New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-06

"
teers murdered about forty unsrmed friendly In
dams belonging to the band Of the Chief Jake
who was himself among the killed.
"To show" says General Wool, how determined
the people Of Oregon are to eIternnate the Indians
il is only necessary to represent then conduct t0wsru
four hundred friendly Indians waiting on the military
reserve at Fort Lane to be conducted 10 the coast
rarge reservation. Capt Smith, commanding at that
most with two companies Of regulars, reported 10 me
that took large part OF Ms I'd
have been informed by those whose character tof
truth and veracy is not to be questioned that meet
pes Of the citizens Of Oregon had been held wheh
was resolved if the attempt was made to conduct those
Indians 10 the coast reserve, they would not only XII
them but all who might accompany them. After the
Indians recently started for the reserve, although es-
co,ted by over one hundred soldiers, they were FOL
lowed by citizen who shot one Of the lncians, de
clarire at the same time be intended to follow them
and kill all be could. Many and similar cases have
been reported. / regret that am compelled to say
that suoh conduct ia too much encouraged 6y persons
holding high offices under the Government OF the onl-
ted states; and because have opposed this inhuman
ard barbarous practice, and the wholesale punderug
OF the treasury Of the United States which there is no
crcun Justify, have been denounced by the
Governors of both Territories and the Legislature OF
Oregon
But for aggressions like these, the war in Oregon,
in Gen. Wool's opinion, might long since have
been brought to an end. As it is, the Indians in
their turn have taken up the idea Of exterminating
the Bostonians, as they call them-a term which
they have learned from the Canadian voyageurs in
the service of the fur companies, and BY which they
designate all United States immigrants-and are
now wreaking fearful vengeance on many perhaps
innocent settlers for the wrongs done to them.
Of the future prospects Of the war, Gen. Wool
expresses the following opinion:
~ think, if the volunteers, who expect to be paid
largely for their services, were Withdrawn, and private
war prevented, could coon end the war IN Rogue
River Valley, and indeed throughout Oregon and
Washington; but the determination of the Oregonans
to exerminate the Indians, which am wholly opposed
to- if not dscountenanced by the United States GOV
eminent, may prolOng the war almost indefinitely.
lev owing to the mountainous character of the coun-
try The same remark will apply to Puget Sound,
where it is extremely difficult to follow the Indians IN
the dense forests of that region. Yet by proper and
iudicous course, the war may be brought to close,
when by establishing posts at proper polns, recur-
renee of the past might be prevened but to do this,
repeat the determination Of the Indians should be
abandoned No doubt they could be extermlnated,
but it would cost from fifty to one hundred millions OF
dollars beside thousands OF innocent and valuable
lives"
From fifty to hundred millions of dollars, to say
nothing of the loss Of lives, would seem to be
rather high price to pay for the determination Of
the Oregon Indians, especially as Oregon is not q
very inviting country for the introduction of slave
labor Gen. Wool reports that according to the
estimate of intelligent men the scrip already issued
by Governor Curry for military services amounts to
some four millions of dOllars-more, we imagine
than the total valuation of the whole Territory
That, we are inclined to think is quite as much as
Congress OF present will be willing to pay, and the
Oregonians would do we'll to retire from the field,
leave Gen. Wool and the regulars to finish the
war, and put off the great contamination Of e1ter-
minating the Indians to some more convenient OPP
portunity. Surely Oregon is not yet so thickly
peopled but that the temporary occupation of some
narrow reserves may be left little while longer to
the Indians.