The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-01
IcoMmUNIcArED.
FROM WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
Hon. Isaac ToucEY.

Editors Of The Washington Union
The recent discoveries of gold pacers the banks of
Fasers river in the British Northwest American posses
sions having attracted very general attention to this
ton Of country have thought it would not be de-
void of interest to your readers to learn some
thing reliable with reference to its general state condi
ton, and future prospects
The Indian which broke out east of the Cascades,
and Puget sound almost simultaneously in the
of 1885, and which spread such perfect constena
ton throughout the length and breadth of this and the
adjoining Territory of Oregon, had deceitfu ul and
temporary cessation in the spring of 1885, owing most
probably TO the scarcity of provisions and ammunition
among the hostes, and, measurably to illdened
arrangement made with them by Col Wright, who was
in command of the regular forces encamped the Yaki
river at that period 1t is difficult to assign any
controlling motive with the natives for this outbreak but
il should rather be referred to variety of causes among
which the onconnaon OF treaties made with them the
caeesness utter abandon with which their country
vesed by the Americans the frequent opportunities for
punderng with mpunity and the natural restless dspos
ton of the Indian may be fairly considered as the most
prominent but apart from these considerations, should
almost doubt the sanity and certainly seriously question
the historical knowledge OF any one who could imagine
that vast extent of country, five times large V
gnia inhabited by numerous rowing tribes of uncvized
natives with whom war almost their national pastme
could be quietly and peaceably brought into condition
of acknowledged subsection by the simple declaration of
boundaries, in the treaty of 1916, the complacent
and gratutous donations OF their country as in the act
of 1850. All history and the experience Of other govern
mens teach to the contrary and it was the bounden
duty of government to know that when it undertook
to settle up with American citizens these northwest terri
tories bar to British encroachments it could be done
only with the assistance the bayonet national
sderatons must outweigh personal philanthropy though
genuine humanity should be the result Of all enlightened
administration. The past experience of our own and
every other Christian government points directly to the
fact that the most economical the most effective, and
tire most humane method OF establishing dominion
foreign Indian territory the exhibition of the power
of its and the utity Of all resistance it is puerc
to hesitate in admitting that it is the destiny of the
white to possess the whole of the North American
continent and the Indians must give way before them
though that policy should always be tempered with mercy
where that quality viii be properly appreciated, and
where II does not materially interfere with any
essential national objects The procrastination which
has hitherto always and proverbiay attended
teps at Indian conquest has been the result of
what national scky sentimenality Tor the 'poor In
dian and has invariably entaed greater misery and
ouch boodshed upon the conquered race, well
90 ,non -aalves, besides costing the government i'm
nse sums and win far less sauary effects than could
have been brought about by asysem OF short quick and
ccisiy We campaigns teaching them at once our mmeasura
BILE superiority and that friendly sublectoh was thel
inevitable fate by this conssp many valuable hVes and
profuse expenditures of money womb iya neeh saved
and earlier opportunities been presented ior the exercise
and display of such humane provisions for the alienation
and protection of the Indians are always found inserted
in our treaties with them.
During this deceitfu u referred to- which succeeded
the active campaign of 1888 and 1856 on Puget Sound,
and the apparently amless certainly useless, marchngs
and countearchngs Of troops between the Cascades and
the Columbia river the cast those Indians renamed
almost perfectly quiet and peaceable and why simply
because the knowledge of their treacheons character de-
tered all white from going into their country and
they had opportunities offered them for murder or
plumber. About March, 1853, they caught two white
men near Snake river, and OF murdered them
this was followed by foay and theft Of several cattle
belonging to the United States oommissary department,
The gold mines of this Territory being known to OK,
list in their country the desire TO examine and work
them became very naturally intense, and detacl-
ment Of 1872 rank and file organized under Bre
vet Lieut.. Col Steptoe, to march through the coun
try on the side of the Columbia for the purpose of
ascertanipg the disposition and temper Of the natives
and with the temporizng policy unfortunately preva
lent in all dealings With the Indians, 70 make some
arrangements by which the citizens NJ the Territory and
others might be PERMITTED free access to these g9,4 placers
Colonel Steptoe did not expect 10 have to fight although
the affair of Brevet Major Halter the west side of the
Columbia in October, 1865, should probably have in
duced different conclusion however, the Colonel was
assured by several of those around him that his force
efficient for any emergency. After several days
march from Port Waa Wala, and when about So miles
north OF the Snake, e was met and fuously attacked
by force of from 700 to 10G0 lighting men the en-
gagement continued about nine hours and alter loss
of five killed and fifteen wounded sdc circum
stances compelled rapid retreat of troops under
cover of the night it should be remembered that we
had treaties, though uno0pirmed with oil the tribes en-
gagged in this affair.
After the Intellectual expenditure of millions OF money
and of hundreds of lives and after this last actthe bat
tie with Septoet became but too evident that the most
humane, the wises and only to pursue with these
Indians was to thrash them thoroughly establish 10 convc
ton in their minds the power of our government and
its determination TO rule their country and then TO
make liberal treaties with them, constituting for them
just generous and mercifu system OF pupilage In
furherance Of this plan, General Clarke, commanding
the Pacific depai nent forthwith repaired TO the scene
OF action organized his dispoble force into two bodies
one the east of tina Columbia under Colonel Wright
the other the west Of that river, under Maj Garnet
with orders TO conquer permanent peace These or
deTs have recently been faithfully and calamity carried
Out and the yaFlops trbss east of the Cascades have
10 congratulate themselves that nearly every
of their principal Warriors, ne@d non, and insu-
gators 10 murder rapine1 and piunder no Longer ~