Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-02-09
The War On the Plains.

United States army shall be removed from
the sacred soil of the late rebellious States,
and they move heaven and earth 10 accom-
plish it. Last year it was the French occu-
patton of Mexico which was to be used as the
means of ridding the South of Union garri-
sons, and a heavy concentration of the Amer
ican forces on the Rio Grande was commenc-
ed; but Louis Napoleon showed that ne did
not mean to fight for Macmillan. and no de-
cent pretext for war could be made in that
quarter. If the pardoned rebels have all the
good intentions which they profess, and for
which they are credited by their sympathiz-
ers. and mean to live Loyalty and deal justly
with freedmen and white Southern Unionists
and henceforth to be among the truest and
most sincere and active supporters of the
Union, it is hard to account for the intense
desire which they constantly exhibit to be rid
of the presence of the Federal army. The war
was not more than closed, and actual hostil-
tiles had hardly ceased when a loud COM
plant was raised against the presence of ne
gro troops in the South; and now that negro
troops no longer offend their delicate feel
ings, the point comes out that it is not the
color of the wearers of the National uniform
which irritates, but the color of the uniform
ITSELF and the "boys in blue" must have no
rest until they are entirely Withdrawn from
the South. The Mexican question having
failed to accomplish its intended purpose,
something new has to be tried. The present
dodge to compel the evacuation of the South
ern garrisons is likely to be a costly and
bloody one to the Government, but what
care the men who fought for four years to
destroy that Government, for blood and
treasure when others must do the bleeding
and foot the bill The scheme now is an In
dian war upon the plains. After the sup
preston of the rebellion numerous bush
whackers found their old haunts to be too
hot to hold them, and emigrated to the Indi-
an country and mixed with the tribes of the
plains. 1t was only necessary to have these
outlaws understand that an Indian war was
wanted. and they would make one by stirring
up the ignorant savages and to make such
war a great one, it was only necessary to
have the Indians well supplied with military
stores. How has the thing been worked
Very we'll indeed. 1t has been a matter of
public notoriety that since 1861 the tribes of
the plains, when not engaged in actual hos
tilities, have been in very restless and dam
gerous condition. No sensible man would
have thought for a moment of supplying
them with arms while in their present tenn
per. No loyal public officer having charge
of the matter would have suffered it. I'm
fortunately we have men controlling affairs
who care less for the public good than the
success of their reasonable schemes. John
son appoints the notorious secessionist Bogy
to the important position of Commissioner of
the Indian Bureau, and Bogy commences to
carry out his part of the programme by sup
plying the tribes of the plains with all the
arms and ammunition that are wanted for
the intended war. While the internal affairs
of Mexico remain in their present troubled
state there will be pretences enough to keep
our present large military force on her bor-
der. In the war on the plains we will have
use for all the troops III service not on duty
on the Rio Grande or about Washington.
Where then will be the soldiers who are to
protect the freedmen and Southern white
loyalists from lawless rebel persecutions
Who will protect the Conventions which may
be called by Congress to reconstruct the
Southern States, from slaughter. and save
our history from repetitions in every rebel
State of the horrors of the massacre at New
Orleanss The President and his friends are
playing high hand, and are scattering the
army and navy as was done in the winters of
go and 81. If he and the South intend re-
sistance to Congressional reconstruction,
they could not go about preparing for it any
better than they are doing now. We do not
mean that the Indians on the plains should
not be whipped. They should be wiped out
of existence if necessary to secure the safety
of the overland route of travel. But it is in
vain that American blood is shed for the
country while treason guides the helm of
State.