The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-04-07
GBe 4ailg yonrnal,
From the n. Y. Tribune.l
i, THE INDIAN WAR IN OREGON.

Friday, when the subject was referred to the
| Committe of Ways and Means for considera-
ton.
We learn from our private correspondence
at the theater of hostilities in that distant
territory, that the war there is of the same
character, and provoked by the same causes
as that waged by Gen. Harney against the
tseuaws and children of the Missouri frontier
Whatever may have been the former character
of Indian wars in the West, and however
much the infant settlements in our earlier his
tori may have suffered from savage cruelty,
it seems now to be established by testimony
Iofthe most uRimpeachabe character, that the
recent and existing hoStilities with the Indi-
ans have all been caused by the ineXcusable
and outrageous assaults of the whites in the
first instance. We all know how the Harvey
war on the Missouri frontier was got up last
year, and how mercilessly it was Conducted
an encampment of unarmed women and chill
dren having been cruelty put to the sword
through the scandalous falsehood and treach-
cry of our forces. A more inexcusable and
cowardly murder was never committed than
the attack of our dragons upon that encamp-
ment though with unparalleled official impu-
dence it was styled in the reports "battle.''
Since the massacre in question we have heard
of no more battles in that quarter. We
should never have heard of this one if the In
dians had not believed in the friendship of the
living villains who first deceived and then
slaughtered them. Informed by cruel expert
ence Of the cruelty and Savage barbarity of
their Christian foes, they have ever since kept
scattered and out of the reach of our bold dra-
goons.
1t is notorious that the Indians every where
are now fully impressed with the power Of the
whites, and instead of seeking opportunities of
attacks and outrage, they desire to live in
peace. They know that it is only by SO doing
they can be saved from utter determination.
The testimony borne by General Cass and
Gen..Houston at the last session of Congress,
in debate on the appropriation for this Harney
war, is entirely conclusive as to the present
disposition of the In1ians.
No two men in the country have had so
long, varied and thorough experience of the In
dian characters as these two Senators, and in
debate they both protested against the COM
mencement of the Harney war. They both
the savage policy. Mr.. Secretary
Davis asked for and subsequently obtained
two regiments and two aQd half millions of
of dollars to chastise the red men who dared
to fire back when cluselessly fired into by a
detachment of troops under headstrong and
hair Drained Lieutenant. Both Generals Cass
and Houston declared it was nothing but
wickedncss and folly to treat the Indians as
was proposed, in punishment for that alleged
offence. Tt was stated that the pacific desires
OF the Indians were perfectly well known, and
that to make war upon them was no better
than malignant cruelty. Yet the war was
made in spite of all such protestations, and the
fruit of it, after years operations, is treach-
erous and bloody assault upon a coa6ding
body of Indians, consisting ofa handful Of men
and a large number of women and children,
who all ran away as fast as they could when
they found themselves attacked, and who were
inerc:lessly hewn down as they fed by the
sabers of our brave heavy horse. The troph
les of our dragons were the caps and blank
cts of some thirty or forty sqaws and childreA
and the fowling pieces of a dozen or twenty
men. The cost of the operation, which. all
grew out of an Indian theft of one lame cow,
is between S2,OOO,OOO and 100000. Such
is the nature of the war on our Western
frontier, where the Indians are trying to be
peaceabe, and only ask to be allowed to be so.
Of similar character, it would seem, is the
Oregon war. We have observed by the p1b-
lished accounts that General Wool, who has
com mand of the United States troops in that
Territory, is inclined to inactivity, and We have
noticed reports of his remarks which go to
show that he does not concu ur with the violent
proceedings against the Indians, recommended
lin other quarters. From what we have seen,
we have for some time been led to infer that
the hostlities there much resembles those
on this. side of the Rocky Mountains, to
which we have referred. We are now con-
firmed in our impression by the character of
our private advices from Oregon coming direct
| ly from the theater of hostilities, under date
| of the 1st of February last. From these we
learn that the real truth is not allowed to ap-
pear in the public intelligence from the Terri
tory, because it will prejudice the future claim
against the Government for the expenses OF
the war. The conflict is, in fact, said to be to
some extent husbanded as prolific source ol
emolument to numerous rascals engaged in it.
The effort is not to stop the war, but to keep
it going. AS an example of the mode of pro-
ceeding toward quelling the savages, the fol-
statement is made by our correspondent: :, =,
"a body of ten or twelve men on reconnois-
sance, came upon shanty in winch some
Indians had sheltered themselves, and which
they had converted into fort. Inc whites
to save themselves from harm, proiessea lrleno-
ship and spent the time IN talking OF peace
treaty, &C., until darkness favored thelr es-
cape. After getting away iney arouseq Ine
country for an attack upon this body of Indi-
r ans about 80 in number. Volunteers assem-
HE'D in large numbers and surrounded the
Mace for several days. Finally detachment
lof the regular forces came with cannon and
encamped before the enemy. After while
the cannon Were discharged once and the at
: lacking army slept This signal having been
t given, when the next day opened it was found
: the Indians had profted by it and gone to the
mountains .,..ss4
t The tale here told is said to illustrate two
pKases of this war; one is the disposition OF the
E yolunteer'force to trump up charges against