The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-23
THE NAVAJO WAR.

The National InteHigencer publishes with approba-
ton, letter from correspondent in New Mexico on
the subject of the Navajo war;, in which the recent
outrages Of the Indians and in the vicinity of Fort
Defiance are extenuated and the policy Of Major
Brooks the commandment at that post as well as of the
War Department, is censured or questioned The re-
citas of the Ineiigerers correspondent may or may
not embrace the whole truth in regard to these In
dian outrages and the reaatory adopted by
the army officers to prevent them they may may not
have been dictated in spirit of equal candor towards
the officers as towards the Indians. But on their
face think they bear the marks Of partisanshp for
the savagc against the white man, craftsmanship
as rife in these days as it is unnatural.
We are sure our government has never yet en-
gagged in an Indian war which has had the APP
probation and support of the class of philanthro-
pists of which ''Ciuis" is one. We may take an
early occasion to lay before the public the official
facts in relation to the origin and provocations of this
Navajo war !" and we think it will appear from
Them that every expedent of forbearance and every
effort Of persuasion were exhausted by the officers
of the government for the prevention of this war,
and the preservation of peaceabe relations with the
Navajo tribes. Yet, notwithstanding this forbear-
ance and these efforts to maintain peace it is not re-
markable that the outrageous conduct of the Indians
should have found apologst in this case. it has
done in almost all previous ones, that willing We
hicles of and apology should have been found
in the columns of journal which, it is said, has
in the life of the present generation supported
the American government in any contest that ii
ever had with foreign power or frontier savage.
The facts of this Navajo are fragrant and
pointed. A scientific officer Of the government en-
gagged in philosophc explorations in the Navajo
country, after elaborate friendly Offices, and liberal
donations of presents to them to prevent the inter
ruption of his operations, finally robbed by
these savages at an opportune moment, towards the
close Of his labors, of trunk containing all the pa
pers which recorded the results of his explorations.
The commandment of Fort Defiance, Major Kendrick,
made very earnest efforts for the recovery Of the
documents. The most liberal rewards were offered
and the strongest inducements held out for the re-
turn of the precious trunk. 1t was finally brought
back, and the liberal promises of the commandment
complied with to the fullest extent. The papers were
recovered; but the Indians conceived the idea from
tne reWaruS given lcHn tilat all tneu ouuaSes ana
thefts would be compensated in the same liberal
manner and that pusillanmity, and not resentment,
would govern the policy of the whites. Accordingly
they drove their horses to pasture upon the
lands of the government at Fort Defiance. The
horses instead of being captured or shot, were sim
ply driven off by the United States troops. Here
was confirmation Of their idea that the whites were
afraid to punish their insults.
The Indians soon after came to the Fort on pretexts
of peace; they kindly received while there they
shot down man in cold blood, and withdrew. Still
they were not pursued with hostilities the con-
trary, they called upon to deliver up the muir
derer, whose person was web Known. They delay
ed to do SO, and their delay was tolerated Finally,
the murderer having been strenuously demanded,
they brought in not the murderer butthe dead body
Of Mexican, who had been lctt xith them by Mex
lean settlers as hostage, and who, being a white
man. they had murdered in cold blood and sent into
the fort in defiance and derision Of the commanding
officer and his requiston upon them for the real
murderer
Meantime fresh droves of horses had been turned
in upon the pastures Of the military reserve more
for the purpose of insult than for pasture. There
upon the troops, at last adopting decisive meas