, 1856-10-10

not receive the goods promised, but that
his people might take them.
=" 1t is pretty evident that the signing
Of the treaty was adverse to the will of the
nation, as expressed prior to the delega
tion's coming to the council, and that on
the return of the chiefs they we're beset by
their people and denounced as traitors to
their tribe. Two of the chiefs, 0whi and
Skloo, evidently signed the treaty with
great reluctance, and after returning home
and meeting with their friends, were easily
induced to join in opposition to adhering
to its provisions.
The Klickatat tribe, whose country is
included within the limits of this purchase,
had declined attending the council, and
we're not represented by any of their tribe;
aud upon the return Of these Yakima chiefs
and the people from the council, it is said
tn Klickatats were much enraged at the
sale Of their country without their knowl-
edge or consent, and declared they would
not abide by an agreement in which they
had no voice.
Again, in an official communication to
the Department, Gen. Palmer, on the 25th
OF October, 1855, says:
"The evidences of deep-rooted preju-
dice against our citizens prevail among all
the tribes in middle and upper Oregon
the Nez Perces excepted. How far that
feeling may be famed and kept up by
aliens from other countries, and their de-
scendants, we are not able to judge /; but
that it does extend to the entire exclusion
and occupancy of the country by our citi-
zens is fact undeniable"
Lieut.. Withers, U. S. A., who has been
four years in the country, and who is well
acquainted with the character Of these
Indians, and whose knowledge and judg-
ment of such matters l would much prefer
to Gen. Woors, in an official paper to the
Adjutant General, dated November IL,
1855, writes as follows:
:" In southern Oregon the Rogue river
Indians, combined with some Of those on
the coast, the Umpquas, Pitt river, and
Shasta Indians, have also broken out into
a fresh war, and one of evidently intended
determination, against the whites. The
causes leading to this may be different from
those which excited hostilities in Washing
ton Territory, where the motive was alto
gether political, and sprung from no actual
grievance but its result must, Of course,
be the same"
Gen. Palmer again writes to Gen. Wool
on the 2lst November, 1855, thus:
"As to the Yakimas, there is no excuse
for their acts Of aggression, and there is no
disposition on the part Of those engaged in
the Indian department to screen them or
their confcderates from the punishment
they SO richly merit"
The next day November 23) Captain
Cain writes to the Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs in this wise:
"There is abundant evidence to my mind
that this war has been contemplated by
the Indians for the last three or four years,
and l will take the proper steps to get. the
testimony in shape and submit it to your
consideration at the earliest practicable
moment"
Mr.. Chairman, might multiply this tes-
timony to q tedious extent, all going to
show, clearly, how utterly groundless is
Gen. WooPs charge against the miners Of
precipitating this war by "forcibly carry
ing away and ill-treating some Yakima
squaws;" but l think have read enough
to satisfy any unprejudiced mind upon that
point. Let it be remembered that oil oi
these officers, from whose reports have
read extracts, were present in the country
and well acquainted with the Indians, while
Gen. Wool was near thousand miles dis
tant for three months after the first acts Of
hostility were committed by the Indians.
now come to speak Of the manner in
which this war has been conducted. And
in this connexion l desire to notice an
assertion which Gen. Wool made in his
Official communication, and has reiterated
in his newspaper correspondence, to the
effect that " volunteers were unnecessary
that they were called into service and sent
to the Wall-walla country I" for no other
purpose than to plunder the treasury OF the
United States, and to make political capl-
tai for somebody" &C. Now, Mr.. Chair
man, one would naturally suppose that a
charge of SO grave nature would not be
lightly made-would not be caught up
from the baseless tales of idle rumor, and
embodied in an official report by an officer
commanding one of the departments of our
army, without the shadow Of foundation,
or the first scintilla of evidence to substan-
tiate it. Yet such is the fact, for it rests
upon the naked assertion Of Gen. Wool,
and is contradicted by every act Of the
officers, volunteers, and citizens Of the
Territories, and by every circumstance con-
nected with their operations. Gen. Wool
has lent his once-high name, too, to q dec
laration as cruel and unfeeling as it has
proved to be untrue, viz that the war is
God-sendP Surely General Wool did
not intend to mock at the calamity Of
these people. A God-send, indeed, sir
To whom 7 How2 Mr.. Chairman, in the
name of the gallant, noble, lamented
Slaughter, protest against such cold, un-
mitiOated calnmnvI In the mama of the