FUR-SEAL FISHEKIES OF ALASKA. 221 



By Mr. Felton : 



Q. That beiuji' the case, there is no ofificer under the statute of Oregon 

 to carry them out? — A. No, sir. 



Q. The authority you assume there, of course, for the best purpose iu 

 the world, was ruther arbitrary ? — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. But there should be a law giviug- some such authority ? — A. Yes, 

 sir. 



The Chairman. By the passage of the Territorial act 1 think that is 

 repealed, but that is a question we will have to look up. 



By Mr. Macdonald : 



Q. Who is this Mr. Tin<:le"? — A. He is head agent there. 



Q. Is he the agent with headquarters at San Fraucisco "? — A. I don't 

 know. 



Q I find here this provision in the contract, in referring to a copy of 

 the contract between the company and the Government. Reference is 

 made to rules and regulations, and one of the i)rovisos is as follows: 



And the said lessees furtlier coveuaut and agree tLat tkis lease is accepted, subject 

 to all needful rules and rejj;ulatious wliich shall at any time or times hereafter be 

 made by the Secretary of the Treasury for the collection and payment of the rentals 

 herein agreed to be paid by said lessees ; .for the comfort, maintenance, education, and 

 protection of the natives of said islands and for carrying into ettectall the provisions 

 of the act aforesaid, and will abide by and conform to said rules and regulations. 



Have you ever been furnished with regulations by the Secretary of 

 the Treasury? — A. Yes, sir. The only instructions that I had whik^, I 

 was there was that of Secretary Boutwell, calling attention to the quass 

 business and to stop giving the natives sugar. .They finally decided to 

 stop giving sugar to any one. 



The Chairman. That is, you mean to say the company refused to sell 

 to the natives the material out of which quass could be made"? — A. 

 Yes, sir, except as a medicine; they treated the innocent and guilty 

 alike. 



Mr. Macdonald. This lease was entered into on the 3d day of Au- 

 gust, ]870, and I understood you to say you have no knowledge of any 

 such rules or regulations made by the Secretary of the Treasury having 

 been furnished? — A. No, sir; the rule is supposed to be made by his 

 agents ; he has never made any. They sent up a man there by the 

 name of Manchester, who is up there now, and he refused to stay his 

 part of the time, and he objected to doing many things 1 asked him to 

 do, and he finally pulled a dispatch on me and told me that here was 

 his authority; that his only business there was to count seal skins; as 

 much as to say, I need not ask him to bother himself about the people. 



Q. Was he a Government agent ? — A. He would not stay on the island 

 his portion of the time and came on home. He said his wife was sick. 

 When he got to Oonalaska he found his wife well and hearty, but he 

 would not go back to the island. The head agent aj)pointed a physician 

 of the company as agent there. 1 protested against the proceeding, as 

 it was wrong, and said that he should make this man stay there or re- 

 turn. He said it made no difference; that he was going to do it; that 

 if the Government did not pay, the company would. Well, 1 have heard 

 that the company has paid him, and he has got a bill now before the 

 House for his pay as an agent made by another agent. 



By the Chairman : 



For pay as a Government agent"? — A. Yes, sir. 

 Q. Did the Treasury agent refuse to pay him !— A. He put in a bill. 

 Q. Was he appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury ? — A. No, sir; 

 this agent assumed Tingle to be the Secretary of the Treasury. 



