Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-10-12
ON 10 s,v settlement. that might be for

med ~ the Columbia River. Indepen-
deut Of the greater length and difficulty
Of the route 70 the latter point, from
our settlements, the Mexican portion OF
the Gull are shoal and inconvenent, and
the entrance to the principal one has
been, until lately, controlled By the Roy
aIists. Their rivers are unit Tor naVi-
| CATION, their roads execrable, and iniest-
ed with banditti, and the quenching IN
fuence ofIiberty has otyet complete
w aroused the subdued energies OF our
Mexican neighbors. On the western
coast, there are spacious har0ours, ana
an immense navigable river, aud should
our Western traders 90 there, they
would meet the most formidable COM
mercial opponents in the worid-onr
| eastern cOuntrymen.
There is an empire Of wild land be-
tween the Missouri and Mississippi, oil
much better quality than any on our
coasts upon the Pacific. Let US settle
this before we look further.
4 military post is not asked for by
our whale fishermen, or other traders,
who frequent that coast, nor have ther
great rivals, the English, any protection
of that kind, but is urged by The people
Of the west, Troops stationed there
would be at greater expense than
elsewhere. Every thing musthe trans
ported an immense distance, and dou-
bic supplies rept for fear OF accident
| TIE military character Of the troops
would become merged in that OF the ell
vii; thew will become colonists, hunters,
and fishermen. and in the event OF war,
their n,litary services will be lost By The
remoteness of their situation, by the
habits they have acquired, or by their
becoming prey to naval pfeponde'
rance.
The English traders who have, until
1928, more right than our own citizens
in that country, roam through it without
the aid of protection from military posts;
They start from Hudson's Bay, and
traverse the northwest csast to the 4oth
degree of latitude, without any other
fear than that of meeting opposition IN
trade, from those with whose territorial
rights they have been strangely permit
ted to participate.
The idea Of protecting Indian trade IN
this country, by permanent posts and
immoveab!e gafrisons, is asiIlsuory as it
would be to protect our commerce on
the high seas from pirates, by a cham
Of poasts along the coast from Nev-or-
leans to Boston Our advances beyond
the Mississippi have brought US IN CON
tact withth mounted Tartars Of Amer
lea. five wish to protect the iur trade,
or have an influence over the indians,
we must adopt our means OF control To
their situation. Instead of shutting up
the troans at The mouth of the Column
bia, let them be stationed at some point
on TIE Missouri, from which they can
make periodical excursions into the In
dian country. large part Of the force
should be mounted, and depot formed,
to which they could occasionally resort
to obtain provisions, Sec. and recruit
their horses. From this point, let them
rove or cruise over the immense plans
of Western America. They will soon
become as txpeltin obtaining the means
of subsistence IS the Indians. Letthcni
cross, if necessary, the mountains, aud
90 to the Pacific, let it be their business
to afford convoy and protection to ira
ders to 60 wherever their presence
may be necessary, or wherever the In
dams themselves can penetrate, aad car
ry punishment upon transsrassors IN
their most hidden yecesses. It's 5y this
means alone that any strong impression
can be made upon those wandering nor
des. Soldiers Of uncxampled efficiency
will thus be formed. and the eAtraordi-
nary spectacle avoided OF accommodating
Indians on our borders, and removing to
the mouth OF the Columbia. the means
of controlling them. But perfect secu
rity tn those who are compelled to ira
verse the Indian country, cannot be OBJ
tanned until more summary mode Of
punishiug aggressors is legally autaoTi-
zed. Ibelieve il would be true humani-
iy to the red and white skins both, il the
former were placed under martial law,
and that the surrender OF n murderer, bj
his tribe, should be considered as legal
evidence of guilt, and authority for his
immediate execution. l am your most
obedient servant.
THOS. B!DDLE.
Hon. JOHN SCoTT.