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![handle is hein.usccsset/usconset37941 and id is 1 raw text is: 54TH CONGRESS, SENATE. REPORT
18t Session. No. 275.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
FEBRUARY 13, 1896.-Ordered to be printed.
Mr. STEWART, from the Committee on Claims, submitted the following
REPORT:
[To accompany S. 621.1
The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred the bill (S. 621) for
the relief of the legal representatives of George McDougall, deceased,
beg leave to report as follows: That a bill precisely like this was favor-
ably reported by the Senate Committee on Claims in the Fiftieth Con-
gress and passed the Senate at its first session, and was also favorably
reported in the House of Representatives by its Committee on Claims
at the second sessio of that Congress, but was not reached on the Cal-
endar of the House.
Your committee recommend the passage of the bill, and adopt as the
basis of such action the House report thereon in the Fiftieth Congress,
second session, which is appended.
[House Report No. 3610, Fiftieth congress, second session.]
The Committee on Claims, to whom was referred Senate bill 1171, do make the fol-
lowing report:
This case comes before the Committee on Claims, with a finding of facts reported
from the Court of Claims to the Senate Committee on Claims, under the provisions
of the act of Congress approved March 3. 1883, commonly known as the Bowman Act.
The findings of the court are appended to this report, and clearly show the justice
and equity of the claim as submitted. The history of this class of cases and of this
one in particular is, however, interesting, and is therefore set out somewhat in detail.
Shortly after the acquisition of California gold was discovered in large quantities,
and as a natural consequence a flood of emigration was poured into the new-
found eldorado. The newcomers, in their search for the precious metal, were so
indifferent to the rights of the native Indians that the latter had agreed upon a gen-
eral war. In fact, actual hostilities had begun in the shape of numerous depreda-
tious, and the militia of the State were in the field under the orders of the governor.
In the meantime, three commissioners had been sent by the President to treat with
the Indians, under the provisions of the act of September 30, 1850. As soon as they
reached California and discovered the serious aspect which affairs had assumed, they
began negotiations with the various tribes, with a view to the reestablishnmentof peace-
ful relations. These instructions were of the broadest and most general character,
and acting, as they supposed, under them, they agreed to furnish large quantities of
beef, flour, and other provisions, in consideration of the Indians relinquishing their
mountain lands to the whites and removing to the reservations provided for them on
the plains.
The Indians carried out their pa t of the agreement, hostilities ceased, never to be
resumed, and the United states acquired title to and took possession of these lands.
The commissioners, in order to keep faith with the Indians and to prevent actual
S. Rep. 2- 1](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.usccsset/usconset37941&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)