The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-23
The War on the Plains-The Indian
Side Of the story.

y
Side Of the story.
The National IRtelligencer Ofyester,lay
says:
The annexed interesting letter, receiv-
ed at the Indian Bureau, is from one of
the most intelligent and reliable Indian
agents in the service of the Govern
ment, and contains the only reasonable
and unprejudiced account of the origin
of our frontier troubles we have seen.
Doubtless "the poor Indian is not ex-
clusively to blame:
OFFICE OF SUP'T OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, }
UTAH, GREAT SALT LAKE CRY,
July 30, 1867. }
Hon. ". G. Taylor, Commissioner Indian
4fdirS ...-.r.. ,y.e-.s.E.
S;r-I observed among the kilograms
published in our papers here an ex-
ceedingly meagre synopsis of your
report, made during the recent special
session of Congress, relative to the
causes of the present Indian war.
Washakee and the other principal
chiefs ofthe Eastern Shoshones visited
me few days since, and had CONVEX
sation with them relative to the same
subject.
/ write you regarding this, thinking
the views of Washakee, who is un-
doubtedly the most sagacious, hOuOra-
BILE and intelligent Indian among the un-
civilized tribes, might be of interest to
you, especially as they would seem to
corrobOrate your own i'll every particu-
lar. Washakee said that the country
east from the Wind River Mountains to
ha cattla1 ronrttnn nf tlIa Eaofhrt M
braska and Kansas had always been
claimed by our principal Indian tribes
the Sioux, ArrapahOes, Cheyennes
and Crows. That it was country
abounding in game, thus furnishing to
the Indians an abundance of food, as
well as large quantities of surplus robes,
skins and fprs, by the sale of which they
were made comparatively wealthy.
That all the tribes inhabiting that re-
gion were contented ,and entertained to-
wards the whites the most friendly
feelings, until the opening of what is
usually known as the Powder River
route to Montana, road leaving the old
express route, near Fort Laramie, and
passing by circuitous course to Vir-
ginia City. That all the Indians OBJ
iected strongly to the opening of this
road, knowing by experience, that the
game would in consequence soon dis
appear, but did not commence hostili-
ties at once, since they were Informed
by the whites that there was no other
way for them TO go to the gold mines of
Montana. That they soon found this
was not true; that but few people pass
ed over the road, but that forts were
built, soldiers sent ont to protect the
road, and trains were often passing, but
only to carry supplies to the troops.
That the soldiers, too, gave the Indians
whisky, seduced from them numbers of
their squaws, and otherwise maltreated
them; and that, after muture delibera-
tion, the Indians were satisfied that the
road was only made to afford employ
ment to the soldiers and to destroy their
game that they must starve after few
years with the disappearance of their
game, and that it was as well to die by
fighting as by starvation. They had
accordingly all taken up arms, resolved
to drive out the whites from the country,
or perish in the endeavor. / asked
Waskakee if the white traders had, by
their conduct, in any way aided in the
present state of affairs. lie replied that
they had not that the regular traders,
licensed by the Government, were near
ly always good men, since they were
under the control of the Great Father,
but that there were great numbers of
white men, thieves and murderers, who
were outlaws because of their crimes,
taking up their residence among the
Indians, and were always melting
them to outrages, often leading in their
stealing raids.
The views of Washakee, although
somewhat crude as TO the reason for
keeping open the road, are, in most re-
spects, entirely correct, and are the
views of all disinterestcd men familiar
with the subject. What is known as
the Powder River road is one of the
most complete and expensive humbugs
of the day.
Many of the Indians within this sU-
perintendency, in their hunting expe-
ditions, meet and converse with the
hostile Indians. From their statements
feel entirely certain that if the troops
were now withdrawn from the Indian
country, and treaty made with the
hostile Indians guaranteeing them the
occupation of their territory. cut by the
Powder River road, for certain term of
years, peace could be at once restored
and kept.
1t has been the correct theory of our
Government, that since the Indians do
not make the highest use of the soil, we
may take it from them after reasonable
compensation, as fast as the same is
needed for settlement. There is Tot,
however, in the vast region cut by the
Powder River road, and now occupied
by troops, single settler or white per-
son other than the hangers on of the ar
my. No person save the pureminded
and patriotic army contractors wonld
be injured by such abandonment. The
army expenses for single week would
be sufficient to perpetually tranquilize
the hostile tribes. At the expiration of
ten or fifteen years, were it deemed ad-
visable to open the country for settle
ment, arrangements could be made with
the Indians accordingly, either by set
ting apart certain portions as reserva-
tions, or by removing them to some
suitable portion of our territory, be-
tween Montana aud Alaska.
Very respectfully, your obt servant.
+. X. HEAD.