New-York daily tribune., 1856-08-01
SANTA FE, Tbursday, June II, lo56.

While the chances of serious difficulty with
the Navsjo Indians are pending, 1t Will hardy be
considered map. to touch upon the condition OF
the Indian tribes who so constantly keep the from
t.r settlers in alarm and the troops OF the United
States in an almost constant state Of harsssing
duty. In Nebraska and in Oregon there have
beep. or still are, serious outbreaks BY savage aud
msrsudipg tribes, and in this Territory hostit!es
With one branch Of the Apacbes or Utahs are hardly
adjusted, when another, by wholesale robbery
and often by murder opens like source OF dis
quiet in another section of the country.
There is much reason to believe that the present
difficulty with the NavsjOs may be accommodated
TO the satisfaction of the military and territorial
authorities and of the owners OF stolen property
Some 1900 head of sheep were not long ago
stolen from a Mexican at or near Pena Blanca,
and il was distinctly traced t0 the NavsJos, and
now IL is pretty well decided that the OffeDse was
committed by an outside section OF the tribe,
living on OF near the San Juan RIVER esst 0i tue
Tunecha Mountains. This section or band Is
small, and the act has been repudia'eo ana r as
ayowed by the great mass OF the NavsJos Ihey
have restored about J 500 sheep and thirty or
forty hesd of horses and given up three poems, as
AN equivalent for the stolen stock, and the three
murdered Mexican herders. 1t ia not deemed to
be sufficient aud it is thought that by further de-
mspds further and satisfactory retribution VIII be
made. Thus stands the case, which, if not soon
completely adjusted to the satisfaction OF the
owpt rs robbed, will give rise to serious war.
/ have he ard officers of the army declare that
the most benevolent and economical policy toward
all Indians, would be TO feed them abunddntty, and
that their personal observation and experience had
satisfied them this was the most direct aud success
fuI means of converting hostile into peaceable
Indian; that in Instances where Indians had raw
aged an entire section of country, they had by
i.sung to them suficieDcy of Government sub
sisttnce stores been reduced to quiet and sub
mission.
The Indians of New Mexico, to say nothing of
other tribes are ever in a state bordering upon
starvation Game is not abundant, and wild fruits,
&c, are bot the produce Of the country, or only
in such small quantities to be reliance. There
is then 10 resource to barely sustain life but to
plunder the 1ocks and herds of the settlers. The
loss of 1900 head of sheep at one dash is not
snail item; they are stolen, not to add to toe
means of the robbers but to be eaten. 1t isfrue
many of the Indians are well q ia sheep, horses
or mules, but much the greater number are
entirely destitute. At this time ! am informed
(or rather il was month agO) that scarcely
sauaw could be found in the camps; all We're
scattered in the lills and sierras hunting mecca!
the young succulent flower shoots OF tho soap
weed, and even searching in the swampy
grounds for the young shoots OF the coarse
tule or cat tail grass Ii can hardly be conceived
that such coarse plants contain the elements Of
food, and yet they are always in the early erlDg
a constant dependence Of the Indians. Under
these circumstances, who can blame an Indian,
when the temptation Of sheep aud fat cattle is
brought to bis vision as he oyerlo0ks the bottoms
of the river from the neighborlng hills, for desiring
to satisfy the cravings of bis hungry nature With
Juicy rib or bit of tenderl0n.
Long since Mr.. Conrad, Secretary of War in
dcsted this policy of feeding the wild tribes as the
true one, founded on philanthropy and economy.
The same amount OF food consumed by troops OF
the United States in one campaign Of from one to
three months against any Indian tribe would save
Thousands and thousands of dollars to the Treas
ury (tbe costs Of the campaign), and better pro
tect the property Of citizens than twenty cam
paigDs.
Wtes officers of the army assert this policy as
well founded and txpedient, is it not worth trial,
and trial on liberal scalel