The Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1852-1872, 1853-04-09
The Hostile Indians.


few weeks since, in view of the numerous
and aggravated offences of the Indians against
citizens-in view of The fact that for months
they had on every occasion killed our people
and destroyed their property, at the same time
refusing all propositions for peace, and avowing
the determination of waging still more fearful
against us-in view Of all His we urged,
our people to raise companies and chastise the
savages-whip them terribly, if needs be, exter-
inmate them. For this the San Francisco Ere
ming Journal raises It's hands in holy horror all
through entire culumn-a column that would
if properly done mp, have formed model adj
dress before a congregation OF good old ladies in
the east, whose sympaihies. too far-reaching to
stoop to relieve distress aud ignorance around
their feet, must needs 90 ont 10 The uttermosi
ends of the earth, and furnish every little Hot
tentot, Congo and IIindoo baby with red fan
mel shirt and iine-tooth comb. The Caziforni-
with hands piously clasped across its bowels,
and eyes upwarlly inclined. utters sanctmo-
NOUS groan and thanks It's stars that the Journal
has given the Shasta Courier .fits'-wholly OBJ
livious to the fact that of lis principal editors
leader in political party, a portion of
whom, but few years since, we saw shoot
down in the streets of Sacramento its mayor and
other valuable citlzens-not to save their lives,
but to preserve piece of property The Ma
rysville Herald, too. throwing itself into serio-
tragico-comco attitude, in gutteral accents ex-
Claims, Lo, the poor Indian wholly forget
full of the fact that a few months ago its cry was
blood blood and only blood in the case of a
poor uAAe man who stole few bags of provi-
sions-and in fact slept soundy until
Tanner was launched into eternity from the end
of rope.
Such are the three wise men-counsellors-
who have volunteered the advice to our people
to act like Christians, and not Stay the poor In
dians even If they do kill our brothers.
We confess that praise is always more pleas
ant to us than blame. Yet in this case, gentle
men, we believe that we are right, and hence
your censure does not disturb US. We value the
lives of our people more than we do your good
opinion We vain enough to believe that
we know more about this matter than either of
you; indeed we impudent enough to enter
ing upon this subject at ALL We do not believe
that you who, some of you, perhaps have never
been amongst hostile Indians an hour in your
lives, are exactly the proper men to point out to
our people, who know the Indian character
thoroughly, the proper course for them to pur-
sue toward their savage foe
Your suggestion that we "devise some hu-
name policy" is all very fine for you. But we
have no time to wait and deliberate The evil
is here right upon rs. 1t is a question of life
and death and pecuniary ruin. We must act
Would you have permit the ''poor Indian
rob and kill our people without effort to pre-
vent itl We do not urge destructive war
against the Indians because we love (God save
the love) them less than you do, but because we
love our own people Are the lives of
thousand of these red devils to be compared in
value to that of good American citizen
Which would be the greater loss to the world
and to christianity? You forget that we are de-
Tending our lives. How else would you have
us act, if not fight them Do you suppose that
we have not time and again made efforts to con-
ciliate their friendship We tell you that it is
the fault of the savages that the war exists.
The whites anxious for peace, and if the In
dams would consent to live on terms of amity
with them they need never suffer for food.
We repeat, then. all that we have heretofore
said, and tell our people, unless Government re-
ieve from this difficulty, they must wage
such war as was waged years ago against the
Indians of the Northwestern Territory-when
a United States officer whose deeds occupy
bright page in the history of our country,
hunted them through the mountains and shot
them down without pursued them to
their homes and burned their lodges, destroy
ed their winters food-aye, captured their
sauaws and children. if we remember Alright
and retained them as hostages.
In the meanwhile recommend our good
christian brothers, who tell Us TO be mercitul
10 the Indian at the expense of our frend's
life, nay. to feed and make him fat. TO read a
chapter or two almost anywhere IN the Old
Testament, and learn how Moses and the Chill
dren OF Israel ..'smote'' just such enemies as we
are contending against
Ball nj the Globe Hotel.
n-lN