INTR OD UCTION. xvii 



live, whilst they enforce a heavy tax upon each seal which 

 may be killed in Alaska, has neglected to avail them- 

 selves of such a fruitful source of revenue as that which 

 might be derived from buffalo pelts. A tax of $5 on 

 each skin, which could have been easily imposed and 

 collected, under heavy penalties and forfeiture of all 

 buffalo skins not having the Government duty stamp 

 thereon, would realise not less than $1,000,000 per 

 annum, even supposing that the number of buffalo 

 annually killed for their skins were only 200,000 in lieu 

 of upwards of a million. A tax of this amount would 

 have realised upwards of fifteen millions of dollars on the 

 buffalo ruthlessly slaughtered for their hides. 



I suggested this remedy at the time, but, although re- 

 ferred to by the press, it was not attended to, and it is 

 now almost too late. It is of little use ' to lock the stable 

 door after the steed has been stolen.' 



Such a tax, moreover, would have been fair and equit- 

 able ; as it is not reasonable that a few needy citizens 

 should monopolise for their own private benefit the 

 public property of the State. If the same principle were 

 carried out with regard to the public lands, timber, and 

 mines, a few citizens of the United States, similar in 

 character to the buffalo skinners before referred to, would 

 take more than the lion's share of the public property. 



THE INDIANS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



The number of Indians of all descriptions at present 

 inhabiting the United States is estimated at about 300,000. 

 Two centuries ago they numbered upwards of two milhons. 

 Everywhere, and amongst all tribes, with the exception, 

 perhaps, of the Dakotahs or Sioux, they are rapidly de- 

 creasing in numbers. This decrease arises from various 

 causes ; amongst the principal of which may be mentioned 



a 



