The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-22
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
NDrTORIAL OPINIONS or THE LKADNG JOURNALS
UPor OURRENT TOPIcs-coMPILED EVERY
DAY FOR yHB EVENING TMEeRAPH'
Ubs Indian treaties.


I,as The blame without any desire to exalt
the character of the red man unduly, we say
without hesitation that, had the border whites
and the Government agents kept their part of
the treaty obligations inviolate, the Indians
would have kept theirs, and hundreds of lives
and vast sums of money would have been
saved. This fact should be kept in view when
we estimate the worth of the treaties recently
made with the Kiowas, Comanches, Chey-
ennes and other Western tribes-treaties that
secure to the border whites-too frequently
the worse than savage advance-guard of civil
hzation-many valuable privileges and rights;
and which, we venture to say, will first be
broken by the whites
Thus far the Indian Peace Commission has
been remarkably successful. When it was
sent out, several months ago, general war of
determination appeared to be imminent, in
deed almost unavoidable. But the distin-
guished soldier to whom was intrusted the
difficult task of negotiating with the tribes has
performed his task so well that all danger of
bloodshed has been averted, and peace con-
cluded upon terms that give promise of the
permanent settlement of our Indian troubles,
provided that we keep faith ourselves with the
savages.
The first treaty was signed this fall, on the
24th of October, with the Apaches, small
tribe, consisting of seventy lodges only. They
had previously been arrayed with the Cheyen
mes against the Cover nment and had suffered
great losses in consequence. Their annuities
had been withheld, and they were gradually
sinking back into their former barbarous
habits when news of the peace commission
reached them. On receipt of this intelligence
their chief, Poor Bear, despatched messengers
to gather in his scattered brethren. Some of
these bands were along the Mexican border
waging war on Americans and Mexicans alike
pidly wasting away by battle and disease
Yet, az soon as they heard that peace was pos
sibie, they hastened to the general meeting
place, at Medicine Lodge creek, where the
assemblage of Indians amounted to more than
i've thousand souls. After long and serious
consultation, treaty of peace was signed, by
which the Apaehes are settled upon a reserva-
tion adjoining that of the Kiowa and Comanche
agricultural reservation. Exclusive of their
annuities, they are to receive five thousand
dollars year. Instead of the fifteen dollars
head formerly paid to them-and which too
often went for whisky-each male, adult is to
receive suit of clothes, and each woman a
dress made Of woollen material. 1t was also
agreed that, until the Apaches remove to the
territory set apart for them by this treaty,
they shall be permitted to range at pleasure
Throughout the unsettled portions of the coun-
try they originally claimed as theirs; that is
throughout the whole Indian territory, from
Arkansas river.
The negotiations with the Cheyennes were
more difficult and complicated, ON account of
the shameful atrocities to which this tribe had
been subjected. Many of their people were
massaored by Chivington's band Of white saw
ages; and, last spring. while the tribe were at
peace with U.S. their village was plundered aud
set on fire, causing a loss to them of more than
q hundred thousand dollars. Under these cir
cumstances, it is not to be wondered at that
they declined at first to listen to the commits
sioners, and hesitated long before afixing their
signatures to the treaty of peace. 1t seemed
to them more like mockery than the solemn
ratification of compact. But they were at
length convinced that the commissioners were
acting in good faith; and all the chiefs then
signed the treaty. By its terms the reservation
given to this tribe drops of all lands lying
In Kansas, and extends the southern boundary
from Red creek down to the Cimmarron river,
sometimes called the Red Fork of the Arkansas.
1t is bounded on the east by the Arkansas
river, on the south and west by Cimmarron,
and on the north by Kansas, and contains
eight or nine thousand square miles. The Gov
ernment agrees to give them an agency house
and other necessary buildings for physician,
farmer, miller school-teacher, blacksmith
etc. Also it is stipulated to give them each
suit OF good substantial woollen clothing
each year, or the necessary materials to make
Ati Guu, III duulLlOu Ln6reLO, 10 eHpeuu pOO,OuO
n annually for their benefit in such articles as
they may need.
The Cheyennes refused to yield the right of
hunting north of the Arkansas river, as long
as the buffalo is found there, unless they sue
ceed in making a living by agriculture on
their own lands; but they agree to keep away
ten miles from all forts and travelled roads,
and withdraw all opposition to white settle
ments, promising to defend them against all
enemies.
Similar treaties, differing ouly in unimport-
ant points, have been made with other tribes;
and the devastating war which few months
ago threatened to deluge the border with blood
has been happily averted.
If the border whites will only keep their
part of the treaties faithfully, and refrain from
ihaicting wrong on the tribes, there need never
be another Indian war. The old chief of the
Riowa nation, Satanta, uttered nothing but
the truth when he said, in his eloquent fare
we'll speech.--
II come TO say that the Kiowas and Conan
ches have made with You peace; and they iu-
TEND TO keep It. II IL brings prosperity to us
We OIoourse Will like 1t the better II 1t brings
RrVosPsriLy oP ~ OF adYersity, we will not abandon It,
4tAs our eontract and 1t shall stand. Our people
once carried war against Texas We thought
Sno oIetb y hbher would not be offended for the
,t bao nau gohe i out rom among his people
ana become MS enemies. You now tell us that
they nave made peace and returned to Inc
great family. The Kiowas and Commences wi III
now make no pi9ody trail in their land They
have pledged their word, and that vord ana
last, unless the whites shall break their con
tract, and invite the horrors of war We 40 ~,
break treaties. We make but few contraois .
and them we remember well. The whites n1ol-r
so many that they are liable TO forget them
The white chief seems not TO be able To goverr
his braves"