Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-09-30
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SATURDAY, SEPT. 80, 1854.

INDIAN DIFFICULTIES. Ifthere i any doubt
remaining of the total mefficiency of the U. 5.
troops i'll Indian warfare, at present organ
lied we think the account of the destruction
of Lieutenant Grattan and his party, which
will be found in another part of our paper,
will 80 far to remove it. 1t is unsafe for U.
S. states soldiers to be in the Indian country
without protection. The history of the past
few months is sufficient evidence of the truth
of this fact. Capt. Gunnison, while survey
ing Railroad route to the Pacific, early last
spring was killed in Utah, and nearly all his
men were massacred. Lieut.. Davidson was
defeated within 20 miles of his own camp, in
New Mexico and forced to retreat, leaving his
dead upon the field. Capt Van Buren, was
defeated in Texas, his men dispersed, and
himself MORALLY wounded. And now, Lieut..
Grattan with all his party have been cut Off
not one left to tell the tale the garrison at Fort
Laramie is in imminent danger and the gov
ernment goods have been captured. The first
victory has yet to be gained by the U. S. troops
over the Indians west of the Missouri, since
1916. If no means can be devised to protect
our soldiers from the arrows Of the Indians,
the sooner they can be withdrawn from the
Indian country, the better for themselves and
for the credit of the government.
The o. S. army we believe, costs the people
of this Government over seven millions of
dollars year, and of what benefit hasit been
since the war with Mexico: Has it not been
more ornamental than useful A strong
force has been kept up along the frontiers Of
Texas, in the wilds of Mexico, and in the
deserts of California which enriches the hordes
Of adventures aad spectators that hang
around the Quarter-Master and Commissary
Departments, at the expense of the Govern
ment, but which is useful for no other pur-
pose In every contest with the Indians it
has come out second best Gen. Smith ac-
knowedgcd his inability to protect the people
of Texas from the vengeance of the Canaan
chesby calling for four companies Of Rangers.
Gen. Garland, unable to quell the Jicarrillas
Apaches (who could not muster 200 warriors)
was glad to avail himself of the services Of the
Volunteers in New Mexico. And yet, with
all this aid, they have done nothing. We
have known officers, while in command of
military posts in the Indian country, to pre-
sent claims against the government of the
United States for their own private property
taken from within sight of the flag that
hoated over them. They were sent CIT to
protect the property of the citizens, and were
unable to retain their own.
We hear much about the depredations COM
mitted by the Indians, and but little of the
causes that have driven them to such a course
1t is often choice with them between steal
lug ana starving. rev years ago we made
a treaty, solemn treaty with the Indians of
the Plains, that the country in which they
lived should be theirs, and theirs forever.
Have we complied with it, The Delawares,
the Shawnees, the Sacs, and Foxes, Potta-
wattomies and other tribes, were sustaining
themselves by their agricultural products, and
We're getting their farms in fine order, their
stock III good condition, and were just begin
ming to live like white men, but they have
not been suffered to pursue the line of policy
marked ont for them by our own government.
The settlers of Kansas and Nebraska have
looked upon their possessions, and the poor
indians have got to go-nobody knows where,
and how they are to live, nobody cares. Can
we look an Indian in the face and complain
of injustice p Columbus Ohio State Journal.