按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
bill he placidly ignores the Indians altogether puts no particle of the
destruction of the Fisher property upon them； but； even repenting him of
charging them with burning the cabins and drinking the whisky and
breaking the crockery； lays the entire damage at the door of the imbecile
United States troops down to the very last item！ And not only that； but
uses the forgery to double the loss of corn at 〃Bassett's Creek；〃 and
uses it again to absolutely treble the loss of corn on the 〃Alabama
River。〃 This new and ably conceived and executed bill of Mr。 Floyd's
figures up as follows （I copy again from the printed United States Senate
document）：
The United States in account with the legal representatives
of George Fisher； deceased。
DOL。C
1813。To 550 head of cattle； at 10 dollars； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。 5；500。00
To 86 head of drove hogs； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1；204。00
To 350 head of stock hogs； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 1；750。00
To 100 ACRES OF CORN ON BASSETT'S CREEK； 。。。。。。。。。。 6；000。00
To 8 barrels of whisky； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 350。00
To 2 barrels of brandy； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 280。00
To 1 barrel of rum； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 70。00
To dry…goods and merchandise in store； 。。。。。。。。。。。。 1；100。00
To 35 acres of wheat； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 350。00
To 2；000 hides； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 4；000。00
To furs and hats in store； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 600。00
To crockery ware in store； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 100。00
To smith's and carpenter's tools； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 250。00
To houses burned and destroyed； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 600。00
To 4 dozen bottles of wine； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 48。00
1814。To 120 acres of corn on Alabama River； 。。。。。。。。。。。。 9；500。00
To crops of peas； fodder； etc。 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 3；250。00
Total； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。34；952。00
To interest on 22；202； from July 1813
to November 1860； 47 years and 4 months； 。。。。。。。63；053。68
To interest on 12；750； from September
1814 to November I86o； 46 years and 2 months； 。。35；317。50
Total； 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 133；323。18
He puts everything in this time。 He does not even allow that the Indians
destroyed the crockery or drank the four dozen bottles of （currant） wine。
When it came to supernatural comprehensiveness in 〃gobbling；〃 John B。
Floyd was without his equal； in his own or any other generation。
Subtracting from the above total the 67；000 already paid to
George Fisher's implacable heirs； Mr。 Floyd announced that the government
was still indebted to them in the sum of sixty…six thousand five hundred
and nineteen dollars and eighty…five cents； 〃which；〃 Mr。 Floyd
complacently remarks； 〃will be paid； accordingly； to the administrator of
the estate of George Fisher； deceased； or to his attorney in fact。〃
But； sadly enough for the destitute orphans； a new President came in just
at this time； Buchanan and Floyd went out； and they never got their
money。 The first thing Congress did in 1861 was to rescind the
resolution of June 1； 1860； under which Mr。 Floyd had been ciphering。
Then Floyd （and doubtless the heirs of George Fisher likewise） had to
give up financial business for a while； and go into the Confederate army
and serve their country。
Were the heirs of George Fisher killed？ No。 They are back now at this
very time （July； 1870）； beseeching Congress through that blushing and
diffident creature； Garrett Davis； to commence making payments again on
their interminable and insatiable bill of damages for corn and whisky
destroyed by a gang of irresponsible Indians； so long ago that even
government red…tape has failed to keep consistent and intelligent track
of it。
Now the above are facts。 They are history。 Any one who doubts it can
send to the Senate Document Department of the Capitol for H。 R。 Ex。 Doc。
No。 21； 36th Congress； 2d Session； and for S。 Ex。 Doc。 No。 106； 41st
Congress； 2d Session； and satisfy himself。 The whole case is set forth
in the first volume of the Court of Claims Reports。
It is my belief that as long as the continent of America holds together；
the heirs of George Fisher； deceased； will still make pilgrimages to
Washington from the swamps of Florida； to plead for just a little more
cash on their bill of damages （even when they received the last of that
sixty…seven thousand dollars； they said it was only one fourth what the
government owed them on that fruitful corn…field）； and as long as they
choose to come they will find Garrett Davises to drag their vampire
schemes before Congress。 This is not the only hereditary fraud （if fraud
it iswhich I have before repeatedly remarked is not proven） that is
being quietly handed down from generation to generation of fathers and
sons； through the persecuted Treasury of the United States。
DISGRACEFUL PERSECUTION OF A BOY
In San Francisco； the other day； 〃A well…dressed boy； on his way to
Sunday…school； was arrested and thrown into the city prison for stoning
Chinamen。〃
What a commentary is this upon human justice！ What sad prominence it
gives to our human disposition to tyrannize over the weak！ San Francisco
has little right to take credit to herself for her treatment of this poor
boy。 What had the child's education been？ How should he suppose it was
wrong to stone a Chinaman？ Before we side against him； along with
outraged San Francisco； let us give him a chancelet us hear the
testimony for the defense。
He was a 〃well…dressed〃 boy； and a Sunday…school scholar； and therefore
the chances are that his parents were intelligent； well…to…do people；
with just enough natural villainy in their composition to make them yearn
after the daily papers； and enjoy them； and so this boy had opportunities
to learn all through the week how to do right； as well as on Sunday。
It was in this way that he found out that the great commonwealth of
California imposes an unlawful mining…tax upon John the foreigner； and
allows Patrick the foreigner to dig gold for nothingprobably because
the degraded Mongol is at no expense for whisky； and the refined Celt
cannot exist without it。
It was in this way that he found out that a respectable number of the
tax…gatherersit would be unkind to say all of themcollect the tax
twice； instead of once； and that； inasmuch as they do it solely to
discourage Chinese immigration into the mines； it is a thing that is much
applauded； and likewise regarded as being singularly facetious。
It was in this way that he found out that when a white man robs a sluice…
box （by the term white man is meant Spaniards； Mexicans； Portuguese；
Irish； Hondurans； Peruvians； Chileans； etc。； etc。）； they make him leave
the camp； and when a Chinaman does that thing； they hang him。
It was in this way that he found out that in many districts of the vast
Pacific coast； so strong is the wild； free love of justice in the hearts
of the people； that whenever any secret and mysterious crime is
committed； they say； 〃Let justice be done； though the heavens fall；〃 and
go straightway and swing a Chinaman。
It was in this way that he found out that by studying one half of each
day's 〃local items；〃 it would appear that the police of San Francisco
were either asleep or dead； and by studying the other half it would seem
that the reporters were gone mad with admiration of the energy； the
virtue； the high effectiveness； and the dare…devil intrepidity of that
very police…making exultant mention of how 〃the Argus…eyed officer So…
and…so〃 captured a wretched knave of a Chinaman who was stealing
chickens； and brought him gloriously to the city prison； and how 〃the
gallant officer Such…and…such…a…one〃 quietly kept an eye on the movements
of an 〃unsuspecting； almond…eyed son of Confucius〃 （your reporter is
nothing if not facetious）； following him around with that far…off look。
of vacancy and unconsciousness always so finely affected by that
inscrutable being； the forty…dollar policeman； during a waking interval；
and captured him at last in the very act of placing his hands in a
suspicious manner upon a paper of tacks； left by the owner in an exposed
situation； and how one officer performed this prodigious thing； and
another officer that； and another the otherand pretty much every one of
these performances having for a dazzling central incident a Chinaman
guilty of a shilling's worth of crime； an unfortunate； whose misdemeanor
must be hurrahed into something enormous in order to keep the public from
noticing how many really important rascals went uncaptured in the mean
time； and how overrated those glorified policemen actually are。
It was in this way that the boy found out that the legislature； being
aware that the Constitution has made America； an asylum for the poor and
the oppressed of all nations； and that； therefore； the poor and oppressed
who fly to our shelter must not be charged a disabling admission fee；
made a law that every Chinaman； upon landi