Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-07-05
How Indian Treaties are Made.

The report made by the Commits
sion authorized by Congress to in
vestigate the causes of the Fort Phil
Kearney massacre in December last
shows one of the ways in which trea-
ties with the Indians are made. This
commission was appointed by the Sec
rotary Of the Interior and Gen. Grant,
and the report that they make can be
relied upon as giving true statement
of the case. A commission was sent
out last year to make treaties with
Indian tribes, and especially to secure
from them rights of way for railroads
and wagon routes. One of the routes
desired was from Fort Laramie, Ne
braSka, Iorthward through the Pow
der River country to Montana. Con
ferences in regard to obtaining this
route were held with the Sioux and
other Indians, and they earnestly and
positively protested against having
any road opened through that coun-
try, since that was their buffalo hunt
ing ground, and the opening of a
thoroughfare for emigrants would
drive away the buffalo. The Commits
sionerS insisted upon having the route
opened, and the Sioux protested that
to allow the road desired through the
Powder River country would be to
doom themselves to starvation, and
they should be forced to fight for theil
lives if the government attempted tC
open this road through a country
which had been previously assigned
to them by treaty.
The Commissioners still insisted
on the necessity Of the proposed route
and the conference was abruptly
brought to an end by all the leading
Sioux Withdrawing from it, with the
declaration that the attempt to Oper
the road would force them to ofei
resistance. At this point, it wouIC
certainly have been well for the Com
missioners to have reported the fact
in the case to the Government a
Washington, that measures Nigh
have been taken for making such pro
; vision for the tribes who held tn
Powder River country as hunting
ground as would have reconciled then
to giving up their former treaty.
This the Commissioners did not dc
however, but they induced some in
significant members of the Sioux trib
to give their consent for the establish
ment of the road, assumed the powe
to make these men chiefs, an
= then prepared treaty which thes
. newly made chiefs signed. Thi
bogus tr realty was then sent t
Washington as a bona fide article
: and was ratified in the Senate with
out any suspicion of It's WORTHLESS
character. The real chiefs of tn
e Souix repudiated such q treaty 0
i course, and when troops were ser
T. to locate forts and open the rout
s they were attacked and resisted, a
n the chiefs said they would be at tn
|, Fort Laramie conference. 1t was III
der cover of this so-called' treaty thf
e Col. Fetterman was sent to Fort Ph
t Kearney with eighty-one soldiers, an
o the SiOux attacked and killed IL
e whole party.
Il The real responsibility of the ma
/ sacre, therefore, rests with the Cor
= missioners, who imposed a WORTHLESS
d treaty upon the Government, and
IL they shared the fate of Col. Fette
e mans command they would only hay
e received just punishment for the
g extraordinary and reckless conduc
p So long as treaties with the Indian
le are made in this way, so long we ms
ST expect to have Indian wars and ma
G. sacres. If the white men show no 1
u spect for the rights of the Indians, tt
+ latter will not be kind enough to I
d, spect the scalps and lives OF the torl
"a er. The Government should pro
Is by this experience and by the repo
s. of Generals Buford, Sanborn and OF
n ers, and when treaties are sent
u Washington to be ratified the Ser
Is tors must satisfy themselves that tn
cd are real treaties and not bogus a.
worthless documents. Human life
too precious to be recklessly and nee
ot. lesslu hazarded and sacrificed. a