Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-16
OUR INDIAN WAR.

MACK the sprightly Washington
| correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
mercidI, discourses relative to our Indian
disturbances as follows:
Mr.. Henderson, Chairman of the SEN
ate Committee on Indian Affairs, has
been investigation the subject Of our
present Indian difficulties, and he has
come to the conclusion that if they are
not adjusted very speedily they will run
on to such an extent as to involve the
country in an outlay of between two and
three hundred millions of dollars, and
leave nothing whatever to show for it.
There are some singular facts connected
With Indian wars worth remembering just
now. One is, that the concurrent testi-
mony of all the Congressional committees
ever appointed to investigate the causes OF
them, is to the effect that the whites and
not the Indians were the aggressors; and
| another is, that not one of them has ever
yet terminated but in the triumph of the
Indians, and thus securing what, fglven
to them in the first place, would have
arrested the war altogether 1t will be
precisely so in the war now in progress,
which originated in an attempt on the
part of the United States Government to
steal the hunting grounds of the Indians,
when it might have secured them o fair
and honorable way at cost of less than
one tenth the amount that will be ex-
pended in an Intellectual effort at forcible
ejectment The results OF the war thus
far are fifteen Indians killed, at the cost
of the lives of hundred and fifty white
.h ~ mil nj
dollars. This item ought to be taken
into consideration IN estimating the cost
of the Pacific railroad, and it will add
| quite sum per mile to the original esti.
mate. But there's money in it for all
that. Scarcely a member or senator
who voted for the bill but has had'his
town sight" speculation in hand, ready
TO make a millionaire Of him as soon as
the road is finished. Senator Upton, Of
Nebraska, advocated, on Friday last, the
payment of Government bounty for
"savage Indian scalps, as the best
means Of securing peace on the frontier
The distinguished and amiable gentle
man who spoke thus is q Methodist
preacher By profession, and was chap
lain in the army for several years. lie
complained in his speech of the hard
ships of the frontiersmen, and ranted
about the atrocities Of the Indian saw
ages" The frontier Christianity Of such
men as Upton, is entirely unequal to the
task Of making out q good case for his
constituents, and when the pious man
talks Of offering a bounty for saw
age Indian scalps, be shows that
he and his friends are not the only
sayages in Nebraska A good share OF
our present border troubles are attributa-
bic TO the hot house development Of the
Western territories and their premature
transformation into States, with the at
tendant nuisance Of men like the Rev.
Upton, as Senators and member. SO
long as Nebraska was territory, and
the Rev. Upton was preaching the from
tier gospel 10 lost and ruined world,
there were few Indian difficulties to dis
turb the serenity Of Washington but
when the Rev Upton was elected 70 the
Senate, Il was with the understanding
that he was 20 DO bis best toward the de-
velopment Of the resources Of Nebraska,
and, as a preliminary step, must urVe
the Government into q war against
the Indians. Experience is a good,
though generally slov teacher.
Perhaps the people Of the civilized
States Of the Union viii, after a while,
look upon the admission Of new States IN
q more practical light ihan the addi-
ton Of one or more TO eur glorious sister.