National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-07-12
Letter From Colorado.

| DENVER, tOlOl:lilO, June 20, 1901
NJ. Editor The Indian ques-
ton is the all absorbing topic with
our people. Coming so close to the
! interests of every man, it is the first
subject of consideration on the street
in the counting-roOm, and in the
parlor The paper is scanned for
the latest intelligence, and the ready
question is !'Any thing later ~ The
reason for this is apparent. The
Indian question affects our interests,
our business, our existence. our life.
for Ave years it has been blight to
our prospects, each successive war
inhicting deeper and more perma-
nent injuries. Mail communication
is checked, and almost suspended;
the importation of the neceSSarieS of
life is almost cut off, ard the cost Of
living thereby largely increased !;
farmers are deserving their lands,
and our productive capacities are
therefore lesscned capital and i'm
migration are turned into other
channels, and the incentives of i'm
provement, therefore, diminished.
These are the reasons why the In
dian question comes home to every
man, and every citizen of Colorado.
In the way Of that progress and i'm
provemcnt which our resources and
position demand for us, stands the
dusky form Off savage, with rifle
and scalping knife, forming Il bar
rier against all improvement, and al
hope of imprCv ment.
In this condition we look for aid
to the government of the United
States as the national protector OF
the Territory. We ask simply the
enjoyment of our national rights as
American citizens. 1t is refused, or
else granted with a sparing hand.
and placed under officers who nci-
Their understand nor appreciate the
real situation. Our appeals for aid
are met with rcprOaChcS. Govern
ment officers call US thieves and rob
bers, and Indian commissioners of
fer to ccde away our very lines OF
communication. Senators and Rep
resen tativeS who boast of their fos.
tering care for the great west, urge
the same foul stigma upon our rep
utation, and the eastern press en-.
dorse and echo the charge. 1t is
said we want war, that we may get
rich out of fat contracts and the
plundcr of the government. II is
not so. Our true policy is to have
peace if we can have it; if not. n
vigorous and relentless war. We
ask no contracts, no plumber, moth.
ing but that protection to which an
Amealcan citizen seems to be en-.
titled everywhere but west or the
Missouri river.
For the benefit of your readers |
VIII give you an oecouut of a few of
the ATROCITIES and murders commit.
ted within our borders during the
past SIX months. 70 give them all
would fill Il dozen issues of Your pa.
per.
On the 22d of last December the
In llans attacked and murdered o3
enlisted men and officers a, 1T. Phil
hearney, and captured what stock
was not killed, together with wac.
ons, Sc.
On the I'd of January the Indians
killed one man at wcetwater, and
several others were missing and sun.
posed to be killed.
On the 18th day of April at Look
out station on the Smoky Hill. n
large amount of stock was stolen
and three men scalped and tied TO
stakes, near a large fire and roasted
alive. AT the same date a little
white girl who had been horribly
violated and left in q dying coudi.
ton, was found in an abandoned
camp of Jricndty Cheyennes, near
1T, cara. At the same time mail
party of five were killed between
Laramie and Phil. Kearney.
On the 9th of May at the Ameri.
can Rancho, they made an attack
una drove oiieight horses, At Fair.
view they burned the stables and
corral, and drove off six horses. Al
Wisconsin, Rancho eight horses