, 1856-03-28

J be Hbie to give you full information, and
: that on both lines, decisive blows had been
p struck, and also that it was beyond the
ability of our citizens to raise an addition.
, al company Of even fifty men to honor your
rcquiSition.
) have a right to hold you to full
| knowledge Of our condition here. If you
say you were misnlOrmed, then You are
not lit Tor your position, and should give
place for better man. II you were in.
, formed, then your measures, as a military
man, manifest All incapacity beyond exam
pie. ..-
Therefore, the call on me for two compa-
nies of volunteers, is call upon me to with
draw the troops now in the field, with six
ty to eighty days provisions, after deci-
sive blows have been struck, and when
Everything is ready to strike a, and per-
haps The decisive blow to end the war.
am, sir, too old a soldier ever to aban-
don 4 well considered plan Of campaign, or
TO do otherwise than to press forward with
oil my energies in the path marked out,
promising, as it does the speedy termina-
tiou Of the war; and, sir, am too wary a
man not to detect the snare which has
been laid for me. You never expected,
sir, that the rcquisition would he complied
with. You knew it was practical impos-
sibility; but not having the courage to ac-
knowledge your errors, itswas resorted to
in the hope that my refusing your requisi-
tion might enable you to occupy my van.
tage ground, and throw me on the defen-
sive. hold you sir, 10 The facts and ne
ceSsity Of the case, clearly demonstrating
by your own confession the propriety Of
my course, and the necessity, on my part,
of q steady adherence 10 it. ..
enclose a copy of my letter TO 1t. Col
Casey, in which my views in regard to this
scheme of yours, is given in full,
You have referred to the atrocities COM
mitted upon the friendly Indians by the
whites. / know nothing of what has oc-
Cured in southern Qgegon, but have to
state that no man, TO my knowledge, in
the territory Of Washington, advocates the
determination Of the Indians. The au-
thorities here have not only used every ex-
ertion to protect them, but their exertions
have been completely successful. Did you
learn, sir, in your brief visit to the Sound,
that nearly four thousand Indians, friendly
Indians, had been moved from the loar
ground on tie eastern shore Of he Sound
and its rieiniiy to the adjacent islands, and
have for nearly Eve months been living in
charge Of local agents? That not an lndi-
an in the whole course Of this war has been
killed by the whites except in battle?-
That where a military commission, compos-
ed Of q majority Of volunteer officers, tried
some months since, eight Indians, only one
was convicted, and that the sentence Of
death, passed upon him, has not yet been
executed! 1t is the good conduct Of our
people, sir, that have SO strengthened the
hands of the authorities as to enable them
to control these friendly Indians, and pre-
vent any considerable accession to the
ranks Of the hOstiles.
1 And vet we have daily rumors, and have
had for the last Eve months, that this tribe
and that, would break out. For at times,
great uneasiness here prevailed amongst
them, and they are Indians, and as such,
they sympathise with their brethren, But
the course Of the authorities have been firm
and decisive, commanding the confidence
of the community, aud the affections Of the
Indians. ...-r- -.....-. ..is r i
Besides these four thousand on reserva-
tions in charge Of local agents, VIC have
three thousand more on the western shore
Of the Sound aud on the Struts Of de Flu
ca. r.s er.r oil. H...
/ have recently heard from the Nez Per.
ces, the Ceur d. Alcines and the SpOkanes.
The former are firm in their allegiance
But the Spokanes urge me to have a mill
tary force on the great prairie between
them and the hostile Indians, so these lat
ter may not be driven to their country and
|, thus incite their young men to war The
letter Of Garry, chief Of the Spokanes, is a
most plaintive and earnest call for help, so
his hands may be strengthened in keeping
his people to their plighted faith; and the
coincidence is remarkable, that this Indian
chief white man in education and views
in life, should ask me to do the very thing
have urged upon you, for you will re-
, member in my memoir, urge that the
troops, in operating against the Indians
should be interposed between the friendly
and hostile tribes to prevent those now
} friendly rom Joining IN the war. nave,
sir, studied the character Of these Indians,
and my views rs to the influence upon the
friendly Indians of the mode Of carrying
on the war against the hostiles are confirm
cd by the only highly educated Indian Of
either Oregon or Washington, and the
head chief of the tribe, in reference to
J which made the recommendation and
felt the most solicitude. Not word has
ever passed between us in reference to the
! subject.
!. you are doubtless Informed thatithe In
dians have commenced offensive operations
east Of tho Cascades, and have attacked
; the steamers plying between the Cascades
and the Dalles, and the trains moving to-
. ward Walla-walla This bold course will
+ enable them to operate upoa the spOEanes,
. the Colvillcs, the Oknekanes, the lower
i -. rtS