jan 1, 1913 - U.S. v. Sandoval

Description:

Indians are “inferior people… requiring special consideration and protection.”

US v. Sandoval 1913
231
By: Kyle Patrick
Presiding Judge: Justice Willis Van Devanter



Felipe Sandoval was charged with bringing alcoholic beverages onto Pueblo Indian land, in New Mexico. The charges where eventually dismissed because the courts found that the Federal Government couldn’t enforce federal law on Indian land and if they did it would infringe on state police enforcing. The federal government replied with, but when New Mexico was admitted into the US they said their Indian land is subject to federal law. The Supreme Court also upheld that only congress has power over Indian reservations not the court system.

This case deals with the Pueblo Indian Reservation in New Mexico. The US government tried to restrict the selling of alcohol and an outright ban of alcohol on an Indian Reservation. The Supreme Court ruled that Congress prohibit alcohol on Indian Reservations. This was repealed in 1953 allowing Indian Reservations alcohol. “although industrially superior, they are intellectually and morally inferior to many of them, and that they are easy victims to the evils and debasing influence of intoxicants.” Justice Van Devanter.
The Enabling Act of 1910 states the sale, barter, or giving of intoxicating liquors to Indians and the introduction of liquors into Indian country of New Mexico, are forever prohibited.

It addressed the fact that if Indian tribes are recognized by the executive branch of government and also recognized by congress then the courts must recognize them as well. It talks about Indians being a dependent people, for care and needing the protection of the federal government and only congress can determine for how long and how. The courts cannot address this. It addresses that Pueblo Indians are more sedentary rather than nomadic like most other tribes are still Indians as a race, culture and in customs and are an ignorant and inferior people like other Indian tribes.

History:
During this time was prohibition, the US ban of all alcohol. The US Government at the time and still to this day treats Native Americans as inferior people and dependent on them to survive. Native Americans have survived and persevered through all the obstacles and violating treaties by the US Government, and are not dependent on anyone.
New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912 by President William Taft. However in June of 1910 Taft signed the New Mexico Enabling act, the document to start them to statehood. In section 309 of the New Mexico Enabling act is about Alcohol and Native Americans. It targets specifically Pueblo Indian land in New Mexico, forbidding them specifically from alcohol. Only on Pueblo Indian Lands. The Pueblo Indians aren’t a nomadic people, meaning they don’t move around following the game animals, the US Government didn’t recognize them as true Indians. Since the most of the other native American tribes did move around with the game animals and with the seasons. It took 30 years before the US Supreme Court would acknowledge them as Native Americans. In 1847 however, they were considered political and corporate bodies. The act states that the Pueblo people are living on land granted by the Spanish and Mexican Governments.

BIO
Justice Willis Van Devanter was a supreme court justice from 1911-1937. A Republican from Indiana he was one of few justices that did not die while serving as a Supreme Court judge.


Felipe Sandoval wasn’t a Pueblo Indian rather he was just a bootlegger. He was born in Madrid Spain in 1886.

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