The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-10-03
OUR INDIAN AFFAIRS.


cred,' ian Indian war imminent" and other
announcements equally warlike and hostile
in their tone. The following extracts are
from letter of ex-Gov PosroS, of Arizona
Territory, to the Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs, and throw much light on the origin
of and provocations for Indian outrages in
the West. From the long experience of
Gov PosroS in Indian affairs his statements
may be regarded as worthy Of the fullest
credence:
The alarming condition of Indian affairs
in Arizona must necessarily attract your
serious attention.
1t has always been my understanding Of
law that the treaty-making power was in the
hands of the civil authorities, and ought not
to be exercised by the military authorities
without cooperation. In New Mexico and
Arizona the military authorities assume to
be the government" and with wanton
tyranny attempt to override every other
branch of the public service.
The Territory Of Arizona was subsequently
annexed to the Department Of the Pacific,
and an officer without experience in the
country or with the Indians placed in COM
mand. The result has been most disastrous
to the property of the Territory, and out of
all the Federal officers holding sway in Ari-
iona not one has had any previous expert
ence in frontier life or Indian affairs. What
else could be expected, then, but such disas-
tiers as we have recently had chronicled
The insinuation that the attempt to make
treaty OF Fort Goodwin was for speculative
purposes may or may not be worthy Of in
vestigation. Odium enough has been brought
upon the Indian department by such charges,
whether true or false The Superintendent
Of Indian Affairs has, as you will see by his
reports, washed his hands of any completely
in this disagreeable affair.
After speaking of his residence among the
Apaches, over three hundred miles from any
military post, for several years, without mo-
lestation, the Governor continues: ain the
beginning Of 1861 few cattle we're missed
from the vicinity Of Fort Buchanan, and COM
plant having been made to the commanding
officer Of the post, detachment of troops
was sent out to make reclamation of the
Apaches for the lost cattle. This command
having arrived in the Indian country, sent
for some of the principal chiefs to come into
camp and have talk about the grievance
they were sent to redress. The person who
made the complaint acted as interpreter, and
the result was that of six chiefs who came
into camp on the invitation of the military
authorities five were shot and one named
CAcHEss made his escape, and has since been
bold. fearless and successful leader of the
Apaches in their most relentless warfare
upon the whites" As the legitimate and
bloody fruits of this ineffable treachery the
Governor says that within sixty days after
this occurrence one hundred and fifty whites
were killed on the highway, and some of
them were found burned alive, with their
heads hanging over fires, and others tied to
wagon wheels and burned with the trains.
The Apaches remained masters of the
country during the years 1861, go and '63,
when Territorial Government was organ
lied for Arizona, and troops were sent with
the civil officers to establish Government
in the Territory. In January, 1864, party
Of volunteers, acting under commission
from Governor GOODWIN, made a campaign
into the Apache country, and at place near
the junction Of the Salado and Verde rivers
called Bloody Tanks called parey with
the Apaches. After considerable delay the
Apaches were induced to come into camp,
and pending the formalities of treaty, the
principal chiefs were singled out and shot
the whites losing only one man in the ARRAY
and twenty-five Indians being killed"
After the recital of several other similar
outrages on the part Of the whites, Governor
PosroS, in giving his views relative to the
policy which should be pursued by the Gov
eminent in its treatment of the Indians, says
In treating with Indians have always
found good faith indispensable to mutual
confidence. We cannot afford to adopt the
Indian mode Of warfare or stoop to the
degradation of treachery. The common in
stincts Of humanity forbid and public senti
ment in Christian nation will not and
ought not to tolerate it. The Apaches are
unconqucred savagcs, living in their native
astnesses-proud, defiant, well-armed we'll
mounted, and surpass any people on our
continent in endurance, skill, sagacity and
above all in treachery and strategy.
"The Government should, in my opinion,
make fair, open, and persistent war upon
them until they are exterminated or bow
their necks in submission to our mighty
power, and then they should be colonzed on
reservations and made to labor or to starve
No white flags to inveigle them into camp
for slaughter; no patched-up treaty to ben
eft spectators in beef"
with population of nearly forty thou
sand Indians and only ten or twelve thousand
citizens, common prudence would dictate
careful and just treatment Of the Indians.
In an intercourse of nearly twelve years with
the chiefs and headmen Of these tribes neither
misunderstanding or difficulty has ever oc-
cured"
NATIONAL THEATRE-"Rosedal which
has drawn large and fashionable audiences
for the past two nights, will be repeated to-
min E,r lp la h, Ia q