The national Republican., 1867-08-20
THE INDIAN WAR.

THE INDIAN WAR.
After Gen. SHERMAN had assumed the
command Of the Department Of the West
he said, in some communication to the
public, that I'VE could have q general In.
dian war or not, Just as we pleased
Taking this declaration by itself, discon-
nected from other things the General has
said and done, it is extremely difficult to
ascertain what Interpretation the General
would have the country put upon this
eminently equivocsl statement II we can
have war or no war, we say, most emphsti-
cally no war; and we are confident that
the overwhelming majority Of our peop le
will say no war. Now, therefore, il the
General is waiting for his instructions
from the people, he can have them in an
hour, and he may be assured that, though
the whole people honor him for his great
and signal services in behalf Of his coun-
try which he has. already rendered, services
such as scarcely any other man has been
able to give to his country; still, IL he can
end this Indian war, he will be entitled to
higher honors from his countrymen than
those which he now so richly deserves
from the whole people for his past eminent
services in the nations cause.
But leaving the General to work out thii
problem Of our present Indian difficulties
we turn our attention for moment Il
consider some notions upon this subjec
ad-.nced by the Buffalo Commercial Ad
vertiser. The Commercial says: "Tht
policy Of the Government towards the In
dians ought to be o combination Of justic,
and frmness and the slightest departur,
from either is sure to be the signal for re
talation and outrage" Precisely 80, and
this we can understand. But what doe,
the Advertiser mean by the following:
"As q mere question Of ethics, the dispo
sition Of the Indians is full Of difficulty
Their destiny is sealed, for the simple
reason that they stand in the way Of the
strict regard for their rights is absolutely
incompatible with the Irresistible tide O
emigration and material development nov
setting toward the West. 1t is idle t,
think Of respecting the natural rights o
the American nomads."
We submit-n we understand the full
purport Of these words-a more monstrou
and wicked theory cannot well be Pre-
mulged. II adopted, every possible ou,
rage and cruelty which mercenary specu
lators and thieves may choose 10 inaug'
rate in their dealings and treatment Of tn
Indians can find justification under thi
plea that we are not to graduate our cor
duct to these tribes "by the canons o
ethics" II not by ethics then what is Ii
ruler Is it just what each white man an
pioneer shall determine for himselfi or,
it what the nation acting collectively al
outside OF the moral code which is su
posed to govern nations as it does inc
viduals, ignoring ethics, shall determine Z
itself2 We would like some informatio
upon this subject The theory is ne
one to us, or at least if we have known
to be acted upon as we have in numeror
instances, in this age, we have never befor
known Of its having been laid down vii
so much distinctness and its adoption AZ
vocated with such q nonehalent franknes
We recollect q story in an old book "
sometimes read, that is given us by Il
highest wisdom, illustrating somewhat th
same doctrine. But he who accepted Il
theory and consented to carry it into prn
tice, came to the sticking point with muc
hesitancy and suffered himself to be coax
for sometime by woman before he yieldt
assent to the doctrine SO boldly put fort
by our Buffalo friend. AHAB wanted, q!
he coveted NABorH's vineyard; but he WI
willing to pay him for it, and to give hin
another vineyard somewhere else. NABor
did not want TO sell the inheritance whic
had come down to him from his father
All this was natural. But AHAB's adv
sers convinced him that the "Canons {
Ethics" had nothing to do with this que
ton, and they prevailed, and NABorH wi
stoned to death. AHAB got his vineyard
Now, we want the vineyard Of the II
dians. How easy, therefore, is it to com
to the certain conclusion Of our'friend
the Advertiser, and say, "their destiny
sealed, for the simple reason, that the
stand in the way Of the great adyancir
wave Of civilization" What have we
do with ethics under such circumstance
Our duty is plain. If the obstinate savage
will not sell and go somewhere else, to
driven farther on sometime, why put thel
to the sword. We want their vineyard
Such is the morale Of the Commerci,
Advertiser.
Removal Of General sheridan'
Minor Genernl Pun. SRERIpAN's ]