The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-21
Indian Councils and Indian War.

We learn, by special telegram, that the In
dian ultlmatum to our Commissioners is "the
withdrawal of the troops from the Powder
river country and the abandonment of the
Smoky Hill Pacific Railroad" They also de-
mand gums, ammunition and presents" This
is the result Of the tedious and useless attempts
to arrange our Indian difficulties peaceably.
1t is no wonder that the Indians insult us.
We might well expect it after teaching them,
through our dishonest agents, that we are as
unreliable as they are themselves. Respect
for us, they have none, and least of all for our
military prowess. They have tried their skill
and strategic powers with our regular army, to
find us their interiors. Now they say, ave do
not want peace, because when we are at peace
We are poor; now we are rich" This is all
too true for how can they be other than poor
when an Indian appropriation Of fifty thousand
dwindle down to one red blanket and string
of beads! In war, owing to their more rapid
tactics, they can make their own appropria-
tions, and that, too, from the government sup
plies to our army. They constantly do it, and
scarcely q day passes In which we fail to
chronicle the loss of army wagons, the driving
off of cattle and horses from some outpost,
and the useless pursuit by our sluggish troops.
Our tactics do not fit the war, and our army
brains, schooled in the grooves Of a routine
out of which they appear worthless, are totally
at a loss how to hold the Indians in hand. We
annually bleed our Treasury many millions of
dollars for Indian war purposes on one hand and
Indian presents on the other. In peace we fur
nish them with all the munitions Of war they
may desire, and in war we wonder where they
get their weapons. The old Spaniards were
wiser than we in dealing with the Indian tribes
on this Continent, for they made it criminal
offence to sell firearms to an Indian.
An Indian war is, however, .rop us. The
blunders, right and left, which have made it
necessary will not now mend affairs. We must
to-day accept the fact, look it in the face, and
prepare to fight it out. The question is, how
can it best be brought to q conclusion? Ger
tainly not by our regular troops for the whole
past history Of our frontier indicates q COM
plete failure of the army whenever this duty
has been assigned to it. There is but one
method, and that is by volunteers. The Gov
ernor of every frontier State and every Terri
tory should have authority to keep the Indians
quiet in his district, and to raise a sufficient
volunteer force for the purpose-the bills to be
paid by the general government. The troops thus
raised should be placed in command of volun-
teer officers, who selected from our ables. from
tiersmen, understand Indian tactics, have per-
sonal wrongs to avenge and local response
bility to urge them to action. Let them not be
afraid to take scalp. The Indian appreciates
force and nothing else. IF this method be pur-
sued we shall close our Indian war in less than
six months, and at the minimum cost. If it be
carried on in the present style the country may
prepare itself to be bled of its treasure for the
next ten years, only to find the Indian question
IS unsettled then as il is to-day.