65:, especially White Americans coming West. Soon the area was dotted with ranches, many of whom forced at least some Indians into slave labor in order to work their enormous holdings. Slavery became widespread in the region. Visitors to California described Indians as "legally reduced to servitude," "the bond-men of the country," "little better than serfs performed all the drudgery and labour." White American Lansford Warren Hastings wrote "the natives...in California...are in a state of absolute vassalage, even more degrading, and more oppressive than that of our slaves in the south."
103:
Daily Union article of the time accused high-pressure lobbyists interested in profiting off enslaved
Indians of pushing the law through, gave examples of how wealthy individuals had abused the law to acquire Indian slaves from the reservations, and stated, "The Act authorizes as complete a system of slavery, without any of the checks and wholesome restraints of slavery, as ever was devised."
99:
to be waged…until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected." This expectation soon found its way into law. An 1851 legislative measure not only gave settlers the right to organize lynch mobs to kill
Indians, but allowed them to submit their expenses to the government. By 1852 the state had authorized over a million dollars in such claims.
102:
In 1856, a San
Francisco Bulletin editorial stated, "Extermination is the quickest and cheapest remedy, and effectually prevents all other difficulties when an outbreak occurs." In 1860 the legislature passed a law expanding the age and condition of Indians available for forced slavery. A Sacramento
77:
In late June or early July, several
Spanish-speaking men met with friendly Konkow Maidu Indians about sixty miles north of Sutter's Fort near present-day Chico. Despite being received hospitably by the Konkow Maidu, the White men "after having partaken of their hospitality, commenced making prisoners
49:
and began building a fortified settlement on a land grant of 48,827 acres (197.60 km) at the confluence of the
Sacramento and American rivers. He had been given the land by the Mexican government, supposedly under the stipulation that it would help to keep Americans from occupying the territory.
98:
On April 22, 1850, the fledgling
California state legislature passed the "Act for the Government and Protection of Indians," legalizing the kidnapping and forced servitude of Indians by White settlers. In 1851, the civilian governor of California declared, "That a war of extermination will continue
68:
Sutter eventually criticized the slave-stealing behavior of these other settlers, even though he had participated a level of it himself. In 1847, Sutter (now employed as a U.S. federal Indian agent) reported to his superiors that other slavers, "with little or no cause would shoot them, steal away
53:
In order to build his fort and develop a large ranching/farming network in the area, Sutter relied on Indian labor. Observers accused him of using "kidnapping, food privation, and slavery" in order to force
Indians to work for him, and generally stated that Sutter held the Indians under inhumane
106:
On April 27, 1863, five months after
Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, California outlawed the enslavement of Native Americans. However, slavery and forced labor continued under the name of "apprenticeship" and other euphemisms at least through 1874.
54:
conditions. In 1846, the
American James Clyman wrote that Sutter, "keeps 600 to 800 Indians in a complete state of Slavery." Sutter was one of many ranchers who took part in revenge attacks against Indians in response to cattle-stealing (see
434:
What I Saw in
California: Being the Journal of a Tour, by the Emigrant Route and South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, Across the Continent of North America, the Great Desert Basin, and through California, in the years 1846,
78:
of men, women and children, and in securing them, to escape." They then took into bondage at least thirty Indians, primarily women and children, killing on the way back those young children who were unable to continue.
86:
J.A. Sutter reported that Antonio Armijo, Robert Smith, and John Eggar were the slavers who had massacred said Indians, and the men were then arrested by the U.S. Army. However, judges acquitted all three men at trial.
700:
Sutter, John (July 12, 1847b), "J. A. Sutter, Sub-agent for the Indians on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers to R.B. Mason, Colonel 1st Dragoons, Governor, Commander-in-Chief of the land forces in California",
796:
750:
670:
592:
541:
816:
806:
791:
69:
their women and children, and even go so far as to attack whole villages, killing, without distinction of age or sex, hundreds of defenseless Indians."
419:
Babe, E.J. (March 17, 1847), "E.J. Babe, Magistrate of Nappa, Northern District of California to Lieut Harrison Comndg Military forces at Sonoma",
95:
This is the last record of the U.S. military government even taking any slavers of American Indians to trial or making any effort to stop slaving.
518:
The Emigrants' Guide, to Oregon and California... and all Necessary Information Relative to the Equipment, Supplies, and the Method of Traveling
801:
720:
412:
776:
611:
An American Genocide: The United States and the California Indian Catastrophe, 1846-1873 (The Lamar Series in Western History)
811:
637:
826:
786:
781:
126:
116:
55:
458:
Six Months in the Gold Mines: From a Journal of Three Years' Residence in Upper and Lower California, 1847–1849
131:
549:
Hurtado, Albert (Spring 1990). "California Indians and the Workaday West: Labor, Assimilation, and Survival".
121:
711:
566:
535:
744:
664:
586:
25:
558:
62:
46:
821:
349:
770:
516:
42:
442:
Boggs, L.W. (October 30, 1847), "L.W. Boggs & M.G. Vallejo to Gov Mason",
680:
Beasts of the Field: A Narrative History of California Farmworkers, 1769-1913
579:
Journals of the Legislature of the State of California at its Second Session
361:
570:
737:
Statutes of California, Passed at the First Session of the Legislature
562:
456:
687:
Sutter, John (May 18, 1847a), "Jn. A. Sutter to Gen. S.W. Kearney",
20:
refers to an incident in 1847 when several settlers killed 12 to 20
504:"Records of the 10th Military Department, 1846–51," Record Group 98
421:"Records of the 10th Military Department, 1846–51," Record Group 98
21:
502:
Harrison, Geo (March 17, 1847), "Geo Harrison to Capt. DuPont",
495:
Expenditures for Military Expeditions against Indians, 1851-1859
477:
Genocide and Vendetta, the Round Valley Wars of North California
148:
146:
61:
Sutter was hospitable to foreign settlers looking to move into
703:
S. Exec. Doc. 18, 31st Cong., 1st Sess., 1850, Serial 557, 351
350:
Journals of the Legislature of the State of California 1851
510:(Reel 2), US National Archives and Records Administration
427:(Reel 2), US National Archives and Records Administration
373:
313:
493:
Comptroller of the State of California (1851–1859),
189:
187:
185:
710:
152:
705:, US National Archives and Records Administration
45:, a Swiss immigrant of German origin, settled in
385:
362:Comptroller of the State of California 1851–1859
265:
325:
8:
749:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
669:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
591:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
540:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
528:Indian Survival on the California Frontier
657:Statutes of California, Assembly Bill 65
475:Carranco, Lynwood; Beard, Estle (1981).
241:
337:
277:
253:
164:
142:
742:
712:"John Sutter and California's Indians"
662:
584:
533:
301:
229:
217:
205:
193:
176:
797:Native American history of California
486:Diary of Col. James Clyman of Napa Co
397:
289:
7:
817:Anti-Indigenous racism in California
807:History of Sutter County, California
636:Smith, Stacey L. (April 29, 2013).
602:Narrative of a California Volunteer
515:Hastings, Lansford Warren (1845).
461:. Philadelphia: Lee and Blanchard.
413:Bibliography of California history
14:
792:1847 murders in the United States
479:. Norman: University of Oklahoma.
24:in a slave raid near present-day
638:"Freedom for California Indians"
735:California Legislature (1850),
723:from the original on 2017-08-28
678:Street, Richard Steven (2004).
655:California Legislature (1860),
1:
802:Massacres of Native Americans
521:. Cincinnati: George Conclin.
497:, Sacramento: The Comptroller
682:. Stanford University Press.
18:Konkow Maidu slaver massacre
730:– via Historynet.com.
374:San Francisco Bulletin 1856
314:Statutes of California 1850
843:
450:, State of California: 124
410:
695:, State of California: 86
609:Madley, Benjamin (2009).
455:Buffum, E. Gould (1850).
326:Carranco & Beard 1981
127:Kern and Sutter massacres
117:Sacramento River massacre
56:Kern and Sutter massacres
613:. Yale University Press.
526:Hurtado, Albert (1988).
437:. New York: D. Appleton.
132:List of Indian massacres
777:1847 in Alta California
600:Murray, Walter (1878).
153:Wild West Magazine 2006
760:Sacramento Daily Union
689:Archives of California
629:San Francisco Bulletin
484:Clyman, James (1871).
444:Archives of California
432:Bryant, Edwin (1848).
122:Sutter Buttes massacre
812:History of California
719:. December 12, 2006.
386:Sacramento Union 1861
758:"untitled article".
631:. September 1, 1856.
627:"untitled article".
618:"untitled article".
466:"untitled article".
266:California Star 1847
827:California genocide
762:. February 4, 1861.
604:. Bancroft Library.
488:. Bancroft Library.
340:, pp. 129–131.
328:, pp. 40, 109.
316:, pp. 408–410.
717:Wild West Magazine
642:The New York Times
622:. August 22, 1856.
551:California History
364:, pp. 16, 19.
787:Massacres in 1847
26:Chico, California
834:
782:June 1847 events
763:
754:
748:
740:
731:
729:
728:
714:
706:
696:
683:
674:
668:
660:
651:
649:
648:
632:
623:
620:Sacramento Union
614:
605:
596:
590:
582:
581:, San Jose, 1851
574:
563:10.2307/25177303
545:
539:
531:
522:
511:
498:
489:
480:
471:
470:. July 24, 1847.
462:
451:
438:
428:
401:
395:
389:
383:
377:
371:
365:
359:
353:
347:
341:
335:
329:
323:
317:
311:
305:
299:
293:
287:
281:
275:
269:
263:
257:
251:
245:
239:
233:
227:
221:
215:
209:
203:
197:
191:
180:
174:
168:
162:
156:
150:
842:
841:
837:
836:
835:
833:
832:
831:
767:
766:
757:
741:
734:
726:
724:
709:
699:
686:
677:
661:
654:
646:
644:
635:
626:
617:
608:
599:
583:
577:
548:
532:
525:
514:
501:
492:
483:
474:
468:California Star
465:
454:
441:
431:
418:
415:
409:
404:
396:
392:
384:
380:
372:
368:
360:
356:
348:
344:
336:
332:
324:
320:
312:
308:
300:
296:
288:
284:
276:
272:
264:
260:
252:
248:
240:
236:
228:
224:
216:
212:
204:
200:
192:
183:
175:
171:
163:
159:
151:
144:
140:
113:
93:
84:
75:
63:Alta California
47:Alta California
39:
34:
12:
11:
5:
840:
838:
830:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
769:
768:
765:
764:
755:
732:
707:
697:
684:
675:
652:
633:
624:
615:
606:
597:
575:
546:
523:
512:
499:
490:
481:
472:
463:
452:
439:
429:
408:
405:
403:
402:
390:
378:
366:
354:
342:
330:
318:
306:
304:, p. 110.
294:
282:
270:
258:
246:
244:, p. 132.
234:
222:
210:
208:, p. 448.
198:
181:
179:, p. 116.
169:
157:
141:
139:
136:
135:
134:
129:
124:
119:
112:
109:
92:
89:
83:
80:
74:
71:
38:
35:
33:
30:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
839:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
774:
772:
761:
756:
752:
746:
738:
733:
722:
718:
713:
708:
704:
698:
694:
690:
685:
681:
676:
672:
666:
658:
653:
643:
639:
634:
630:
625:
621:
616:
612:
607:
603:
598:
594:
588:
580:
576:
572:
568:
564:
560:
556:
552:
547:
543:
537:
529:
524:
520:
519:
513:
509:
505:
500:
496:
491:
487:
482:
478:
473:
469:
464:
460:
459:
453:
449:
445:
440:
436:
430:
426:
422:
417:
416:
414:
406:
399:
394:
391:
387:
382:
379:
375:
370:
367:
363:
358:
355:
352:, p. 15.
351:
346:
343:
339:
334:
331:
327:
322:
319:
315:
310:
307:
303:
298:
295:
291:
286:
283:
279:
274:
271:
267:
262:
259:
255:
250:
247:
243:
242:Hastings 1845
238:
235:
232:, p. xv.
231:
226:
223:
220:, p. 95.
219:
214:
211:
207:
202:
199:
195:
190:
188:
186:
182:
178:
173:
170:
166:
161:
158:
154:
149:
147:
143:
137:
133:
130:
128:
125:
123:
120:
118:
115:
114:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
90:
88:
82:Repercussions
81:
79:
72:
70:
66:
64:
59:
57:
51:
48:
44:
36:
31:
29:
27:
23:
19:
759:
736:
725:. Retrieved
716:
702:
692:
688:
679:
656:
645:. Retrieved
641:
628:
619:
610:
601:
578:
554:
550:
530:. New Haven.
527:
517:
507:
503:
494:
485:
476:
467:
457:
447:
443:
433:
424:
420:
407:Bibliography
393:
381:
369:
357:
345:
338:Hurtado 1988
333:
321:
309:
297:
285:
278:Sutter 1847b
273:
261:
254:Sutter 1847a
249:
237:
225:
213:
201:
172:
167:, p. 5.
165:Hurtado 1990
160:
105:
101:
97:
94:
85:
76:
67:
60:
52:
40:
22:Konkow Maidu
17:
15:
302:Street 2004
230:Buffum 1850
218:Murray 1878
206:Bryant 1848
194:Madley 2009
177:Clyman 1871
43:John Sutter
771:Categories
739:, San Jose
727:2017-08-27
659:, San Jose
647:2017-08-27
411:See also:
398:Smith 2013
290:Boggs 1847
37:Background
536:cite book
138:Footnotes
91:Aftermath
745:citation
721:Archived
665:citation
587:citation
571:25177303
557:(1): 5.
111:See also
73:Incident
41:In 1839
32:History
569:
822:Maidu
567:JSTOR
751:link
671:link
593:link
542:link
508:M210
435:1847
425:M210
16:The
559:doi
58:).
773::
747:}}
743:{{
715:.
693:63
691:,
667:}}
663:{{
640:.
589:}}
585:{{
565:.
555:69
553:.
538:}}
534:{{
506:,
448:63
446:,
423:,
184:^
145:^
28:.
753:)
673:)
650:.
595:)
573:.
561::
544:)
400:.
388:.
376:.
292:.
280:.
268:.
256:.
196:.
155:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.