The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-16 00:00:00

GED IZANY.

A letter from Berlin states that Count Bismarck is
exerting himself to the utmost to procure a settlement of
the Schleswig-Holstein question, and that his policy
rapidly gains ground at the Prussian Court. There are
some who wish to protract this difficulty, in order in the end
to enable Prussia to keep all she has gained, but Count
Bismarck is desirous of removing every pretext for war
by fulfilling the Treaty of Prague. The relations between
Prussia and France were never better than at present;
but those between Prussia and Austria could hardly be
worse. The journals of the two countries are carry-
ing on a pen-and-ink war of great activity, and
even statesmen are not particularly guarded in their
utterances. The other day Count Bismarck announced to
the Prussian Chambers that the Chateau of Hietzing was
the scene of perpetual intrigues against North Germany.
Hietzing is at Vienna, and is the residence of the ex-King
George, who is permitted to dwell at the Austrian capital
notwithstanding the unconcealed displeasure of the Prus-
sian Government. A correspondent of the Liberte says
that though there is no reason to apprehend a rupture
between the two countries, they are, nevertheless, so
unfriendly that it would not be surprising if the Austrian
Ambassador at Berlin were to receive unlimited leave of
%bsence.

AMERICA.
General Grant, says the Telegraph, is known to hold
very decided views on at least one question—the resump•
tion of specie payments. He has avowed his intention of
recommending to Congress a measure in accordance with
the last report of Secretary M'Culloch, which fixed 1871
as the date for the final withdrawal of the greenback. It
is even thought that Mr. M'Culloch will be invited to
keep his place at the Treasury under the new President.
Congress has already set aside in the most decisive manner
all the various projects of repudiation. A telegram from
New York states that the House of Representatives, by
154 votes against 6, has passed a resolution declaring all
forms of repudiation odious to the American people. The
national creditors will be offered all that the Government
has contracted to pay them.
General Sherman has sent to the War Department at
Washington a long report on the causes and consequences
of the difficulty with the Indians. His account of the
manner in which the war now going on was brought about
is simply a repetition of the old story. The frontier line of
American civilisation is continually widening and encroach-
ing upon the hunting-grounds of the aboriginal tribes. In
spite of all past experience, the thirst for gain, the
eagerness to first get possesson of new land,
the report of a gold discovery, or the prospect of profit in
any shape whatever, impels the American to hazard his
life and property in a district which is but nominally
under the control of the Government. The authorities
themselves encourage the invasion of these insecure wilds.
The co-ordinate departments of the Government continue
to extend the surveys of public land westward, and grant
patents to occupants to locate and build railroads, to
establish snail routes, with the necessary stations and relays
1 of horses, as though the country were in profound peace and
all danger had passed away. The difficulty arising from this
\source never diminishes, for as fast as one district is wrested
from the Indians the white man follows them into another.
General Sherman puts forth the advice of the Peace Com-
mission, which investigated this matter, as the only means
of avoiding the frequent recurrence of Indian wars
:
"That to maintain a permanent peace with the Indians
east of the Rocky Mountains, they shou'd all, at the earliest
possible moment, be collected on reservations, as far re-
moved as possible from white settlements and lines of
travel, and that there they should be maintained at the cost
of the United States until they could wholly or partially
provide for themselves." In a territory so vast that a
district as large as England ranks but as a small province,
there ought to be no difficulty in assigning the Indians a
dwelling-place, and preserving them from encroachment.
The estimates of their number vary considerably ; but it
is certain that all the tribes in the United States cannot
muster a total of 40,000, the vast majority being located
in California and New Mexico. Surely these might be
left in peace until the end comes—until the red man is
extinct.