New-York tribune., 1867-08-13

The arrival here of the Commissioners,
Gems. Sherman and HaTney tGen. Terry has
not yet reached the city,, the Hon. N. ".
TAYLOR Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the Hon.
j. b. Henderson of this State, Chairman OF
the Committee of the United States Senate on In
dian Affairs Gen. John b. SanbOrn OF Minnesota ana
Col s. F. Tappan of Colorado. appointed by act OF
Congress and instructed to secure, if possible, the
establishment of peaceable relations with the IN
dians of the plains, and location on permanent res
ervatiOns suggests the inquiry as to when, where,
and how this conflict now waged against
the Indians commenced; who are response
BILE for its commencement and con-
tinuance and how shall it be setledf The writer Is
of those who are OF opinion that the fanit OF eH
isng difficulties with the Indians is wholly the 1auit
of the whites, forced upon the country by 1eW
white men, for selfish political and specializing pur-
poses-an opinion OF majority OF Congress- MAJOR
ity of the people of the United States ana OF ma
jOrity of the Commission now holding ITS first session
in this city and, consequently 1t rs the general be
lief that il is easier and more honorable for us as
people to reconcile the Indians instead of persistng
in an almost fruitess attempt to conquer them
Col Tappan of Colorado one of the Commission
ers says this conflict commenced near Denver, Colo
TadO in April 1864 by an officer attempting 10 dlSrm
q small party of Cheyenne and ArrapahOe Indians
who were i'll camp. The object beng 10 loice I rhe
Indians into a war 10 be able to secure, Inc
retention of the LIST Colorado Volunteers IN tat ler
rtory they having been ordered to the Statesl; :,
To secure the return of the 2d Colorado then on
service in Missouri (which succeeding for
the War Department gave the necessary orders tOr
its return); and 3. To obtain authority 10 raise
third regiment Of Colorado volunteers all OF them
to be used for the purpose OF securing the success OF
project 10 establish State government, and send
the Territorial Governor and the Military Com
mandant of the Colorado District TO Congress
In the Spring of 1864 the troops IN COLORADO re-
ceived imperative orders to march INTO Mlssourl,
where the I'd Regiment of Colorado Volunteers were
then on duty an order not relished by the Gov
ernOr and district commander, who determined, at
all hazards to prevent it, and the only way 10 90 so
was to force the Indians into war with the United
States. small band of Indians were In camp below
! Denver; person named Ripley was found VINO re-
ported that these Indians had stolen hls stock Inns
| was enough; Lcut. Dunn was ordered 10 recover
the stock. diSdrm the Indians and bring them prs
oners to camp This Dunn testihes to him
| self before a Military Commission; hls eyl-
| dence is published in Senate Executive document
! XXXIXth Congress, No. 26. lie did not hnd any
stock in the possession Of the Indians that mad been
stolen and, doubtless understanding the purpose OF
his superior officer III sending HIM he ordered ms
command to dismOunt and dtsGrm the Indians, when
was attempted. OF course tue Indians resisted
fight ensued, or two soldiers were Killed ana an
/ Indian severely wounded. This was enough. war
was declared against all the Indians; commands
were sent out TO kill them wherever ana whenever
| found Major Downing attacked village of Indians
| at Cedar Canyon Without making any demands
upon them, asking any questions, he opened llre
! upon men women and children. continued u lew
| hours and then marched away TO report that the me
| Indian war had commenced IN eaInesl-lZ'
Indians killed, DC, ~G. Llsnt. Eyiei s WIN u;li
! The first and only Indians he killed was
a father and son, Chief OF the Cheyennes, named
] Lean Bear who, sec ing troops pass through his
country, and not understanding H. took his little son
| with him. and under white flag approached the
| command They were shot down like wolves assas-
sinaed i'm cold blood murdered in violation of every
principle of honor Our troops, previous TO laS, m
| that country. under the command OF the gallant ana
lamented Sedgwick and other cOInmandeIr had gene
rally protected the Indians and respected the Nag of
truce Now the bearers of such idg were shot down
like wolves and cut to pieces. OF course the Indians
were surprised and alarmed; they at once concluded
that our people had determined upon thclr eAef-
minatiOn and, in sefprescrvatIon, they must hght
and fight with desperation 10 save themselves ana
! families from becoming extinct, and where Is the
man so lost to every sentiment OF honor ana OF JUS
tice that can blame them for ~ From that tlme the
conflict has continued at fearful cost ot treasure
and more costly blood, ant, what ~ OF more conse-
| quence at the cost of our honor as people. .
| During the Summer of 1854 the bloody ana ais
! graceful tragedy was enacted the plains OF our
troops abOring 10 excel the Indians, as they did, In
| cruel atrocities upon the living and the dead lhe
| whites saved none; all were kIlled-mel, women,
| and children-with whom they came in contact
| The Indians did better; some women and children
captured were allowed to return To Their people
| While this was going on desperate attempts were
made TO induce the Secretary of War 10 order the
return of the 2d Colorado Volunteers to Colorado
| from Missouri No other regiment would answer
because other than Colorado regiments could vote
in the Territory, and the Governor could not control
the appointments of any other lie hoped to use the
| gallant volunteers for his own political purposes.
As early as the 18th Of August the Governor tele-
! raphed to the Secretary of War dispatches pub
! lished in Report of the Committee on the Conduct
of the War, Sd volume on the Sand Creek mas
sacTe') among other things: earnestly request
that Col Fords regiment of I'd Colorado Volunteers
be Immediately sent TO our relief. Ii is impossible
| to exaggerate our danger" Again, on the 9TH Sep
tember 1861 Pray give positive orders for our I'd
Colorado Cavalry to come ont Pray
give the order for our troops TO come as requested
! at once"
On the 2ith Of that month Gen. Rosecrans was
| ordered by the War Department TO send the second
regiment out of his Department Tor service IN COlo-
! RADIO.
In response to many urgent kilograms from the
officials in Colorado. authority was given by the War
Department to raise and equip the third regiment,
for 100 days service, who, before the expiration of
the time for which they had enlisted, under the com
mand of ChivngtOn, fell upon band OF Indians on
Sand Creek while under the protection OF our flag,
and in the employ of our troops and assassinaed in
cold blood 40 or 80 warriors and 40 women and chill
dren mutilating them in the most horrible and dis
! gusting manner the facts OF which are already Ia
mliar TO the people OF the United states, and Tor
| which we shall always have occasion to blush with
shame and confusion whenever and wherever the
Sand Creek massacre of the 18th of November,
1854. isspOken Of"
origin of a conflict which has assumed fearful i'm,
port and most gigantic proportion, baihlng the skill
of best officers, and involving cost already OF
over ! 900 of our people, and over SlOOOO0VOO, ana
now carried on at an expense OF from $l,UuOOO 10
$3OO0OO0 per week. and what is OF more consequence
the Indians are justified in their war against u.s. and
we entirely IN the wrong. ms Indian question
is of easy solution If justice is done ana the pro-
tecton of the law is extended over the Indian ana
one of vast Importance TO the American people whose
honor is impeached and whose treasury Is depicted
| by its continuance
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CoMMIssIoN-THE OLD
| RESERVATION POLICY TO BE ADOPTED.
| ST. LoUIs Mo, Aug. 7, 1867
The Commission determined to-day to pro-
ceed from here TO Fort Leavenworh Kansas from thence
to Omaha Nebraska there taking steamer for the Up
per Missouri to examine the land with view to the To-
cation of reservation Sioux and other tribes in
n section OF country north OF the Yellowstone RIVER IL
s evident from the proceedings to-day that majority Of
this Indian Commission in favor-deededy Ia favor