The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-19
The Indian War.

The report OF the commissioner Of Indian at
fairs, July L, published in Yesterdays Sur traces
the causes Of the, present war on the plans So 70
ernment toward the Indians, such as the Sand
Greek massacre of the friendly, Cheyenne and
Arapahoe women and the children, and the un-
called for burning OF their villages, and the estaD-
lishment, against their earnest protest, OF the
Montana road, with military roads thereon,
through their best and last reliable hunting
grounds. The document referred to is founded on
the sub-reports Of several OF the commissioners
appointed months age to inquire othey
nom sTS oG Fort Laramie, believe that but for
General Hancock's expedition, =, they would
have secured peace with gu the tribes 70 a,
the commissioners, reports that the Sioux Indians
have carried on the war for the purpose OF defend
ing their ancient possessions, and says ito secure
peace 1t is necessary to abstain from aggressive
war Herecommends that the troops be employ
ed in garrisoning military posts, protecting weak
points on the lines Of railroad and travel and pun
ishing small thieving parties, and that commls-
sioners should be sent to the Indians and friendly
relations restored, which he thinks can be readily
done In view Of all the facts, Gen. Sanborn makes
| various recommendations as to providing home
for the Indians, which are substantially embodied
in the report submitted to Congress and publish
| ed yesterday.
Il thus appears, upon the authority Of those who
ought to be best informed, that the Indians were
not the original aggressors in the war, and that
sound policy demands that ne should try and put
Ian end to it by negotiation instead OF arms. Ihe
"extermina tionn noutcry is as impractcable as IN
human. The hostile tribes number come " ,0OO,
which would enable Red cloud to bring 25, 600 to
so, 600 warriors into the field, the most of them
mounted and well armed. The heavy loss sus-
tanned by the garrison at Fort Wallace, in the cav
airy sortie of the 24th ult., whereby more than
one-fourth Of their number was killed, while, 1t ID
said, "the Indian loss is uncertain, does not look
as il the pracacablity Of determination were being
| successfully demonstrated The experience OF the
Florida war, which was limited to single State,
and where the hostile Indians were comparatively
few in numbers ought to satisfy the public that con-
ciliation is more economical method Of deaiing
with the Indians than the sword. That war be-
gan IN 1885, and it was not till 1912 that it was
so much as partially interrupted, treaty being
then made by which the greater number OF the
Indians were removed to the west Of the Mlssls-
sippi. The few Indians who remained continued
till May, 1858, that the whole body was removed,
whereupon General Loomis, then COM
manding in Florida, issued q proclamation
declaring the war closed. This was twenty
three years after the first rupture with the Semi
noles, which cost the country thirty millions OF
dollars and thousands Of lives. We may form
from this some conjecture Of what general Indian
war; spreading over an area Of thousands Of miles,
is likely to COST and how long it will last. There
have been wrongs, we doubt not on both sides in
the dealings Of whites and Indians in the West
with each other, and we, who are strong, can
afford to be conciliatory. Those who desire the
determination Of the red men ought to be salts
fed from the rapid disappearance of the race ir
this country, numbering now only some 800, ,0OO
that the Indians, even if we never raise musket
against them, will exterminate themselves much
more quickly than We can.-BaAinaore San, 18th.