The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-12-28

IhOSe VINO nave read IN the Tribune
or PosT the letter OF Col. A. *. Mcclure
in regard to the Indian Policy which is,
and that which should be, pursued by
the Government, unfortunately for the
West two very different things, will
heartily endorse the action of the Leg
stature in passing a series of resolutions
embodying the suggestions contained in
the letter referred to, and enunciating
them as the settled and firm convictions
of the people of Montana on the Indian
question. If resolutions like these were
passed by the Legislatures of the several
Territories and addressed to the Con-
gress of the United States, they would
certainly have great influence in shap.
ing the Legislation of Congress, which
now threatens to dismember our Terri
tory, cut off from travel the nearest.
best, and most direct route from Mon
tana to the States, and locate on the
confines of our settlements an implaca-
bable and deadly foe to our peace, pros
perity, and industrial pursuits. The
resolutions also submit the propriety of
abolishing Indian agencies, and the
transfer of the Indian Bureau to the
War Department where it rightly should
be. They recite the inefficiency of posts
and the military commands on the
plains to protect travellers, or accom-
plish any effectual good. They con-
denim the so called peace treaties. dis
claim hostile feeling toward Indians
not at war against the pioneers, and
urge the Government in case of attack
upon settlements, to organize forces
composed of pioneers, to conquer peace
by the only successful method. as pro-
ven by all past experience, vigorous and
victorious warfare. The initiative step
to these resolutions was made by Mr..
Gallaher, offering a resolution endorsing
the policy advocated by Col. A. K Nc
Clure in the New York Tribune. While
the subsequent vote and the speeches
of the gentlemen were conclusive, that SO
many of them as had read the letter re-
icy avowed therein, yet, the rather
vague method of Legislative body
avowing it's position on an important
question by referring to a newspaper ar
ticle, and an unwillingness on the part
of some three or four members, to give
the endorsement of Democratic Legis-
latUre TO anything written by "a Repub-
lican. or even as individuals, to recog-
nize and acknowledge that the letter of
Col. Mcclure was the most comprehen-
sive. and able exposition of the views of
western men upon the Indian question
that has been published prevented the
adoption of the resolution. In the first
objection to the resolution we concur,
believing it proper that the resolutions
stead of by reference, but that spirit
which prompted an objection on the
part of certain members, solely because
a clause complimentary to Col. Mcclure
was contained therein, and his political
views were not in harmony with those
of such members, if such men really have
any views, betrays a despicable narrow
ness of soul, and bigotry of disposition,
which we had believed no man could be
possessed of in these mountains, and
have sufficient strength to crawl into a
Legislative body. 1t is such selfish par
tizanism that makes politics school of
intrigue, a sickening corruption, and a
filthy pool field of ambition where the
manlier and nobler instincts must be
sacrificed to the base, ignoble and de-
grading propensities where the better
is extravagantly given for mizerly evil,
and power draws sustenance from cum
ming craft to crush out honest merit.
Mr.. Comfy "did not propose to bolster
up Col. Mcclure" for he had made Re-
publican speeches, and Mr.. Boswell
"never would endorse anything that
appeared in the New York Tribune .
There is a specimen of Legislative wis
dom, virtue, political honesty and far
sighted sbrewdness. The one afraid
that Col. Mcclure would want Office in
Montana, the other that when he want
ed office again the Tribune endorsal like
a black nightmare would smother his
expectations of greatness. There is no
man in Montana who less needs the en-
dorsal of the Legislature of Montana, OF
who would find less use for il in politi.
cal life, than Col. Mcclure, and so far as
endorsing anything in the Tribune is
concerned, the letter of Col. Mcclure in
voked the most vigorous but respectful
hostility of Greeley. 1t is due to Col.
Mcclure to say that he knew nothing OF
the resolutions whatever. until after
they were suggested, written out and
introduced by Democrats and discussed
in the House, and that he solicited the
omission of his name in that connection
Still il would have been but deserved
ok on behalf of the Legis-