Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-09-28
THE WESTERN FRONTIERS

THE WESTERN FRONTIERS.
Intelligence has been communicated to the
Government that pieconcerted movement
is about 10 be made by the Chiefs on the
frontiers, TO attack the White settlements
with force of seventy thousand mounted
warriors Touching this affair, the Nation
al Gazette remarks
We judge that this solemn opinion of such
an experienced officer as the writer of this
letter, will awaken the attention of the gov.
eminent and the public to the true condition
OF the perlls which menace our vast frontier
settlements The danger apprehended from
the attack supposed TO be in meditation. is
not novel anticipation to those who have
rightly considered the condition of our Yves
tern possessions. Last winter very excel
lent and elaborate report was made by Guar.
ter Master General Cross to the Secretary
of War, on the subject OF the defence of the
frontier With regard to the force necessa-
ry TO the full protection OF that region, the
General expressed an opinion that were
such thing consistent with political expe-
diency, thirty thousand men would not be
more than sufficient to enable the Govern
ment to discharge its duties to its own cti-
Gems aud redeem the pledges of protection TO
the Indians. The minimum force which he
deemed presently indispensable, was set down
at seven thousand men, TO be distributed
through the various forts, as well as posts OF
refuge which he proposed
Some idea of the danger 10 be apprehend-
ed in case Of Indian hostlities and the neces-
sity Of adequate means for their prevention
or suppression, may be learned from the fact
that the number of Indians that will be EN-
bodied west of the Mississippi, when all are
removed, will, as it is computed, be from
two hundred and Gorly-fve thousand, TO three
hundred and thirty-two thousand. Thirty.
seven thousand Indians including five thou
sand Seminoles and fourteen thousand Cher
okces, are designed TO help towards increas-
ing this hostile body all these except per.
haps the Seminoles, will, under treaty, take
up their abode sooner or later west Of the
Mississippi and the Wyandots of Ohio, a
small tribe of less than six hundred and the
Miamies in Indiana, eleven hundred in nun.
Der, are the only tribes now holding titles TO
land in the States, all the rest having been
already extinguished.
The number OF tribes that have now emf
grated west of the Mississippi is over fifty
thousand and that OF the indigenous tribes
within striking distance Of the Western
frontier, two hundred and thirty.wo thou
sand. All these it may be estimated. can
bring into the field nearly seventy thousand
war; iors, burning with inveterate and insa.
table hate towards their superior foe, and
equal TO the commission Of the most unscru-
pulous acts Of savage warfare, and possess.
ing too, the means OF defence and attack oil
their enemies, as well as those peculiar 10
themselves.
If there BE- any doubt as 10 the apprehen-
s:ons of Gen. Gaines being rightly founded
in regard to the Vaccinations of the Chero-
KEGS, there will be none in anticipating the
removal of the Seminoles in case they are
conquered, as fire brand thrown among
our Western settlements. General Jackson,
or as we now learn, Mr. Calhoun may be
admired and appauded for authorizing .h.
precpitate removal OF the Indians as a salu-
iary measure. just so long as the exiIes and
their new neighbors keep quiet; but if Gen
eral Gaines's opinions are ever realized, we
do not think the Southern statesman can
honestly repeat the selEgratulalions which
he expressed in late letter, for originating
that policy.
ARREST FOR MuRDER-Jouathan T.
Flint, captain of the canal boat Isaac Van
Olnda, was arrested this morning on a
charge Of committing murder upon passen-
ger, named Oliver b. Larckom, from Tyr
bingham, Berkshire county, Mass. The
circumstances, as near as we can ascertain