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151

"Brewer Citizen" Pub. by Union Publishing Co. Bangor. Feb. 1889 Edited by Frank H. Nickerson

[Newspaper clipping laid in on three quarters of the page:]

HON. JOSEPH NICOLA. _______ SOMETHING ABOUT THE PENOBSCOT'S REPRESENTATIVE AND HIS WORK. _______ And About the Rod He has in Pickle for an Aroostook Member - Do We Owe the Indians $400,000? - He Makes Maine an Offer - And Wants the Seat of Government Moved to Oldtown. _______ From time to time there has appeared in portions of the press of Maine, references to Joseph Nicola, an Indian and a member of the present House of Representatives, who represents the Penobscot tribe, the last one referring to his strong and manly face. But previous to this, some of these papers have made him say that he should remain at Augusta a couple of weeks or so, and then go home, drawing however, his salary for the whole term. Of course Mr. Nicola read these, and on Monday last he called on us, and told us there was no truth in these stories, and that he had numerous duties to perform, to which he should give the same attention as did his white brethren to theirs.

In the first place we desire to state to the funny paragraphers, that Mr. Nicola is a thorough gentleman, and, although he is an Indian, yet he has such an education as would enable him to spell down quite a batch of the present House, should that body go into a spelling school session. At figures, as will be seen before we conclude this article, he is no novice, and he writes a better hand than does some of the reporters who poke fun at him. When to this is added the fact that he is a temperance man, quiet and correct in his speech and a good judge of men, it will be seen at once that the Penobscots have no reason to be ashamed of their legislator.

Mr. Nicola came in, on Monday, being on his way to Augusta, after having spent the Sabbath at home. Of course we did not lose such an opportunity to gain an Indian's idea of our Legislature and the men there, and in a long and interesting talk, he said in substance the following:

The big building at Augusta is a busy place In it there is a slow and careful machine having three branches: the Senate, the House and the Governor's Council The House watches the Senate; the Senate watches the House; the Governor and Council watch both branches and the newspaper men watch the whole lot. But after all, sometimes bad bills slip through unnoticed, and the next morning the newspaper chaps tell them about it, and then they are reconsidered and sometimes thrown out. Even after this, many laws come back to be amended.

Perhaps some ambitious man will come in with a big scheme, others object and then there is a big pow-wow, which costs the tax payers a great deal. Take the Bangor Boom fight! It made me laugh. Some of the lawyers who came over there and talked, never stood on a floating log in their lives, yet they strutted up and down and claimed that "WE have privileges" and all that. One man said that one time he let three hundred logs into a boom and took out seven, and as near as I could make it out, he claimed the boom people took the two hundred and ninety-three logs, in payment for the care of the seven.

There was another fight over the division of Boothbay. Some of the people said they had no representation in town affairs and wanted to be set apart. Why in my tribe we all get equal representation and we would think it a horrid thing to divide the people.

"No, I have never seen any wampum used, and I don't think men are bought." They are not solemn in opening the council talk. We smoke the calumet and are very solemn before the big talk begins but over there they are giddy. Everything is done in writing.

Think Robie in the House is the most sound man there, and I like him best, but I tell you Joe Manly is pretty handy, and he can fit himself to any place pretty quick. Talbot of East Machias is a great watchman. He watches everything and he asks about everything. Great fellow to ask. They are a temperance set. Have no fault to find with anyone, no even with the new member from Aroostook who is on the committee on Indian affairs, and who would not do justice to us. He forgets this land is rightfully ours, but say he has been kind, for he set me hunting up the account between the tribe and the State, and I find there is due us just $459,924, and I am going to ask him to pay it. He says he wants to give us just what we deserve and nothing more.

Here Nicola drew from his pocket book a sheet of paper, covered with figures which would be a credit to a high school boy, so far as neatness and accuracy goes. He explained them as follows:

There is due to us for rent of shores for 26 years at $4,600 per year......$119,600 The price was $5000 per year, but the State paid only $400. Loss of money put into the State Treasury......$13,000 ________ Total......$132,600 The cash put into treasury by the tribe was $60,000 and years afterwards it was learned that Indian agents had drawn out $13,000, for what purpose, the tribe never knew. Interest on $132,000 at 6 per cent. for 29 years......$230,754 Interest on $4,600 for 26 years, 7,176 To which add......$132,600 Add other debts...... 84,424 ________ Total debt of State, $459,924

Mr. Nicola did not expect to bring this amount back with him, and from the twinkle in his eye and the smile upon his lips as he talked, one could easily surmise that he did not expect to find the gentleman from Aroostook with the cash at hand, but he soberly declared that these figures do but express the truth, and that the sum is only the Penobscots due.

Joseph Nicola, as we have said is a strong and practical temperance man, and were he not troubled with a husky voice would address the house on the subject of intemperance in his tribe, and he would make a good speech too. Liquor, he says, is demoralizing the tribe, and he is going before the temperance committee and ask them to draw a bill making it a prison offence to either sell, give, or procure for an Indian, intoxicating liquors. This he thinks would deter Oldtown and Bangor dealers from trading with the red men and squaws and then his tribe would be better physically and morally.

Mr. Nicola, while here, arranged with the county attorney to have the case of Newell Gabriel, an Indian who stabbed a member of the tribe, postponed until Thursday, when he would be in attendance. Nicola is bondsman for Gabriel.

Thursday, Mr. Nicola came in again, just as jolly as ever. He stated that he had some thoughts on woman's suffrage which he should like to give us, and said that he passed Wednesday afternoon and evening in the meetings of the Committee on Legal Affairs, who had this female question under discussion. The thoughts which ran through his mind were something like this:

There is an old tradition in our tribe, that woman sprang from a beautiful plant, but the white man teaches that she came from a man and from a rib taken while he slept. The white man speaks of the Ship of State, and of his country as a ship, and he says the supreme right in the land is the right of suffrage. Now when a question which concerns the whole country comes up, then should the supremacy be exercised. Now let us see! When a ship is built, the keel is laid, and this is the same as the backbone in a human being. The the ribs are added to suit. Now suppose the ship goes on the rocks. Ribs may break and give way, but still she may be saved. But if the keel breaks the back bone is gone and the craft doomed. Therefore, in my opinion the supremacy is vested in the keel, or back bone, and not in ribs, nor in any thing ever made out of a rib.

Referring again to the Indian claim, Mr. Nicola says he has made the State the following liberal offer. If Maine will pay over the four hundred and odd thousand, Mr. Nicola agrees to throw Portland and Bangor in the shade, by giving back one half, if Maine will move the seat of government to Oldtown where it belongs.

Nicola has been before the temperance committee, and asked them to report the following special law:

Any one selling liquor to a Penobscot Indian, to be imprisoned on conviction, thirty days without bail, for first offence. Whoever carries to an Indian's house, or who gives to an Indian, liquor, a punishment double the above. "Just watch that committee and see what they will do," said Mr. Nicola.

[Inscribed at the bottom of the newspaper clipping:]

Dec 25 - 1888 heard Mr. Nicola make a speech at the Xmas celebration. It was one of the best, most dignified, well worded, appropriate seeches that I ever heard. His English was perfect & his appearance fine & commanding. Personally he is tall & slender with a grave face, rather long, & deeply wrinkled, a thin moustache & more the air of a half breed than a full blood. He is an old party man Later he wrote the Red Man

Needs Review

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~ wre was 11I10ther t1,lrht over the dil"
u ay. r.
leol. caDle in !&{raw,
,!HOIl tof Bouthhay.
:Sollie of tile peuple Uullt 3S jolly as ever. He stated he hlld
I ~- l- -~ O~ t30
Said. th e.v had 110 f('preselltalion ill to\\'1I lIome tbought" on woman!s suffrage
V ~I ~ t7
Irr.L--,
_;q
afialr~ alld wallled to be ",-t apart.
Why which he "bould like to give ml, and said
_
~, ~ _
T'
in Uly • I ibe " ,. all I!' t 'qual rt'prese llta- that he passed Wt'dne"dIlY afternoon lind
~(l io
~ - /4. ,.'C/~ion Ullii we wo u ld thillk it a IlUrrid thillg evenin!!l .. the nwetimrs of the Committee
~ ~
.,
-=__ •
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--to dll' iele th,' Pl'O" e.
Oil 1,1· ...a l Affairs" who had this female
I' :
J'~ "No. I hU"e Il l've r seen any wampum qlll'~ti~n under di~cu",;ioll. The thoughts
-! •
•
_
used, a cI J don' t thilll, Ill ell are bought. " whkh ran thl'lIugh hill mind were sowe1< '
_ ,y :Ire lI o t Fok lllll in op elling- th e CU UII - thin~ like this:
Th.
-80METHINO ABOUT THE PENOB.oil talk . We s llIok" the calulllt't alld are
Thf'l'e is lin old tradition in our tribe,
~"8COT'S REPRESENTATIVE AND
, vel} >-oleTllu lwfore the bi!!' talk hegin s ,that woman spran/rfromab .. autiflllplllnt,
HIS WORK.
J!llt over t.lli're th,·y are giddy. Every. but the white lIIan t .. aches she came fl'om
,,~h'inh b dOlle ill writillg'.
a Illan al ,d frolll a rib taken while he
,. ~d Ab()ut. the Uorl He has In Pickle for
',.( 'l'hillk l-{ohi e in tile Hou se is the 1II0;;t sit'pt. The white man "peaks of the Ship
\,_&n Aroo~took lUember-Do We Owe the
-soulld IIlall tllcre and llik.· him best, hut 'fit' :;t"te, and of his count .. y a~ a ship, lind
'1 Ind 'aos $40(),OOO ?-He Makes M~ine an
'<I.otell you J " , Mallly is very hundy , and he says the supn'me I'i~ht in the land is
Oft'_ r-A Ild 'Vanls the Seat of GO"ernment
he 'can Ilt hilns, If to any place pretty the I\!!ht of suffrage. Nnw when a
• "r-Remove d to Oldtown.
,"~u:C-k . Talbot of Ea;;t ~Iaehiasis a gleat qllestion which c"ncerns the whole coun"YlItehll1an: He watclws everytiJillg' and try comes up, thf'n ShollhJ the supremacy
t, From time to time there hns appeared,l,le askes ahout eve n thillg. GI·.-at fellow be exercb .. d. Now let us ~ee! Wh" n a
;. portioll' of the press of :\Iaine, refer- ask. They arc a temperance set. "hip i,; hnilt" the keel is laid, and this is
0
,;ence~ to Jo;:el-'h NIcola, an Indian and a
Jinve lIn fanlt to find with lilly olle', 1101. the slime liS the "aekuone in a humau
'Ylclllllel' of th· · pres" nt HOll-e of Hepre - '\lvl'n with the new melllber from Aroo s- b •. ino-. Then thf' rills are added to suit.
seutativeil, wh" rl'presents tlw Penob~eot -t!Qol;" h .. bOil tiJe co nllllittee on Illdiun No,,;' "uppose thl' ~hip goes on the rocl'8.
'~he,
the 100;;t one referring to his .all'air;;, an.! who would uot do jus tice to Hihs mav break and give wa.v , but still
;'sLrou/C alltLmanly face. Bnt previolls t',
cU~: H e furl" t 8 this la llt! is rightfully she may· be savt'd. nUL if the kepI breHks
ltlis, !'om .. of these papers have llIade him :/!lurs, Ullt ~9.r he has been kind, for he the hack bon~ is J!one Hnd the cralt
ULttt he ghould lemain at Au:.:u~ta II !It't we Illlllting' up the HCCOUllt betweell doomeLl. Therefnrf', in my opinion the
:Colli,l .. of Wt~""S or 8,,.0, and then go 1lOme,
the tribe alld the Slatt', and I lilld there i, ~llprelllacy is vested In the keel, or back
.lira\\ illg however, nis salary "'tir th'l
due u~ just $459,924, all(i I tim going' to bOlle, Hud not in rihR, nor in any thing
,Whole te l'lll . Of COIII'se Mr. N icola reae!
lI,;k hi III to pay it. H e SHyS he wauts to ' e\-er made out. of a rib.
*hese, and on ~Ionday hst he ClIlled JIl , $'!Vc.us what ~\'e deserve and nOLhillg
U.. ferring again to the Indian claim,
U8 "lid told us there was no truth ill the-e
more.
MI'. Nicola ~a' s he ba" made the Stat..
~~,orif''', alld Ihat h~ had nUlnel'ou". duties
;: ,Here Nicola drew from his poek .. t hook the followin!! liberal offer. If Maine will
lo perforlll_ to whwll h" shollid g'l\'e the a ·"heet "f lJHl-'er, co\',e l'ed with figure s pay over the fOllr hundred and ode!
~1IH' attention us did tis white brethren
whkh would be a credit to a hi~h schoul tholl~a: : tI, Mr. Nicola ag' ees to throw
'10 their ,; .
lI.. y, so fal' liS n"atnelSS and acc uracy goes. POI tl~nd and Ballgol' in the sharie. by
, ' In the fir~t place we de!'ire to ~tate t-O ,lIe expla lued thelll as fullows:
I-'ivillg back one half, if Maine willlllove
VIe fUlIlIY pllragrH]lhpr~, that Mr. Nicola
, Th"re is clu·· II" f.,r rent of shores for the Sl~ at of govenllnent to Oldtown
1fI a thorou~h ~elltl .. m:lD. and, althollg'h
26 Jear~ at ~4.600 ppr year .... .. ~ 119,600 wllf're it helon~s.
be is 1111 IlILliall , yel he has such all edu- ~ -The price wu s $:,000 per
Nicola has been hef"re the temperance
.,J!Jltioll a" would ellable hilll t .. "peli do,vlI -year, ""b nt the State paid
cnllllllitt"e, lind a~kpd theln to report the
:nuite a hatch of the pre-t'nt House, s hould only $~OO.
foliowin!! ;; pl'e ial law:
'Miat bOlly go into a s lwliillg scho"l ~e~_:' LOS8 of mOlwy put into
AllY olle selling liquor to II P enobscot.
sion. At. ti!!' ure~, a s will he seclI bl:'fore
~he Stale Treas ury . . .... . _. . .... 13,000
Indian, In be illlpl i~olJ,'d 011 conviction,
':~. e con..Iude Ihis :~ icle, he is no newice.
- - - - thirty days withont hail, for tirst ofi',nce.
"Tutal $'] 3:!,600 Whoev, 'I' carries to lin IndiulI's house, or
1lild he write s a better hand than do .. ,..
-!Jome ~ th\!. _';"'pulll' rs who pok e fUll at
Th e c:l~h put into rre~su ry b ~- t Il e t, ib., wh" gives' to an Inrii:lII, liquor, a puni shtil-Ill. ,,.'he n-t'b tlil~ is atlded tile facl that
wus $GO_ ()OO alld veal's afterwards it was : m ellt douhle the above.
"Just wa tch
be is 1\ Ie lll. erawe rnati ;qlli ,·t and corrt'et li'a l'll(~c1 t"at III (Ii~ge nts had elr,\ wn Ollt I that committee and see what they will
-is hi~ sl ,eec h aile! a good j1ldg:.. of Ille .. , 8]3 ,000. for what Plll:PO~ . Ih e tribenevel' : do," said Mr. Nicola.
;Jl:, will he ~eell at unce that the Penobscots l!inew.
"
1I11Vl: no rea~on to be ashamed of th"ir ,
III ' pre~t on $132,600 at '6 per CPllt. for
,12gislatol·.
29 years .. . ........... . .. . ...... 1ji230.7ii4
~"!~
- ~Io. N.cola c am e in. on Monday, being
Illl.erpst Oil $4,600 for 26 years,
7, 1.6
his \Va.v to Augusta, aLe l' havillg " To whi ch add .... . ......... . . 132 .600
\gpi·nt the :;ublJ:lt,h at home. Of eours~ ~ Add other debts .... ... . . .. . .. 84,424
\We did lIot lo se ~uI ' h an OppOl·t ullit\' to
'1'otlll d .. bt of State. $459,924
'PIn -an IlId\;III's id ea of our Legislature
Mr. Nicola did nut expect to bring Ihis
,.ami the IIII'll there, and in a 10llg alit! ill'>lerl'slill)! tall" h e er.id in substance the amount buck with hilll , ami from the
g~~/~~(hd(
'winkle of his e.\e and the ~mile upon
,-(QUo," iug:
-; 'Pit' lng- hllildillg at An g usta is a bu ~ ~' .18 lipt' 118 he talked, one could ea~i1v sur"p'Iace III it. there is a s luw and careful ~l"e thai, he dill not t'xpect to fiud the
B1aehill .. havillg t.hrce branche,,; th,' St'lI- " eotlt' man from Aroostook wit.h thl' cllt<h
!It .hand, but he soberly deelared tl,at
at,.· / the HOII,c all' I the Gove)'n(\I"~ C, ,uneil
Thl' HOII~e wal ches tl,e Spnate; Ihe thCJ!e ti:':tlr, 's do but express the truth,
Sellut.. wat c h, 's til e Hnuse; til e Gov,'rllor altd that Ihe sum I s only the Penobscots
and Coulleil walch bl'th lirallches and aoe.
the 1I0";;l-'al-'l'r JIIen watch th e whole lot. , Josepb Nicola, as .,-e bave said is a
B"t afte r all, s" lIIl'LiIUCS bad bilis slip
Ihroll:! h 1111110ti('ell, 111~(\ th e lI ext morllillg ~trnll/r pnd practical tl'mperance man. lind
the new ~pa per chllps tt-li them lIbtJut it. were he not troubled with a ,husky voice
..nd th e ll I h"v:\1 I' re-c"n~idered and some- wOtl ,d addre"s the house Oil the ~lIbj ec t
~
~;~
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_ ' III 'S 1.1 ' 1'0\\
ti
out. E\ en afler til is, lIIuny _of intemperanc .. in his tribe, and h" wOllla
Jaws COllIe had{ to be ame llo/,.d.
mnlw .... l!<'od speech 100. Liquor, he says,
~~/--~
.' Pnh:l]Js ROllle :lIl1bitious man wi!l COlliI' i~ rll'nlOl'aliz ng the tribe, allii he is going
~"'I~~
-in wi lh It bi!! ~c h e lll l', otl ers obj E-ct allll before thp t,' mpel'llllCe c ' 'mlllittee alld ask
-~h t' IJl th c :-<-', is a bi!! pow-wow, \Vlllch eo, t,
tl em til draw a bit! makillg it II priso n
~ cg~ ~1----L ~
th e tax pay ers. g-re:lt d eal. T ake the "ff lie" to either ~ell, giv ... or procure for
- ang" r 1;00 111 t1!!1lt! I t Ill ude llIe lauJ! ls. "II Indi:m, intoxio-atimr liquors. Thi,; he
D
... ~ ,iC., .. ~ " )k ~
S,m,,, "I' the hl\\"\ -'.
Cit Ie ove
-rthere thillk~ would det .. r Oldtown :lIld nangol'
,:and tll lkt-'d, lI e n :r ~tood on It floatin g log . dealers fr')m tradillg with the red II1l'n
..in tl lei r li\' e,;:, y,·t Ihey s tl'utlHI up allci and i'q11llW8 lind thell his tl'ihe would be
~,A;.Lf~~
I
dow n II lld 1'i ',iIIlCci t,hat " WE have pl'ivi- belt... r physically :lIId morally.
1e'''e:;-' alld ,, 11 that_
One 1II:11J ,aid that
Mr. Nicola. while here, an'll nged with
-0;1' tiuJI' he let three hundred logs illtu a the cflunty IIttoTU"Y. t·, lI:we the case of
'boo III nc1 10(,1; Ollt sev,·J1. :1.I ,c\ as 111':11' 'IS N"well Gllbl'iel. an Ir,diall who stabbed a
I - coulll Illah e it lIUt., lI e daim cc1 th e boom IIIf'lnher of the t:'ibo, pO!<lloned
I
'-peol ,le 1001. Ih, ' twu hU I cil'cd and ni , e ly- Thul'I!dRY, when he would be ill
- I11'('e logs, in paYlIJe llt for th e care of the an' ·e. Nicola is bond"lUali fyr.
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'BON J'OSEPH NICOLA

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