The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-12
The Indian Tribes,


prevails in this than in that portion of
this united kingdom.
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The Indian Tribes, .....
A circular has been issued by the Sec
rotary of the Interior to Superinten-
dents of Indian Affairs and Indian
Agents, instructing them to have no sort
of intercourse with any of the Indian
tribes while they continue in hostility to
to the government They are directed
mot to deliver goods, money or other
property to any Indian nation, tribe, or
band while they oppose the govern
ment authority, as they have notorious
| ly been doing all through the rebellion,
and to be watchful that no trade or in
tercourse withan member of such tribes
be had. In short, all disatfected Indian
tribes are to be cut off from their connec-
ton with the whites, and allowed, for
the present, to live or die, as it may fall
out with them.
1t appears from a tabular statement
respecting the several tribes that they
number altogether 314,622 souls, and
united, can bring into the field between
| fifty and sixty thousand warriors. So
formidable body OF fighting men it is
hardly fair to suppose them able to col
| ASSe IVA q ohoSt, Va yGt
that is the measure OF their strength as
disaffected occupants of certain portions
of the reserved national domain. They
were unhappily seduced from their al
legiance to the armed support of the re-
bellion, which, after all, was not so un-
natural, seeing that rebel agents were
the only ones likely to solicit their ser.
vices at all. The Indian chief who was
asked to lead out his followers into a
| fight, of course thought that the other
side which did not ask him, must be the
weaker and more despicablc one. The
results OF the war, however, have in q
degree opened the eyes of these red men,
and taught them that power still resides
where it always has for them, in the
strong right arm Of the government.
Until, therefore, plain understand
ing Is had between the several tribes
now in hostility and the Government of
the United States, they are to remain
cut off from all aid and nearly all
the resources on which they have for a
long time relied for the support of life.
A very large proportion Of them have
hitherto depended on the Government
for subsistence; cut off the means of that
subsistence suddenly, and they perish.
The settlers who go across the plains in
search of gold and silver are encroaching
upon their means of living they have
lost their annuities by mixing them
selves up with the rebellion; and now
that the order has been issued to sus-
pend trade and intercourse with them,
their sufferings must shortly become
next to intolerable. The recent attack
of combination of Camanches, Che
yennes, Blackfeet and Sioux upon all
United States garrison at Platte River
Bridge, coupled with their threat that
they wanted no peace with us, that they
were now going to have war "for all
time," furnishes hint Of the fate which
Is sure to overtake them if they proceed
in any such direction as that. Let
general Indian War break out, and we
shall hear little more of the red man
from one end of the continent to the
other, after it is over.
In contradiction of this report, of
their open declaration Of war, however,
we have q rumor, quite as well based,
that there is to be held large council
of Indian tribes at Fort Bridger, some
where about the first of September, to
make terms with the Government
again, and promise renewed loyalty and
devotion. This is far better than their |
threat of a war "for all time" and |
about all that will save them In the |
list Of powerful tribes set down as likely |
to be present at that important council,
are the Creeks, Chickasaws, Choctaws, |
Seminoles, Camanches, Osages, Shaw
nees, Senecas and Cherokees, which |
have all had a hand in the rebellion,
and would no doubt be glad to receive
the same clemency at the hands of the
President which he has extended to the
Southern armies. On the part of the
Government, it is reported they vii! be
met by Commissioners Cooley, of the
Indian Bureau, Commissioner Edmonds,
of the Land Office, Superintendent
Sells, of the Southern Agency, Col. Par
ker, military secretary of Gen. Grants
staff, Gen. Harvey, Gen. Heron, and
Col. Bent.
It is to be hoped that permanent peace
will be established between us and |
them, whose fairest lands we now have
In our possession. They are fading from |
existence fast enough, without being |
driven beyond sunset by musket ball |
and bayonet. 1t has all been strange,
morally indefensible passage of his
tory whose ending we would most fifty |
illustrate by dealing with these Inflated
children of the forest as they were not
dealt with by those who went before us.
A curious snake was recently found at
Lee, says the Springfield Republican.
1t was nearly four feet in length, about
the size of mans finger, and shaped
like a whip lash; and on close examina-
ton thewhole body was found to be COM
posed of small worms about half an inch
In length, with large black heads and
semi-transparent body. On separating
them into fragments they would imme-
diately reform into the snake shape and
crawl slowly of. One or two other
similar snakes haverecently been seen in
y 81 "a "