ALASKA. 



25 



advanced to the dignity of an organized Terri- 

 tory. The relations of the inhabitants to the 

 Federal Government are only such as were ob- 

 tained for them by the treaty with Russia in 

 March, 1867. The third article provides that 

 the inhabitants of the ceded Territory, with 

 the exception of the uncivilized native tribes, 

 shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the 

 rights of citizens of the United States, and 

 shall bo maintained and protected in the free 

 enjoyment of their liberty of property and re- 

 ligion. The uncivilized tribes are subject to 

 such laws and regulations as the United States 

 may from time to time adopt in regard to the 

 aboriginal tribes of that country. There is no 

 law for the arrest of persons charged with 

 common-law offenses, such as assault, robbery, 

 and murder, and no magistrate authorized to 

 issue or execute process in such cases. Serious 

 difficulties have already arisen from offenses of 

 this character, not only among the original 

 inhabitants, but among citizens of the United 

 States and other countries, who have engaged 

 in mining, iishing, and other business opera- 

 tions there. On July 25th the people at Sitka 

 assembled and resolved upon the organization 

 among themselves of a civil government. This 

 was completed on August 28th. The pream- 

 ble of the ordinance adopted sets forth the 

 danger to person and property arising under 

 an absence of all civil law ; gives the reasons 

 why no previous efforts could be made to form 

 a government ; proclaims the intention to se- 

 cure protection against violence from the In- 

 dians, and that they feel able to maintain a 



provisional form until supplanted by a regu- 

 larly enacted system. A chief magistrate and 

 five selected men, each in separate precincts, 

 were provided and authority given to try civil 

 and criminal cases, to attend to the munici- 

 pal affairs of Sitka, and to take charge of es- 

 tates. All citizens entered heartily into the 

 matter, and every one entitled voted, and the 

 government was accepted. The officers elect 

 are : Collector Ball, chief magistrate ; select- 

 men, first precinct, P. Corcoran ; second, T. 

 Haltern ; third, N. G. Matropolosky ; fourth, 

 (omitted) ; fifth (cannery), Thomas McCauly. 

 There is no test of American citizenship ; all 

 white men twenty-one years of age are voters. 

 The officers elect constitute together a provi- 

 sional council, which regulates and sets in mo- 

 tion the machinery and details of the govern- 

 ment, hears appeals from the selectmen's de- 

 cisions, and tries grave offenses. 



In the early part of the year reports were 

 spread respecting apprehended attacks by the 

 Indians ; but nothing of the kind has taken 

 place. A letter received at the Navy Depart- 

 ment, dated June 23d, from the commander 

 of the United States ship Jamestown, which 

 was ordered there to protect the white settle- 

 ment from the Indians, represents the state of 

 affairs as very quiet. He says : " I am satis- 

 fied that both the local Indians and the Tohil- 

 cats have friendly feelings toward the whites, 

 and that there is no danger of any premedi- 

 tated attack upon the settlement. The whites 

 furnish to the Indians a market for their furs, 

 fish, etc., and supply them with many needed 



