Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-05-10
nR1rmm e. mAsoN,s RANCHES
AND MINES.

The references which we have frequently
made to the operations going on In the
Pacific Military Department, under the
administrations which General Halleck
superseded, called forth stout rejoinders
from the San Francisco press, who made
point blank assertions that all wa well,
excellent, superlatively correct, etc. Pro-
badly those organs Of private and public
spectators would have continued to up
hold and conceal, for the benefit Of the
operators alluded to, il it was not notori-
Gus that Cornelius Cole, United States
Senator elect from California, was cogniz-
n Of the doings Of the operators, and in
tended, when he took his seat in the
upper chamber of Congress, if not before,
to expose and put a stop to the outrages
in the shape Of ranch and mine working,
by soldiers, that was proceeding for the
profit Of somebody else besides Uncle
| Samuel. gvra r~Fu-ur.as-
So it happens that even the San Fran
cisco Bulletin discreetly falls out with the
spectators on the army force Of this
coast. And we have confidence that Gen.
eral Halleck will not countenance the
doings Of the " operators" when they and
their schemes transpire fully. The San
Francisco Flag and the Placerville Mirror
have long been outspoken on this subject ;
and through their bold declarations, the
people Of California have been apprised Of
su'thin' "rotten in Dinmark,', and are
prepared to learn and in expectation Of
hearing of removals, dismissals, as justice
demands, in the Department of the Pacific.
The San Francisco Bulletin, Of May 4th,
edisorially says:
In view Of the condition Of affairs on
the Colorado. the public will learn with
surprise that the entire military force,
with the exception Of q few companies,
has been withdrawn from the more north.
ern and central portion Of the Territory,
and sent south. In other words, the more
| densely populated regions, occupied BY
an industrious and stsid community, de-
voted to commercial and agricultural pur.
suits, have been virtually denuded Of
troops, while q section Of country chiefly
| inhabited by "greasers" and miners, the
latter having no interest in the Territory,
and in most instances not ever claiming
to be citizens Of il, are supplied with efi-
Gent garrisons! And this while tie war
like Apaches are daily committing out
RACES within a few stone's-throw Of the
capital Of the Territory while men are
shot down at work in their fields; while
the only friends we have among the 1ndi.
ans are hunted like wild beasts, because
they remain true to US; and while legiti.
mate settlers are compelled to abandon
their ranches and seek refuge elsewhere.
This withdrawal Of the troops from the
points Of real danger and their c~oncentra.
ton in the vicinity Of certain mines gives
rise to injurious suspicious. It is more
than intimated-it is openly ch~arged-tha,
military officers are more interested in the
success Of certain claims" than they are
in the pacifcation Of the country. It i.
alleged that not only subalterns, but those
Of a higher grade-even those with star:
on their shoulders-are silent II not active
partners in companies operating within
the protection of military lines. Curious
stories are also told Of presents made BY
Presidents and Superintendents of com.
panies and others to the wives Of officers
Of high rank-such presents in two in.
stances, at least, running up as high as an
$500 piano. Indeed, the current talk
among Arizona civilians is said to be thai
making war upon the red men is about the
last and the least thing thought Of by
some Of the representatives Of the military
authorities ; and that for all purposes Of
protection Of lives of settlers, Jul troops
are well nigh worthless.
We do not, of course, vouch for the
truth Of these damaging allegations, but
give them as specimens of the kind Of
talk INDUCED in by persons not given to
exaggeration. But there is evidently a
screw loose somewhere. The military
establishment of the Territory costs, we
are told, nearly three millions Of dollars
annually. The force is sufficient to give
q reasonable degree Of protection. And
yet the people are compelled to rely al
most entirely upon their own stout arms
and brave hearts as defenses against the
savage tribes. A campaign against the
Apaches was announced with a noisy
flourish Of trumpets last autumn; but
what has been accomplished Perhaps a
couple hundred Indians have been slain,
and even for this sorry result we are
mainly indebted to a battalion Of native
troops.
We understand that earnest representa-
tons Of the condition Of affairs have been
made to General Halleck. and we trust he
will give the subject prompt attention.