Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1861-07-13
INDIAN TROUBLES UPON THE
FRONTIER.

Tor several mOAtns past many OF the
settlers upon the Western frontiers have
been apprehensivs of trouble from the In
dian tribes whose reservations are eontig.
nous to or surrounded by white settlements
In giving expression to their fears, these
people have established the foundation of
a rumor, which, accommodating details as it
travels has at the distance Of one hun
drsd miles from the place of its origin,
assumed the proportions and form Of an
authentic account Of general Indian var,
with al the accompanying horrors. Wheth-
er the fears Of these people are we'll ground
I'd or not remains to be teen; ~ yet no
demonstrations on the part Of any Indians,
in tribal capacity, have been made, to
our knowledge, which would warrant the
belief that they contemplate . war with
the whites. No single tribe would have
the tsmerity to engage in an open war,
which they must be aware could not but
result: disastrously to them and the bitter
fueds which have for years existed between
the several tribes Of Indians upon our
frontiers, make it very improbable that
they would forget their old ehmity, and
unite in common cause. Again, all the
Indians in Eastern Kansas, Nebraska and
Dakota receive annual annuites from the
Government, upon which, in great mea'
sure they are dependent for their subsis.
tence. Being proverbially indolent and
improvidsnt, it is not likely that they would
throw away this certain means of support
for tho mere purpose Of gratifying their
warike prspensities. Nearly oil the Chiefs
of these annuity Indians have visited
Washington, and are acquainted with the
power with which they would have 10 con.
tend in case they provoked war with the
whites.
We do not mako these remarks for the
purpose Of assuring our readers that no
danger exists. The leading traits in the
character Of the Indian are treachery and
deceit. Whilst assuming the outward
gsrb Of friendship and good will towards
the settlers, the most bitter and relentless
hatred may be raj. king in their breasts
ia only awaiting . ia vorable opportunity
60 wrask vengeance upoE those whom
shey are taught by bad white i.,en to re-
g; - he enemies of their race. The
EaaT.!es, during tho week, OF two Of our
a.tZens, almost w3tAin sight Of our doors,
furnishes !nGisputab!e evidence that war
has neeu made by the Indians upon the
lives Of our citizens. Whether these out
RACES are committed by the sanction Of
whole tcoe. or is the work of . rowing
band Of outlawed savages, il immsteral
80 far as the results are concerned. Our
uel ghbors have been butchsred, their pro-
perry stolen, and the murdersrs and thieves
have escaped.
While we do not anticipate a general
Indian war, the outrages which have been
committed uy small bands, demand that
tie citizens Of the frontier should be upon
the alert, and fully prepared to meet any
emergency which may arise. The tribe
or tribes to which these murdersrs and
thieves belong should be required to ap-
prshend and deliver them up for punish.
ishment If they refuse to do this, then
duty. safety and honor demand that the
settlers should raise a sufficient force, in
wade their country and give them such
treatment as musderers and their abettors
merit. The time has arrived when the
tribes to which those maursudsrs belong,
must receive bullets from Federal muskets
instead Of dollars from the Federal treas
ury. And the respective agents Of the
several neighboring tribes should be re-
quired to keep a sharp watch upon the
Indians under their care, and upon NO
prstext whatever allow any of them to
leave their reservations. The security of
the lives Of the Indians, rs we'll as Of the
settlers, demands the performance of this
duty on their part. 1t is difficult to dis
tinguish the difference between . friendly
aud q hostile Indian and in the present
state Of feeling which exists in some sec.
tions upon the frontier, an Indian-bs he
friend or foe-holds his life by very pre-.
carisus tenure when within the range of
settlers rife.
in our opinion, no good cause for gen.
eral alarm exists The outragss which
have thus far been committed, is the work
OF snail number Of rowing Indians
supposed to BE- = portion Of Inkpadutah's
band, the authors of the Spirit Lake mas.
sacrs in 1861. They have been com.
hitting depreda,ioss upon tho property of
the settlers in the Little Sioux valley, at
intervals, ever since that time, and the
frequent Abortive attempts which have
been made to chastiss them has embold
snsd them, and induced them to make
their inoursions more frequent. Now that
hey have gone 80 far Is to take the lives
Of our citizens in order to gain possession
Of their property, We hope that tho efforts