden to al ali ke. and Wioc -as it has been represented to the Government that the people here were satistied with and acquiesced in the taxes above enumeratedI believe the Secretary of the Interiors report which the honorable Senator from Ohio read contained a dispatch from the United States district attorney there that they were perfectly satisfied with itwe positively deny that any sucai satisfaction exists and. on the contrary. assert that there is unirersal complaint and widospread dieatisfaction. and. believing the tax exorbitant and distressing to the general consumer. we respectfully ask that the order for the levy be resocinded. antd in all cases where the tax has oeen paid that the money be ret urued. and Wheroeas the orders. as interpreted by the officials here. work a total prohibition to cut wood and lumber hereafter. werespeetfully ask that they be instructed to giant us toe same privileges ani rights in the premiseas haveheretofore prevailed lthis anl in all now Territories. anod Wheres it is necessary in Montana to out wood in the winter. when the timber isfrozen. for the next )ears consumption. the prohibition to cut wood for any purpose as now enforced. will. in another season. leave the people without fire to keep thei worm cod the mills ano mines profitless for want of fuel anti lumber .and Whetras thu prohibition to cattinmer ignores and lakes it impossible to comply with the provioOens of the preemoption laws in acquiring agrieultural and mineral lands. where fencing. builoings. and occupancy are necessary to obtain title. (and those cannot be done without timber from the public lands.) works a great hardship to emigrants who come xpeetieg to settle and make homes on the public domain in Monatan. we respeetfully and most earnestly remonstrate against any tax whatever on fuel ad lumber while the people ere are struggling for existence in a country cut off from the conveniences and cheap living in tere States. As well might Is Majesty the King of Denmark levy n royalty upon the bloks of ice with which his Bujeto in Upper Navic construct their humble dwellings as to hamper by taxes or lck of logialaticn the pioneers who carve out and make valuable to the Goevetrainnt ot the United States vast areas of land which. without their indus. try and heroic struggles. might remain unsold and profitless forever. and * Whereas the timbered lanom of Moasna are mostly unsurveyed. and are mountaitinos Bnd tot suitable for tillage. they ate unlike thoso in the prairie States. which need but to be cleared to make them more productive. while ours are found o" areciloitoss mountain sides. totally without any value except for their rocks and rewood. and Wlhreas we are left without. any law by which we can either preempt homestead orprocro title to any timber lil. itis evident there must berelief. and that soon. or else we will be obliged to give tp our homes. quit the country. and abandon the great and growing West for a retrograde movement upon the overcrowded communities of the East. And. as in duty bound. we will ever pray.