The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-02

ny OE0of Oh the Repu0lIcaO State Central Com
THO. F. WTTHROW, Chairman.
60 =. The Indian Wars.
There is well grounded conviction. in
the minds of well informed persons, that
the Indian Wars on our frontier and in
Minnesota are . humbug-that our sol.
'diers are kept out on the borders, because
the money expended by the Government
enriches the squatters. We have letters
from persons on the ground, who know,
and who have no motive but to state the
facts, saying that there is not the smallest
excuse for keeping our brave men along
the Missouri, upon the plea Of fighting In
dams. They are not needed there, but are
needed at the front and prefer to 60 to the
front. That this is true, we not only have
private Information, but..the following ed
itorial article from the Council Bluffs Nor
parcil, of the 18th.
The Dubuque Times published little
item few days ago, characterizing the
useless expenditure Of money by the Gov
eminent. This item was copied by the To-
cal of the Hawk Eey, and made the SUBJ
ject of some remarks upon redskins in
general, and the present war" in partic-
nlar. We have no doubt the Captain is
question, and believes that the stupendous
expeditions which are fitting out against
the Indians ON the frontier are necessary
to protect the settlers from the Savage
foe, and TO save them from utter annihi-
lation; and the same views are doubtless
entertained by many honest and philan-
thropic individuals, at considerable dis
lance from the 'sseat Of war;" but from
our stand point upon the frontier, and in
close proximity to the hunting grounds of
the "hlOod-t thirsty savage" we can't see it.
The Missouri river Indian Expeditions
~ the most consummate humbugs Of the
age. Troops may be required to protect
the frontier settlers in Minnesota from hos
tile tribes in that State; but as far as the
Missouri river country is concerned, one
regiment of men, distributed among the
various posts above Sioux City, would be
ample force to keep the Indians in subjec-
ton. Instead Of this we lave here about
ten thousand able bodied, well-drilled SOL
diers, wasting their time aud the Govern
ment's money in gigantic expeditions
against imaginary hosts Of "blood thirsty
savages:" Let it be arranged so that these
expeditions will no longer leave green
backs In their train, and see how marvell-
Gus will be the effect upon the Indians
how very soon the "hostile tribes will be
represented as ''peacable and friendly"
Sending out bodies of armed men to
''protect the emigration is still greater
humbug. There are emigrants enough on
the plains at this time to protect themselves
against all the Indians in the United States,
Besides, the majority of those going west
this spring are men who have no claims
upon the Government for prOtecti0n-three-
fourths of them Are going to escape con-
ecrfption-are running away for fear of
being called upon to serve their country,
and at the same time, asking the Govern
ment to give them . military escort-leay-
ing their country to keep from serving
II, and asking, at the same time, that the
armies Of the country shall guard them as
they go. A1
As we remarked above, q few troops are
required on the frontier to keep the Indians
In check, but one-tenth of the men now
employed for this purpose would be all suf-
hcient, while the remainder are willing
and anxious to go where they are needed,
TO join the army in the South. At present
they are wasting their time to no purpose
but to line the pockets Of corn spectators
and beef contractors
Our neighbor of the Hdwk. Eye no doubt
thinks that the whole frontier il in immi-
'nent danger of being devastated by the
Ted-skins-we thought SO at one time--but
II he will take the trouble to inquire into
: the facts of the matter, he will be convinced
that the whole Missouri River Indian ex-
element is mere CANNON, kept up wholly
Tor purposes Of speculation.
- ~ Some people may desire to know