The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-12-28

. II tie Editors Of tks Darsnpost Gssssse ~
. | have been Informed that the letter Of John 8
Prescott vas published in your columns with
your remarks expressing the belief that Cover
Nor Lowe has been imposed upon BY represen-
! taeions made to him in regard to the danger "a
+ which the Northwestern settlements are e1-
, posed, and had acted hastily and impruden,lv
10 calling out the company provided BY law for
their protection. l have been informed further
that you have, since the publication of that let.
yer. repeated BY inuendo 1t least, the same
OPINION. Justice to Governor Lowe and the
people OF the State demands that the rspressn-
sations made to him in regard to the danger to
she Northwest, with his action thereon, shall be
communicated to the public.
Charles Smeltxer, County Judge Of Clay
county, IN his letter to the Governor, used the
following language:
:" have been urged time and again for the
last lew days, to write to you on the subject Of
tue necessity OF come better protection of our
frontier. Rumors came TO my ears that there
we're indians lurking among US, and to satsfy
myself, have been out on the scout. To nv
surprise, saw numerous trails of Indians and
some Indians. One band protesting to be
friendly, still show that exaeting and domineey-
sng spirit which argues to my mind that thev
are lurking for no good. have been 70 Shirt
Lake and there found great excitement. /
FOUND Indians there. the chief Of whom repre-
sented himself as brother. in.law of Inkpedu-
| tan, ana professed to have no friendly feeling
towards the whites. Miss Gardner, one Of the
captives in the spring of 1857, thought she re
| eognized some Of tho band who held her captive.
| ! nave every reason to believe that the whole
| irontier Is iull OF them. Unless steps are taken
| soon, our interests will suffer greatly. have
gwen you the facts and beg Of YOU 70 take
some measures to protect us-both life and
property" ~
Judge Palmer, Of Spirit Lake, Dickinson
county, wrote az follows:
lhere are numerous bands of Indiana hoy
ering about the frontier who have made sever
al attempts TO get into the houses of tho set
tiers, but so far have been baffied. II is sun
posed that they wish to get into the houses 30
tnat they can see the situation and position Of
everything pertaining thereto, that ttey may be
soie to take any advantage in case they wish to
make an attack. Another source Of annrehan.
sion is the fact that there are several here who
ioss property and friends by the depredations
ana massacre OF 1857, and it 10 almos. impos-
sio!e to restrain them from shooting Indians
whenever and wherever they can find them
There are Indians camped on Spirit Lake At
present, and there have been several other |
bands seen in this vicinity. during the last few |
days. Nearly all the horses in thesneighbor-
hood have disappeared, aud il is believed that
settlers are keeping guard night and day.
Arms, and especially ammunition, are very
scarce here, and owing to the hard times. il
is almost impossible for the settlers to provide
Tor themselves. / therefore solicit your earliest
attention TO this subject, believing you will see
the Importance of it, and take the necessary
means for protecting the frontier"
Accompanying the above and other letters
upon the subject, was petition representing
that:
"Indians have just been seen in this vicinity.
and though they profess to be friendly no con-
fdence can be placed in their remaining so.
Besides, 1t is impossible for us to distinguish
between friendly and hostile Indians, and the
experience OF last winter shows that both may
at any time be among u.s."
The petition concludes 'the memory of the
late massacre is too vivid, and the hostile in
cursion OF last winter is too recent to allow US
TO exert proper degree of judgment in dis
eliminating between friondlp Indians and those
who are hostile, especially rhen ue kaoo that a
mistaken opinion for a fc,c moments only could
place tie ares Of oursetres and oar families in
danger. We would therefore request that an
armed force be stationed for the winter at
some point in this vicinity"
This petition was signed by Abigail Gardner,
(now Mrs. Sharp, believs) one Of the captive
women Of 1857, Orlando c. Howe, District
Attorney elect for the fourth Judicial District.
K. W. Wheelock, and over thirty other in J.
habitants OF Dickinson County. The law makes
il the duty of the Governor to call out the
Company when in his judgment based upon
reliable information" either the ELVES or the
Of the citizens OF this State are in
danger. You regarded the unsupported state
ment OF John 5. Prescott reliable Was it
hasty and imprudens to place even more re.
lance upon the statements OF Judges Swetzer
and Palmer, supported by the declarations of
District Attorney Howe, and over thirty other
citizens Of Dickinson County,! With such
before him, would not refusal
by the Governor to act have been criminal? 1t
should be remembered that no counter state
ments had then been made. If Mr.. Prescott
was at Spirit Lake, he must have known some
thing of this movement when the Company was
called out, yet he withheld his protest until the
Company was on its way to the frontier. In
going from Spirit Lake 80 Newton, where his
first letter was written and published, il is
probable he passed through the capital, although
he had no interview with the Governor or any
State officer upon this subject. Why he did
not nterpose his contradiction Of the state.
ments being made by his neghbors until these
statements had accomplished their purpose, aud |
the capital was between him and Spirit Lake,
he has not explained
Gov. Lowe, upon ordering out the Company,
ordered an investigation of the whole natter
His information from reliable sources shows that
he acted properly in the premises. Major VIM.
Williams, the commander of the expedition OF
1867, and an old citizen of the frontier, in s
etter under date of the l4th inst, says:
"That protection should be given / am sat
SIZED. There can be no doubt Of the frontie.
settlements being in danger. | know these
Indians well. l know all the leading spri IS
among them personally. They sre tho same
Indians we used to keep in check at this fort.
Fort Dodge.] l am well acquainted with Ink
padutah, Umphashata, Ttonka, Mokopakamon,
lshtahaba, Red Joe, Casomnee, and all Of
their leaders. This marauding band is made
up of desperadoes from the Yancton, Little
Rock and Red Top bands principally, mixed
with some half breeds. They are full of re- +,
taliation and in my opinion will make de- r
scent upon our frontier settlers, when they least
ex pect it. They are wiley Ind and require
watching. There is line of frontier, say
from Chain Lakes to Changers Point, thence to )
Spirit and Okobagee Lakes, thence down south {
As far as WATERWAYS Creek or Smithland, in all
A distance of something like 100 miles, that is
certainly very much exposed, and in my opinion
IAN have but very little protection from Fort
iidge!ey Or Fort Randall, whore troops are
The troops at Ridgeley are at the
nearest point at least 60 or 10 miles Distant
Fort Randall is farther. They could not from
either place give any assistance, other than
'ollowing the Indians after the depredatlons
ire committed All who know anything about
he Indian character know that their mode Of
warfare is surprise and steal.hy movements"
Major Williams says that tho General Gov
.rnment owes this protection to the frontier;
that little local disputes and personal chickering's
will always produce fault finders with any
course the Executive Of the State may pursue
and closes his letter by advising that the Score.
tary Of War be urged to establish a temporary
post at the proper point for defense. 1t may
be well to remark here that Governor Lowe
has been for months urging upon the Secretary
the very measure advised by Major Williams
The Secretary has no available force he can s
send to that point now, but promises to make
IN effort to have Congress indemnify the State
for the expense incurred in the support OF her