THE EXTERMINATION OF THE AMERICAN BISON. 515 



Globe some remarks he had prepared regarding restricting the killing 

 of buffalo, which was granted.* 



On January 5, 1874, Mr. Fort, of Illinois, introduced a bill (H. R. 

 921) to prevent the useless slaughter of buffalo within the Territories 

 of the United States ; which was read and referred to the Committee 

 on the Territories.t 



On March 10, 1874, this bill was reported to the House from the Com- 

 mittee on the Territories, with a recommendation that it be passed. :f 



The first section of the bill provided that it shall be unlawful for auy 

 person, who is not an Indian, to kill, wound, or in any way destroy any 

 female buffalo of any age, found at large within the boundaries of any 

 of the Territories of the United States. 



The second section provided that it shall be, in like manner, unlaw- 

 ful for any such person to kill, wound, or destroy in said Territories 

 any greater number of male buffaloes than are needed for food by such 

 person, or than can be used, cured, or preserved for the food of other 

 persons, or for the market. It shall in like manner be unlawful for any 

 such person, or persons, to assist, or be in auy manner engaged or con- 

 cerned in or about such unlawful killing, wounding, or destroying of 

 any such buffaloes; that any person who shall violate the provisions of 

 the act shall, on conviction, forfeit and pay to the United States the 

 sum of $100 for each offense (and each buffalo so unlawfully killed, 

 wounded, or destroyed shall be and constitute a separate offense), and 

 on a conviction of a second offense may be committed to prison for a 

 period not exceeding thirty days ; and that all United States judges, 

 justices, courts, and legal tribunals in said Territories shall have juris- 

 diction in cases of the violation of the law. 



Mr. Cox said he had been told by old hunters that it was impossible 

 to tell the sex of a runniug buffalo; and he also stated that the bill 

 gave preference to the Indians. 



Mr. Fort said the object was to prevent early extermination ; that 

 thousands were annually slaughtered for skins alone, and thousands for 

 their tongues alone; that perhaps hundreds of thousands are killed 

 every year in utter wantonness, with no object for such destruction. 

 He had been told that the sexes could be distinguished while they were 

 running.§ 



This bill does not prohibit any person joining in a reasonable chase 

 and hunt of the buffalo. 



Said Mr. Fort, " So far as I am advised, gentlemen upOu this floor 

 representing all the Territories are favorable to the passage of this bill." 



* Congressional Globe, April 6, 1872, Forty-second Congress, second session. 



t Congressional Record, vol. 2, part 1, Forty-third Congress, p. 371. 



t Congressional Record, vol. 2, part 3, Forty-third Congress, first session, pp. 2105, 

 2109. 



§ I know of no greater affront that could be offered to the intelligence of a genuine 

 buffalo-hunter than to accuse him of not knowing enough to tell the sex of a buffalo 

 "on the run" by its form alone. — W. T, H. 



