The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-10
LETTER OF JUDGE HAYS ON AFFAIRS IN WASH.
INGTOH TERRITORY.
WAsHlNoroN. July 2. 1886.

Sir Your letter of this date making inquiry relative to
the Indian existing in Washington Territory is
before me- You say wll you have the kindness to in
form me as to the causes OF the warp In reply to this in
curry say is hard to tell Some ascribe the war
to one cause some another The Indian statement is that
the has grown out Of the treaties made with them for
their possessory right Of the land They say that they
made bad bargains in the sales made and they know of no
way get out Of those bargains but to fight out Lsh
the principal chief the west of the Cascade range and
0whi the east well as believe, all the subordinate
chiefs assign the They say they have no dis
like for the Bostons, 1.-THE whites that they have been
profted by among that they have pur-
chased blankets for less money and received better prices
for their labor and for such things they have TO SELL
since settled in their country Their hatred and dislike
is for those who made the treaties with them, such
agents interpreters &c and TO get at them they have had
TO wage an indscrmnate against all Americans 1t is
not pretended by any Of the tribes engaged in the
that they or msused by our people, they
only assign for going war their dissats-
faction with the sales they have made OF portions Of their
land and their reservations of the Others few days pre-
vious to the breaking out of the east of the
mountains, and most of the tribes who have since
engaged in the war well some of the tribes who
have remained friendly to the white | learned from
those who friendly then, and who have continued
So that half dozen tribes trying to unite for
the purpose of waging general war of determination
against the white settlements that Populations had been
sent from the Waa-Waas, Kinses, Yackmaws Isle de
PIERRE and Paluces with offer of FIVE hundred horses
and two hundred and fifty head of cattle induce them
the Spocans join in the war; and that larger number
had been offered the NezPerces which offer they declined
They told u.s. when inquired of the those hostile
tribes gave for wanting with the whites was, that
they had become dissatisfied with the sales they had made
Of their lands and by union of all the tribes they could
erpe the Bostons from their country, all their
lands and enjoy the property that the whites possessed
Capt McDonald one Of the chief factors of the H. b.
Company, who is in charge of Fort Colvie and who
derstands the Indian character well any the
Pacific, told that the Indians dissatisfied with the
sales they had made OF their lands and that they par
tcularly hostile to Gov Stevens and Gen. Palmer who
had made the treaties. Such the of mind exist
ing amongst those tribes at the time that was in their
country which was in the month of August The Yacka-
had determined to attack the small party that
posed our company, and were on prevented from doing
so by the influence of Capt. Mcdonald On return
trip from the Colve country, passed through Waa-
Walla valley, where met with the celebrated chief Pee
Pee-Mox-Mox, with whom held interview at re-
quest that interview held at Fort Waa-Wala in the
presence of Capt St Clair worthy and intelligent
gentleman, who had been born and raised in the H. B.
service and who has since been murdered by the Indians
In the interview held with Pee-Pee-Mox-Mox found
him in a bad humor he, too dissatisfied with the sales
he had made of his lands; pretended if he had not
fully understood the bargains which he had made and
manifestng strong dislike for Gov. Stevens He told US
that both himself and people had been always we'll treated
by the Bostons but that he had heard that the whites,
in travelling through the Deshutes tribe of Indians had
given them poisoned -four which caused the death of quite
number Of them When asked he believed the statement
he remarked that he could hardly credit it, at the
time adding that might be true that there good and
bad men amongst all color We found the old chief
of decided hrewdness and apparent fairness but Captain
st Clair told that Pee-Pee-Mox-Mox bad Indian
unbounded and that he had not the least doubt but
that the Indians preparing for general outbreak
the settlements and that be (Pee-PeeMoxMox) at
the head of the conspiracy. Captain St Glars surmses
proved will be from the statements of
facts which make that the immediate of war grew
of the treaties which had been made with the Indians
for their lands for it is worthy of note that there not
a tribe engaged in the with whom treaties had not
been made Captain ST. Clair thought remote cause of
the grew of feeling of envy The Indians had
the rapid increase in numbers of the white the
Pacific from California 10 the Straits Of Juan de
Fuca They had him cut down their native forests
and plough under the grass Of their beautiful praires they
had seen with what rapid strides their frskin neghbors
acquired comforts They his superiority in every thing
They could shut their vision to the inevitable destiny
which awaits themthat their power and influence in that
vast region gradually but certainly, passing away;
and aroused by those savage instincts which have
roed the race In their attacks frontier settlements
from earliest history people up to the present time
commenced the barbasus and savage which they DID,
offering apology dissatisfaction with the treaties
which they had just concluded The present delegate
from Washington Territory Colonel Anderson, was with
me while passing through the Indian country He saw
what saw, he heard what / heard and will doubtless
corroborae the general statements which here make
you beside giving you many incidents of interest which
in my hurry omit
Its true as you suppose that have lived amongst the
Indians for several years and that know the Indian
character and that have been engaged since the war
commenced in defending the settlements against their muir
derous attacks have lived in Washington Territory for
four years surrounded by Indians with whom have al
WAYS been on terms Of intimate friendship until tic
bera. since which time have been engaged in the
believe was amongst the first to respond to the call oil
our territorial governor for help and have been IN the field
ever since up to within few days Of the time left wash
ingtou Territory which about the 26h May and be-
eye that understand the Indian character as friends as
well as enemies You ask whether "the charge is true
that has been put in circulation to the effect that party
Of seven white meo had taken party Of friendly Indians
near the Cascades and after violating young girl MUIR
dered the whole party y In reply this last inquiry
answer that heard of this charge for the first time on my
arrival in this city II outrage so criminal and brutal
had been committed in Washington Territory certainly
would have heard IT. II would have been theme Of uni
yersa condemnation and the perpetrators driven from our
midst can say without the fear Of contradiction tina
the Indians Of ashngtou Territory while there
have been more coureousy treated by the whites than In
dams have ever been any Territory Their rights hav
been scrupulousy observed In the length Of time that