The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-10
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10. 1858.


nnnicates the particulars of a recent 'lndan
outrage" committed in that Territory, the facts
of which have not before TRANSFERRED. 1t is true,
that the "outrage" described by our correspondent
differs slightly from those stereotyped tales of
savage pcrfdy and barbarity which usually come
to us from the frontier. The only discrepancy,
however lies in the fact that in this instance it is
the Indian and not the white man, who is first
betrayed and then murdered in cold blood For
once we have got hold of the other half of the
story In the statement of our correspondent,
we find additional confirmation of what we have
always held to be the correct version of nne-enths
of the 'Tndian atrocities that are committed
and the true explanation of most of our Indian
wars It is unfortunate that the lions are not
painters, but in this case, happily, the frank and
impartial testimony of gallant soldier has sup
piled the deficiency, and enables us to hear the
other side. ...
We have resorted to various expedents dur
ing the past seventy years for the purpose of
keeping the Indians quiet, and of protecting
our border settlements from savage violence We
have made treaties with the Indians, and we have
made war upon them; we have sent against them
both missionaries and dragons, and have used in
vain for their subjugaon the combined agencies
of gunpowder and the gospel. Even the subtle
poison of fre-water has failed to accomplish
thoroughly its work of wholesale destruction and
determination Our success has been only partial
Like the barbarians whom TAcTUs describes, we
have made solitude and called it peace, and
have pacifed whole tribes and nations-in the
Thara ci,n b If
power and to tax our energies, the wild tribes
of Oregon and the Columbia River of whose
numbers and proves we have had such convn-
cling proof in the recent defeat of Colonel SrEpToE
and his command Before we engage in further
hostllitieS with these hardy mountaineers and
thereby light the flame of another Indian war;
which may burn as long and rs fercely as that
which has lately died out in the Everglades of
Florida, for want of material to nourish it, might
it not be worth while to try the exI eriment of
a different policy with the Indians? We have
hitherto proceeded upon the plan of protecting
our frontiers from the Indians, and have failed
Might it not be advisable for once to reverse our
policy, and see what can be accomplished by pro-
tectng the Indians from the white men? That
they sometimes need our protection, the facts
mentioned by our correspondent go far to prove
II the true history of all our Indian troubles
could be written out we doubt not but that in
the majority of instances, the red man would be
found more sinned against than SHINING. He is
the victim of the trader, who drugs him with
rum, and then cheats and cozens him at his leis-
nre. He is the victim of the frontiers man, who
views him in the light of game to be hunted, or
a beast of prey to be slaughtered, and who
not unfrequently shoots him down with no bet
ter excuse than that of the back-woodsman,
whose only apology for killing an unoffending
savage, under circumstances which shocked even
his rude companions by the unprovoked barbarity
of the deed, was that che couldn't help il: the
''varmints breast presented so fair mark as he
''stood up thar" The New Highlander, who has
had his Imagination fed from infancy with tales
of border warfare, of King PHILIP and Captain
CHURCH, and the European emigrant who in
bis journey across the Plains, sees in every wav-
ng tuft of prairie grass the noddng of warriors
olume and hears in each cracking twg the steathv
ootstep of savage foe can hardly be expected to
distinguish at sight between friendly and a hos
lie Indian. The appariton of either, at ever so
treat distance from the camp or train excites ap-
rehension enough to cause every rife to be got in
eadiness, while his approach within gun-shot is |
egarded as sufficient provocation to Justify his be-
ng killed out of hand. The Indians, on their side,
annot be expected to discriminate any better be-
ween the innocent and the guilty, in avenging
uch acts of wanton cruelty and barbarity One
'arty of emigrants is not unfrequently made to
ay the penalty of the rashness and the cowardice of
mother spirit of retaliation is thus provoked
N both sides, and soon the services of a company
# UNITED STATES dragons are needed for the pur-
ose of avenging some 'atrocious massacre" of an |
verland emigrant party, by band of Indians,
Ormerly considered friendly, but who had lately
rown suddenly and unaccountably hostile. In
EDITION to these acts of private and individual |
1rong and treachery, by which even friendly In
lans are sometimes goaded into the commission of
xcesses which are straightway published through
ut the land as 'Indian outrages," and visited ac-
ordingly with condign punishment, troubles with |
he savages are not unfrequently provoked by acts |
national Justice and want of faith. The recent |
tack on Colonel STEPToE's command by the Spo-
ane Indians grew out of the fact that more than |
yo years ago, those Indians by treaty ceded to
lis Government lands for which they We're to be
uly compensated and that the treaty has never been
lthed, nor the purchase money paid, while the
lnds have been appropriated and occupied The
enate, whose business 1t was to prevent this in
lstice has been too busy in settling personal diff
nlties between Honorable Senators, and regulating
he affairs of Kansas, to be able to bestow any at
,ntion upon the claims of parcel of North
Western savages. The gallant TAYLOR and GAS
On have paid with their lives the forfeit for this
ct of omission on the part of the Senate.
These, then, are some of the causes of irritation
hich are constantly producing an abundant crop
troubles and difficulties upon our Indian frontier
hen, to these circumstances, which in themselves
'e enough to render it exceedingly hard to pre-
rye at all times peace between our people and the
wages, is added the fact that there are pecuniary
terests which are directly advanced by Indian
ars, that there are contractors, suffers, and army
rents of all sorts, who are made rich thereby, and
at such wars invariably prove fruitful of claims
,ainst Government, ''for losses sustained and ex-
nses incurred it is not surprising that we are
ways engaged in hostities with the Indians and i
at the Florida war is no sooner ended, than we
oh 'ne eve vi aIlotiler war III OreSoh. before, |
owever, we submit to be saddled with another
cot OF Fifteen Twenty Millions the last Oregon
ar, mere dagdtelle in comparison, cost the trihe
ft0e) would it not be well for our people to in -.
IRE "lelher there be any real necessity for these
'ns''ii' ur'lhs upon the Treasury, and this whole
VIC si'uSn'er vi savage men, and whether change :
our inoue oi dealing with the Indians might not q
'ssloly De productive of beneficial results? Our
digestion would be that the instructions to our !
Ulcers upon the frontier should be reversed ond !
lat they should be charged instead with tbo a,,tn
protecting the Indians from the fire-va.on oe t
lie trader, and the firearms of the emioront ,
rom such plan, if faithfully carried ont ua
ould venture to predict the happest copse-
fences. At all events, seeing that every other !