The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-11-02

the three posts-Reno, Phil. Kearnev and C.
+. Smlth-and about 200 miles of the vir-
| glnla City road. The abandonment of this
I road the Sioux demand. asserting the travel
thereon to be q justification of their going to
war with the whites. Coveting this fine coun-
/ Try OF the Crow Indians, the Sioux, with about
slI warriors to their one, went to war and
/ oyercame but never conquered them. The
Crows have never been driven from the coun-
/ try, and to-day occupy n portion of il and
I claim it all as their own. The superior num-
/ Der of the Sioux enables them to move where
| they please through this entire region and for
two years they have been carrying on a war
against the whites either living in or passing
across 10.
In brief, they are fighting us for going into
a country in which they have obtained foot
| hold only In violation of a solemn Treaty the
Government made with the Crows. They are
trespassers upon the Crow country, and are
without excuse In contesting the right of the
whites to occupy It..
In the further discussion of the sub
ject, Mr.. Kinney evidences pretty thor
ough knowledge of Indian character,
and we believe knows better who is cul-
pable for the '' gross wrongs" committed
against the Indians than he is free to
name in his report. The same gross
wrongs would be committed on the res
ervations and the same difficulties en-
sue. The following is not far from the
opinion entertained by all intelligent
men in the west, and it is to be hoped
will meet with favorable consideration
by the government:
"why these Indians have been permitted
openly TO defy the Government and kill with
ImpunlTy our citizens and soldiers, without
any sufficient effort on the part of the War
Department to prevent them, that department
must answer. Their successes have embold-
ened them, have added greatly to their num-
Der and strength, have inspired them with con-
hdence, have provided them with fine horses,
and rendered comparatively weak party a
most formidable foe.
peace dictated by Indians who are per-
fectly aware that the terms such only
defeated party would accept, and whose accep-
tance they would constTue to be an evidence
not of magnanimity but of weakness, would
only increase their contempt for the govern
ment, and would not last much longer than it
would require to write It. wild Indian is
easily managed when you have taught him by
your power TO fear you; but Is as ungoVerna-
bic as the buffalo if he thinks you fear him.
Having yielded to his demand to withdraw
your troops and vacate the road, the govern
ment will next be asked to abandon the con-
struclon of the Union Pacific railroad, which
is now building across this same territory and
through the country claimed by them. The
government could not submit to this demand;
but having yielded to him once, he resorts TO
war again, expecting TO secure the same re-
suit. The workmen on the Pacific railroad
are murdered, and Western Nebraska, Oak ota,
Colorado, Western Minnesota and Northern
Iowa are land waste by these Indians and their
affiliated tribes. The government in trying 20
be magnanimOus has taught them bad les
son; and, at last, 1t takes years to end strug
-, 81
In a single season.
General Sanborn proposes a reservation. 1
am in favor of the reservation system. These
Indians, however, will never consent to go up
on a reservation until, instead of allowing
them to dictate to you, the government places
itself in n position to dictate to them War
has begun. They have found it profitable,
and war will continue unless they are made to
feel and acknowledge the superior power of
the government. Il may be smothered for a
short time, but it Will break out again, and
there will be no permanent peace until they
are subdued. The road to peace will not be
found far from the road to war.
i object to abandoning the road, In the sec
ond place, because it is confidently believed
that the country it traverses Is rich In miner
ais. If so, it is the policy of the government
to extend every facility to emigration and
settlement. But, whether it does so OF not,
the history of all mining regions proves that
the enterprise of the miners will make them
fa ce any danger and overcome all obstacles,
and that the Indians are obliged to fall back
in every direction before the surging tide of
q mining population. The road would still
be travelled, and the Indians, with much rea-
son, would assert that the Government had
violated its treaty, and war would be the GER
tain result.
In this connection / do not propose to dis
cuss the causes which have led to our unhappy
Indian affairs. That the Indians have, in
many instances, been grossly wronged, all
must admit. What concerns the government
most, at this time, is, how are these troubles
to be adjusted? In my opinion, with those
who are now at war with US, punishment is
the only remedy. The Indian can be govern
ed only throug b his fears.