518 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



Mr. Fort asked to have the bill referred to the Committee of the 

 Whole, and it was so referred. 



Ou February 2, 1874, Mr. R. 0. McCormiek, of Arizona, introduced 

 in the House a bill (H. R. 1728) restricting the killing of the bison, or 

 buffalo, ou the public lands ; which was referred to the Committee on 

 the Public Lands, and never heard of more. 



On January 31, 1876, Mr. Fort introduced a bill (H. R. 1719) to pre- 

 vent the useless slaughter of buffaloes withiu the Territories of the 

 United States, which was referred to the Committee on the Territories.* 



The Committee on the Territories reported back the bill without 

 amendment on February 23, 1876.t Its provisions were in every 

 respect identical with those of the bill introduced by Mr. Fort in 1874, 

 and which jjassed both houses. 



In support of it Mr. Fort said : " The intention ami object of this bill 

 is to preserve them [the buffaloes] for the use of the Indians, whose homes 

 are upon the public domain, and to the frontiersmen, who may properly 

 use them for food. * * * They have been and are now being slaugh- 

 tered iu large numbers. * * * Thousands of these noble brutes are 

 annually slaughtered out of mere wontonness. * * * This bill, just 

 as it is now presented, passed the last Congress. It was not vetoed, 

 but fell, as I understand, merely for want of time to consider it after 

 having passed both houses." He also intimated that the Government 

 was using a great deal of money for cattle to furnish the Indians, while 

 the buffalo was being wantonly destroyed, whereas they might be turned 

 to their good. 



Mr. Crouuse wanted the words " who is not an Indian" struck out, 

 so as to make the bill general. He thought Indians were to blame for 

 the wanton destruction. 



Mr. Fort thought the amendment unnecessary, and stated that he 

 was informed that the Indians did not destroy the buffaloes wantonly. 



Mr. Dunnell thought the bill one of great importance. 



The Clerk read for him a letter from A. G. Brackett, lieutenant-colonel, 

 Second United States Cavalry, stationed at Omaha Barracks, in which 

 was a very urgent request to have Congress interfere to prevent the 

 wholesale slaughter then going ou. 



Mr. Reagan thought the bill proper and right. He knew from per- 

 sonal experience how the wanton slaughtering was going on, and also 

 tbat the Indians were not the oues who did it. 



Mr. Townseud, of New York, saw no reason why a white man should 

 not be allowed to kill a female buffalo as well as an Indian. He said 

 it would be impracticable to have a separate law for each. 



Mr. Magiunis did not agree with him. He thought the bill ought to 

 pass as it stood. 



Mr. Throckmorton thought that while the intention of the bill was a 



* Forty-fourth Congress, first session, vol. 4, part 2, pp. 1237-1241. 

 t Forty-fourth Congress first session, vol. 4, part 1, p. 773. 



