Che Conservative ,
A few days ago
SPANISH
NKIIKASKA.TlIE 0 O N S E U V A-
TIVE , having been
introduced for the first time to Mr.
Hempol's notable collection of Nebraska
antiquities in the court-house at Plaits-
mouth , sought to describe to a certain
well-informed person a very singular
wrought-iron trident therein contained ,
which is said to be of Spanish make ;
and in so doing , let slip the unlucky
word "Oorouado. " To this the author
ity objected. "It is easy to say Coronado -
do , " lie said , "but hard to prove that
individual's connection with any given
relic of Spanish times. Nor is it neces
sary , for so far from Ooronado's expedi
tion being the only one that ever
penetrated to Nebraska from Mexico , it
is probable that there were many ; and
the last one of which there is record
only occurred in Jefferson's second
administration. Also there is a little
room to doubt that there was pretty
constant intercourse , whether in the
way of peace or that of war , between
the Indians of Kansas and Nebraska
and those of the southwest , at all
times. "
Mr. Hempel's trident is sufficiently
curious to be looked into further ; but as
to there having been military expedi
tions despatched from the Spanish
provinces in comparatively recent times
to points that now lie within Nebraska ,
it is easy to satisfy ourselves. Captain
Pike tells us all about this in his account
of his travels "in the interior of Louis
iana" ( which included Nebraska ) in
1806.
Captain Pike traveled across Missouri ,
and then north-westerly through Kansas
to a place called the Pawnee Republic ,
which was the headquarters of one of
the four divisions of the Pawnee nation.
The Indians of this tribe were called the
Pawnee Republicans , and they gave
their name to the stream on which they
dwelt , the Republican River. Their
village must , by Pike's map , have been
somewhere between Bloomington and
Red Cloud , Nebraska. Captain Pike
reached this settlement on September
25th , 1806 , and found that he had been
anticipated by a large Spanish party ,
which had preceded him so recently
that the grass was yet beaten down
along their trail. This party interested
the captain very much ; they seem , in
fact , to have been sent forth to head off
his expedition , of which they had gotten
wind , and the objects of which are
about aa much a mystery to us of today
as they may have been to those Mexico-
dwelling Spaniards.
He therefore tells all that he knew
about them , having probably learned
many particulars in the course of his
later captivity in Mexico.
The expedition was under the com
mand of Lieutenant Malgares , and set
out from the province of Biscay , where-
over that may have been ; there is no
province of that name on the maps at
present. It consisted at first of one
hundred dragoons , regulars , but at
Santa Fe , where they fitted out for the
remainder of their journey , they were
joined by five hundred mounted militia.
They were supplied for six mouths , and
their horses and mules numbered over
two thousand. Among the things
which they were expected to accomplish
was an exploration of the Missouri
river between the Platte and the Kansas.
They were also to visit the Pawnee ,
Omaha and Kansas Indians , present the
chiefs of those nations with flags , medals
and other valuable considerations , and
"with all of them to renew the chains of
ancient amity. "
This was a brave expedition , but it
contained no men of the type of that
almost unknown hero , Zebulon Pike.
It failed of its object. A port of the
host fell out when the Arkansas river
was reached ; a part pushed on as far as
the "Pawnee republic ; " but none of
them got any farther. They said their
horses gave out , but Captain Pike hints
a suspicion that they were afraid of the
Indians. When his horses gave out that
winter , in the mountains of southern
Colorado , he only pushed on further
into the snow.
So Lieutenant Malgares , having raised
the flag of Spain for the last time on the
soil of Nebraska , made his way back to
Santa Fe , where he disbanded his force
some time in October.
Since these Spaniards wished to
"renew ancient amity" with the Indians
of the Republican and Platte , and since
they manifestly knew just where they
were going and how to get there , it
seems clear that there must have been
pretty continuous dealings between the
two districts. And it would be strange
if , in case of so frugal a folk as the
Indians , there were no material souvenirs
of this intercourse still in existence.
Furthermore , Captain Pike makes the
direct assertion that the Pawnees
frequently purchased horses of the
Spaniards. He also speaks of them as
being "equi-distant between the Spanish
population and that of our settlements
of Louisiana , " and mentions the wide
range of territory they covered , in the
way of warfare , in the west and south
west. All this makes it not only pos
sible that they might , but entirely
probable that they would , have articles
of Spanish manufacture in their pos
session , and accounts for a largo share
of any discoveries of that kind that may
be made , in a very simple manner.
There is , notwithstanding , another
class of finds on record , unmistakably
more ancient , aud so hard to account
for otherwise that one may hope to be
excused for still suggesting "Coronado. "
One of these has already been fully
described in THE CONSERVATIVE , and it
may perhaps be reverted to again later.
ALKXANDEUMA.JOU'S LAST DAYS.
As articles have appeared in news
papers speaking of the poverty of Mr.
Alexander Majors , may I ask you to
give this statement publicity ?
After the retirement of Mr. Majors
from more active business life , what
ever the simplicity of his surroundings ,
when writting his book or at other
times , rest assured it was chosen by
him. I know that he was the most
welcome guest of his children , who
were ever solicitious of his continued ! ]
presence with him , but Mr. Majors was
essentially a "traveling man , " as all
know who were acquainted with him.
Though born and reared in the south ,
no caustic Yankee could denominate
him a "mossback. " Ever on the alert
and interested in whatever appertained
to the welfare and progress of the age ,
he desired to be "in it. " He was not
the protege of Pity , but might have
been at any time the ward of sons amply
able and willing to further any project
near and dear to his heart , and at the
time of his sudden illness was becoming
a partner in and manager of a business
of prospective importance.
Concerning the burial , the body was
shipped from Chicago directly to the
resting place of his wife , in harmony
with feelings expressed by him when in
perfect health. Any tribute of respect
that the public he served choose to offer
can as well be given as if the body were
the center of attraction to curious
gazers , or to the warmest friends who
regard not more his crumbling clay
than the risen spirit of this ever useful ,
lovable and monumental character.
E. 0. ADAMS , in Kansas City Star.
The charge that
ACCUSED. Mr- Bryan in
duced the "
"pluto
cratic" Carnegie to open his purse
strings ought to be repudiated forthwith
by his friends. It carries with it the im
putation of too intimate an association
with the "money power. " . THE CON
SERVATIVE cannot believe that Mr.
Bryan would receive or even ask a do
nation from one identified with the
cause of "greed. " It is so foreign to
the expressed "convictions" of the man ,
who has been battling to prevent a
wholesale crucifixion of humanity on a
klondyke cross and trying to protect
the bare brow of labor from a thorny
head piece.
, . . . If the object of
.r.
. .
OMAHA , . .
POLITICS. Q rec6n' ; munici
pal contest in
Omaha was to determine the two mean
est and most disreputable citizens , people
ple within range of the Omaha
newspapers , are ready to admit that the
two gentlemen , named as mayorolity
candidates , have maintained their right
to the distinction.