New-York tribune., 1867-05-14
DUR JkDIfN POLICY.
enough.

If we are at a loss to determine whether we
are at war or not, we may rest assured that
the Indians are still more So Those Gen.
Hancock met lately had no desire to fight;
and that they risked something for confer
ence proves that very conclusiyely. They un-
doubtedly ventured thus into immediate prox-
unity to the expedition in the hope OF ayertlng
the storm, and the experiment has evidently
cost them some of their baggage. They had
certain rights and claims as the native occu-
pants of the soil to urge on the encroaching
Christian people of the United States, and, in
spirit not improper or undignifnd, wished, to
press them. Their standpoint is somewhat
different from ours. and their representative
men and public servants were not unnnindfui OF
the interests it was their business to protect
That they met Hancock at the very gates OF
civilization, on the most eastern portion oil
their nomadic beat, is evidence OF their desire
to stay the hand of war.
Why did they refuse to let Gen. Hancock
and his men visit the camp where their fam
lies were 7 Perhaps it will be recalled that at
Ash Hollow, in 1856, Gen. Harvey sent for the
Indians 10 talk He too had gone on
AN expedition. An old Indian-fghter, he
knew the difficulty of finding them, and
while they were round him he proposed
terms that it was impossible to expect
them to accept, and fired on those
who came to treat with him, before they could
return to their men. Do we wonder that
these naughty, wild Indians of the Plains do
not want licentiOus soldery quartered among
their familesf When Gen. Hancock, there
fore. determined TO visit their camp in the
face of their protest, he left those who thus
came TO him no alternative but to fight or
flee.
That they did the latter, rather than hover
round his outposts to pick up stragglers, is
evidence that they have not yet dismissed the
hope of peace. TO be sure, it cost them some
tents and baggage, valuable to them; but these
aborigines are shrewd children OF the Plains
The tent-poles dragging at their ponies sides
must not mark the route OF their retreat
Their ponies must be burdened with no more
than will enable them to pursue rapid flight
Where have they gomez Where, indeed, can
they got
Is this mode of treating the Indian question
worthy of q great Christian nationf Admit
the difficulties that beset the problem, we still
claim great intelligence, and the question has
surely an honorable solution. No means can
certainly be half 80 expensive IA war. 1t is
well known that the War Department desired
the burden of Indian management to be added
to it's cares is it really a plan to cut the
unsOlved questions by the sword, and come
to the next Congress with fresh reasons against
divided jurisdiction Of the Indian question
These may be hard thoughts, but the eircum-
stances suggest them. Whatever may be the
purpose, we apprehend that the result will be
to convince all Christian men that the army,
whose trade, and only trade now, is war on
them, is DOtithe proper custodian of these help
less interests.
Still more. The West, where all our tele-
graphic stations are is in the interest hostile to
Indians, which, really, woald like to see them
exterminated. And vet more. Near these stations
with the commercial interests, such wars and
expeditions are g0dsends. There are hay
contracts and corn contracts to let for the
cavalry that go hunting for the Cheyenne trail
There are beef contracts. There is, in fact
money-money everywhere in it. Do we wonder
that the kilograms are 50 contradictory Are
we astonisbed that they are so bloodthirsty.
and are, after all, able to give us 80 little
evidence to be relied on Of positive outrage or
warlike dispositions
There is vague idea in the public mind
that, in order to negotiate with Indians, il is
best to give them sound drubbing to begin
with. This is, in fact, true of moro people
than the Indians. u We wished to annex Can