The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-10-10

From the Independence mo Expositor, Sept ISL
struggle With the predatory Indian tribes nhsbtins the
immense country between Us and the Pacific Two
conspire to render this inevitable First the
great numerical force Of the Indians and the rapid dim
mutton Of the buffalo upon which exclusively they sub
sis Second the uuwss ucredulity Of government,
its slow and reluctant recognition Of the approaching
danger and the levity exhibited by the President aud
Cabinet in their treatment of existing dificultiss
three past Indian wars enable us exactly to foretell
the coming disaster-the Creek, the Black Hawk and
Florida wars
These all brought about by the lsvity with
which the government met the first hostltes, ard
deavorsd to tinker up discontents with inadequate and
inaaming remedies
This levity, besides the chagrin flowing from IT, has
been immensely costly The struggle with the Chero-
KEGS and Creeks who have exceeded % Oe0 has
smPoysa ..%ss PssnS men in the aggregate
The Black Hawk war employed 7 900 troops and cost
the Indian foe never surpassed 500 warriors
The Florida war employed 10000 troops. lasted
years and cost $35OOUO06 Florida from nrst to last
never contained over 100 Indian warriors.
Heretofore We have contended with Indians, single
tribe at time, confined to specific territory and act
ing on foot and such has been the cost In money repu
We have now to contend with tribes who are mount.
VINO roam over plains more extensive than the whole
territory OF our confsder.ed States who ntsrmingls
and have no permanent homes They subsist on the
buffalo which is their food their clothing their lodges
their saddles robe. and fuel They have neither agri
culture nor domestic cattle to supply food War; plum
dsr and the chase keep them In perpetual
They are more wild than Arabs and better warriors
Their country infinitely large various and their ap
1 wind thunder storm
The aggregate number OF this floating race Ia un.
known to Official authorities, not whom has
ever been among them. We state then from positive
knowledge the following statistical fact which will be
| denied, but which Is true
The aggregate numbers Of the Indian tribes who de
scend every season. upon the buffalo regien possessing
horses and relying upon the buffalo to supply all Their
physical wants Is 100000 These and inhab
the whole space from the Gufts the Canada lins part
ofthem are the tribes which live upon the head waters
Of the great rivers that flow into the Pacific and who
annually pass out through the Rocky Mountains to the
buffalo region.
Causes certain In their effect pressing upon
this whole mass and kindling about to only
with determination. The buffalo diminishing with
frghtful speed with the buffalo ceases the Indians
every means Of existence The constant passage and
fro OF the white by the Missouri the Oregon. Call
fornia and Santa Fe trails and through Texas solves
to the Indian the causes Of his approaching doom.
On all these routes hostilities perpet-
ual The Indians have been sucoeesful in tasting the
blood and plumber Of the whites These they exhibit
distant tribes share with them and repenshed with
new allies permanent Indian army has occupied the
middle Arkansas throughout the whole summer just
passed Many such little armies will appear next
son massacre impends every white man who ven.
lures forth upon the plains
We make these statements indeed with very faint
hope OF conciating to these accommodating horrors of
the Indian country the serious attention they peremp
toriy demand.
Wisdom, the warnings of the past tho existing
DANGERS the blood that has flowed and Is daily flowing
CRY against the evty which delays the remedy that shall
punish and check the evils existing and to come.
Economy and duty both demand efficient and per-
manent military force The smallest force to be efec-
tive IL 1000 men, well armed, commanded and equipped
This force to act at various points In concert
creased gradually ana kept in operation for ave years