, 1857-01-02
Letter from Judge Hays.

ing letter from Judge HAYS, received by
the last mail According to this letter
we discover that we have attributed the
origin of the correspondence to the wrong
source, as indicated in our issue of Sept
18th and thus far we stand corrected
As the Judge is now absent, we forbear to
comment further than to say that our inter
pretation of the phraseology of his letter
published in the Washington Daily Union
warranted us, at that time, in the publica
ton of the article below quoted, and also
that which appeared in the immediate sub
sequent number of this paper We have
no desire to manufacture wrong motives
whereby they may be attached to Judge
II. in this or any other matter and con
cerning all articles that we have written or
this subject, We are perfectly willing tc
await his return, when eve can talk oVeI
them when we meet again"
SALINE County, Missouri,
October 3Oth, 1865.
J. W. WILEY,
\ Sir:-In your issue Of the 5th Septem
Der, you make very unfair, and, think
ungenerous throw at me, in the following
editorial You say" The Washington
Daily Union of July 10th, contains let
ter of the late Major HAYS, dated July
3D., addressed, We suppose, to the editor oi
that paper, in answer to the following in
quiry-' will you Have the kindness to in.
form me as to the causes of the war p in
this and Oregon Territories, we presume
The reply of Judge HAYS is very much oI
an enigma-ust such reply as none know
better than the judge how to give to plain,
straightforward question. If it is not O
perfect transcript of the judge in his palm
lest days at studied subtle political diplom'
acy, not TO say hypocrisy, we are no judgt
of side bars " and under currents."-
But have patience; you can all read it in
our issue Of next week"
In the foregoing short editorial there are
Several important errors. First, the letter
was not addressed to the editor of The
Daily Union Secondly, the enquiry will
you have the kindness to inform me as to
the causes of the war 7" was not the only
question put to me in the note to which
mine was an answer. There were several
others, to wit: How long have you resi-
ded in Washington Territory?" Were
you engaged in the war 7" Did you
know the Indians as friends and as enemies
since the war began 2" Is it true OF
false that a party of volunteers near the
Cascades murdered a small party Of friendly
Indians, after violating young squaw, one
of their number Z" "What has been the
general treatment TO Indians in time oil
peace, and Of prisoners since the war be-
gan 2" My letter was an answer to the
foregoing interrogatories, put to me by a
distinguished and efficient delegate in Con.
gress, who has labored hard, almost day
and night, amidst the greatest difficulties,
to procure for the Pacific Territories dues
to which they are so justly entitled. Those
difficulties have arisen, as you must be
aware, from the false reports which have
reached Washington, officially and other
wise, in regard to the causes Of the war;
many of which charge that the war had
been brought about by cruel and murderous
treatment to the Indians, on the part of the
citizens OF Washington and Oregon Terri
tories, as also brutal treatment to.lndlan
prisoners since the war began.
The object which l suppose Gen. LANE
had in addressing me the note to which
mine was an answer, was to get contra
diction to those false reports which were so
much in the way to getting an appropria-
tion TO dcfray our war expenses. lie saw
no " side bars " and "under currents in
my letter, but deemed it worthy of public
alton, as tending to remove u prejudice
which existed in the minds Of many MEM
Lers Of Congress, against our rightiul claims
for pay. Ii there was anything wrong in
the publication ot my letter in the Wash
ington papers, the fault is not mine. had
no ohing to do in that matter. I'D
The opinion which gave to the several
intcrrogatories put to me in Gen. LANES
letter, am responsible for-at any and at
all times They were my opinions then
they are mine now, and | incline to the be-
lief that the opinions which l gave are the
opinions of ninc-tenths Of the inhabitants
OF Washington and Oregon Territories.
If you suppose that was trying to pre-
judice Congress, or the Departments at
Washington, against the treaty-making
power in Washington Territory, you are
wrong. l had no such thought, much less
the wish. .t-b
l was not trying to take any body down,
or to build any one up l was only desi-
rous to contribute my small might in re-
moving some of the prejudices with which
our most excellent, Pacific delegates had to
contend in the procurement Of aU appropri-
alton by Congress adequate to cur deserv-
ings.
If you will do me the justice to publish
this note in your paper, your readers will,
| think, find the key to the enigma,
which you pronounce my letter as published
in iha daily Iro;oD of tho 10th Of Julv d.