The Nevada journal., 1855-12-28
The Indian War in Oregon.


Now when the chivalric hearts of hun
dreds of our countrymen beat high for
fame, acquired by martial deeds on CORY
fields, it may not be amiss to remind those
who see NO other spot to gather laurcls,
but in the miasmasic swamps of Nicara-
qua, that on the northern border of cur
State, American blood is being ruthlessly
shed by sanguinary and merciless sava-
ges The confederated tribes of the north
are bent on massacre and the total exter-
mination Of our race. Women and help
less children have been pitilessly murder
eddy the enfuriated Indians, and barbara
ties have only as yet begun. The people
of Oregon, sparsely scattered through a
hundred valleys are at this moment, when
men painting for military honors are leav-
ing our shores for reprehensible purpose,
suffering all the horrors of an Indian War.
At any moment the fell hand of an un-
sparing foe may fall upon peaceful ham
lets, and make now happy 6resides forever
desolate. In the dead hour of night when
all is still, the war whoop Of the savage
may arouse our slumbering countrymen
to meet a fate at which humanity sbud-
ders. The knife of the aborigine is whet-
ted for vengeance and .impends over the
heads of the innocent and helpless, by a
single hair. No one knows when or how
soon, carnage unexampled perhaps in
ferocity may desolate the infant settle
ments of the exposed frontier There was
time when our fathers laid the founda-
tions of this great Republic of ours, that
the call OF fellow countryman, in danger
Of the scalping knife, for assistance, met
response loud and deep, and fired the
martial spirit of all claiming common orr
gin and common blood At a moments
warning the homes of tho pioneers sent
forth strong arms and brave hearts to the
protection ofthe living and the avenging
af the dead A thousand dauntless breasts
at q bugle's blast were presented to an ag-
gressive and terrible enemy. And he in
whose heart was an innate love of the
profession of arms, who painted for glory,
and place on the historic page, was the
first to rally to the rescue No expedi-
tion of Captain Kidd or Colonel Walker
found place for sympathy or encourage
ment in the souls of men who lived in that
heroic age Of our country's history. The
claims and the calls of humanity, not the
allurements of prospective pillage, only
evoked the chivalry of that pure period
But times alas! have changed and men
changed with them. Now, the degenerate
sons of noble sires, look upon the frown-
ing and threatning cloud of sayagcs about
to burst upon the devoted heads of those
linked to them by the closest ties of con-
sanguinity and brotherhood, and see no
glory there. The shrieks of sister in
torture, and the dying vail of her murder
ed babe, strike no sympathetic chord in
the bosom of knights-errant of thefpresent
day. Their eyes are riveted upon scene
Of plunder, where dangers are less and
profits more Outlawry has usurped the
place OF disinterested patriotism, sordid
love of ill gotten spoils is substituted for a
longing after we'll earned fame, and mili.
tary renown is worthless unless accompa-
MED by the most..wanton aggression, pira.
cy and murder. A military spirit still
lives in the hearts Of men, but into what
channel has it of late been turned! Eve.
~ steamer takes its numbers to the camr
of the owl-eyed rObbsr, but who has evel
heard of the first specimen of a disinter
estcd soldier in California shouldering hi
muskct for the Indian war; Who, among
all'the aspirants for a name, is emulous o
the deeds of his ancestors alone, and covet
not the spoils of conquest morc' Whc
not blinded and dazzled by visions of ra
pacious conquests, rather than by laurel
gained in rig ghteous causc' If there il
one who Of late has left the peaceful pur
suits of life, for career in arms, not &C
tuated by sordid motives alone, him hav,
we offended.
sA- Tho California Mail charges tn,
cause of the Indian War now raging il
Oregon and Washington Territories to tn,
Hudson Bay Company. By treaty