The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-10
Lo, THE POOR INDIAN'

The United States is at peace with all people
save the aborigines of this Continent. With that
race it is now waging war. II is several months
since that war was begun in earnest, ana the only
result thus far is an appalling sum OF money eA'
pended-the cost of the unequal ana the unsaCls'
factory contest. We can count, on our fingers,
the Indians that have been killed, but we are as
founded when we calculate the expenditures. MOI
does it seem likely that continued and increased
expenditures will avail in bringing this rlghtfuny
expensive war to an end at on early day.
1t is easy for disciplined troops to whip the
savages even against great odds, but the dlnculty
lies in the fact that the sayages Will not give the
disciplined troops an opportunity to thrash them
They have no admiration for pitched battles, no
stomach for decisive engagements. They prefer
dividing their painted warriors into numerous
small bands, and scattering over the vast territory
which is the theatre Of the war, sudden onsets on
waeon trains loaded with such things as they need,
merclless attacks on villages, hamlets, and weak
frontier forts at the dead of night. Inc Two par
tics in this war are directly at variance Ia regard
TO the manner in which it shall be conducted.
The stronger would like it decided at once, the
weaker have determined to postpone the termlna-
ton to as distant period possible the stronger
wants to fight the weaker wants to slay but not to
fight.
The Indian appears to have but few friends.
From the discovery of this continent 10 the present
day. the Indian has been hunted, oyerreached, and
treated with all manner Of harshness and cruelty.
war of determination has been carried on against
him, extending through centuries. We are now IN
the last stage of it, though it is hard to say how
long this may last.
Now and then voice is heard pleading for pity
and forbearance toward these children OF the for
est. on the ground of the many fine and noble
traits and qualities they possessed before they
were corrupted by contact with the Christian white
man, urging that just plea also on the ground that
all manner of measures and cruelties have been
practised upon them. But these voices have been
few, and their eloquent. entreaties have only
touched heart hero and there. one OF the
baser Of the tribes, or one, whose savage splrlt
burning to revenge some foul wrong, takes the
life Of white man, the rising pity is stifed and
turns to gall; and the whole race is doomed to
destruction. No discrimination is made, no inves-
tigation is undertaken, the sword is drawn, and 1t
is accounted just and necessary to pursue ard Kill
the injured people, until they sue for mercy, and
accept the conditions we lay down.
Candor compels US to say that all political par
ties, from the commencement OF the Government
10 the present time, have acted in the same man.
ner toward the Indian. We mention this circum-
stance because we see in some Of the papers state
ments averring that tho Radicals have saddled
this Indian war upon us. This is disingenuous.
It is tsManifest Destiny" not the Radicals. We
believe We should have had this Indian war all the
same, if the Democrats had been in power, in
place of the Republicans, and probably might
have had hostiites with the Indians at this time,
even had there not been colossal war between
the two sections Of the Union. There is food for
reflection and room for pity, but mono for re-
elimination.