The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-08-24
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INDIAN HOsTILITIEs.

INDIAN HObTlLAYlEbs
The numerous reports, mostly smanatins from
Leavenworth, Kansas, relating to Indian hostili
ties, have induced the Commissioner Of Indian AT.
fairs to call upon Superintendent TAYLOR, who vss
ono Of the Treaty Commissioners, at Fort Laramie,
for special report upon the subject. The follow.
ing is his reply:
In reply to your letter of the 22d inst, making
certain inquiries relative to alleged Indian hostli
ties on the routes Of overland travel across the
plains, have the honor to state that from in
formation In my possession deemed to be entirely
reiable) an enabled to state definitely that por-
ton Of the Upper Platte Sioux, embracing about
two hundred and fifty warriors, and designated as
" bad Faces, have recently committed depreda-
tions upon travellers In the region Of Powder river,
at point some two hundred miles northwest from
Fort Laramie in Dakota Territory. These " Bad
Faces" arc q sub.band Of the 0galalas, made up Of
the most desperate characters In the various bands
Of the Sioux tribe who refuse to recognise the gen
eral authority Of the tribo or to be bound by the
action Of the majority.
A letter received from Seth 3. Ward, Esq fol
thirty years q resident Of the Indian country, in
forms me that the Indians, parties to the recent
treaty of Fort Laramie, have "acted Up good faith
and have In no single instance violated the stpuls
lions Of that treaty Between Fort Laramie and
the Missouri river 10 distance Of six hundred miles,
no depredations have boon committed since ths
treaty was concluded. and the Overland Stage Line
the Pacific Telegraph and the Overland Euigra
ton have In no case been interfered with" Mr.
Ward has acted in tho capacity Of post sutler al
Fort Laramie for nearly twenty years, speaks the
language Of the Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahoei
perfectly, and is q gentleman Of high character
whose statements the public may receive with i'm
plicit faith. have no fears that those dspreda
lions on the part Of the Dad Faces will lead to
general Indian war upon the plains. What most
fear i that parties interested in the httng out ant
subsistence Of armies will continue their efforts Il
produce such war until they will prove successful
Mutual distrust, supsriuduced by those efforts y
precipitats g collision, rarely fails to aooomPli.f
the desired end. They have been made and 70
ported at Lsavsnworth with . Persistsnoy ant
recklsssnsss which Is seldom equallsd can only
express the hope that we shall be able To maintain
our present peaceful relations with the great BODY
Of the Indians Of the plains IN spite Of them. -.
The public should understand that Lsavenwortt
has no direct communication with the West by tel
ograph. The only telographic line from the Mis-
souri, river west 10 the Rocky mountains and TIT
Pacific starts from Omaha, apd whatever news from
tbs Plains Is sent forward to the Associated Pres
Is made up and forwarded from the Omaha oace
From the tenor and frequency Of the Leavenworth
city is the general headquarters Of q telsgraphii
system ramifying every portion Of the interior.
It is enough TO say that no special dispatches
are, or have been, sent from Omaha (the head
quarters or general ofice OF the Pacinc telegraph
to Leavenworth, and that the public are indebted
for all the news from the plains. which they re-
ceiye from tho last named point, to the fertile
Imagination Of some sntsrprising gentleman, VIII
cares more for army contracts than the publi'
peace.
Very respectfully, your obsdient servant,
4. b. TAYLOR,
Superintendent Of Indian Affairs.
Hon. D. N. cQ6LEs Commissioner Of lndia'
Affairs.