New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-21

1,v,ox CuY, Montana Territory, oct o. 1851
potvvoon confused and conflicting Geographic re-
orts from the Plains, letters from army correspond
c,tsin tbe field with Terry, AuCur, and Hancock'
o,d official reports OF military commanders, commits
siorers agents, and contractors The TRIBUNE con-
fsses TO want Of proper understanding OF the IN
dian oucs1on As it is seldom that any two reports
letters or official opinions agree, it is most natural
that the public should almost despair Of any happy
solution Of this vexed problem. do not assume 10
understand il better than generals and others WHO
arc presumed to1aye the very best facilities Tor com
pretending it, but some things are patent to al
Western residents, who have every interest IL peace
and from that standpoint shall write.
Some things relating to what is called the Inoian
war. tbe public. East and West cannot fail to under
stand 1t Is known to all that Gen. sherman mas haG
over 10 eco troops the Plains and Upper IAisoOi
since April LAST that they are costing inc ooNe'N
ruent probably $4,000 week; that no oa''e HIS
been fought with the hostile tribes; that no 'Dol-
ouclfaro has been protected, ana uiat' re-
living mon tie pronered protection OF the
army. hundreds of enigrants and settlers nave
fallen victims 10 the scalping knife. 80 much
Los rgsyel into history, and must be 1&llaf 70 al
iufeiigpnt readers. How many lives have been thus
wantouly sacrificed. the nation Will never Know;
Most of them have fallen without SURVIVORS 70 tel
fine story oi their sad fate notice that Gov CTaW-
foId OF Kansas estimates the butcncnes OF sel,IIs
calculation has been receive III Tue LasD VIZ -
eral distrnst. Those who have spent any CONSIDER
able time i'm The West have good reason TO know tlat
the number given is not too large do not take up
q paper published between the Pialns ana oregon
that does not record some tcndsh saVagelX OF INC
Indians and there IS hardly CABIN on Tue lat't p
Smoky Hin routes that has not the memory OF the
slain in.erwoven with rs history -,.o. -, f,ol
screy aqgli we'd 10y the persistent and often man
ci0us nsrcrWsentaiCus OF their actions auu pu IL
poses. They. as rule, have to spAer exposure 10
The scaping-knfe, aud are generally leWaIoeu Ior
fbeir LrrCism and sacrifices by studied calulnny
The people of the far West are not indian tIauelS
Indian Spectators, or Indian thieves lHey open
mines and gather Laryests alter patient toll and IN
Caculahc pTyatiOnS; and OF all men heE most UcSiS
peace with the savage. but IleI nave 10 C ,.l"s
relation 70 the Government and when theT votes
Gre raised in obedience 10 the law OF selIlTeScIN
ton, there are swans OF GoVeInmeuJ oIhclS
known as Indian aQCntShut, asa class, me 10,H'lu
REGULATORS and thiovos-wh0 are prompt TO lastly
tie condition and peTilS OF the pioneers, anu t!eH
;Idnerre ha, hppn fcarfuly potential in controlling
The Indian policy of the Government They are al
WAYS on IN. ground; always rcauI 10 propose d
treaty and have chiefs trained 10 pay Ihe proper
pant TO betTay the authorities into fresh supply OF
arms and ammunll0l5 ana mus I!'us.'.1, -, TJ
cf fresh murders They have millions at sake. ney
Government officials 10 let TINS caihlVal OF Gloou
70 on. Every fresh outbreak IS imputed, 20
The peIfdy Of the whites, ana me. tAo Is
conversation for their atrocities ana lLo!t&Scu
ouuuitcs for agents TO steal Turn 10 an official Ie-
port made to the Government IN july or august last;
in which army officer declared THAT the lhQiahs 1i
the Plains had been poaccaGlo and fMthuliy Oh
served their treaties until the Bozeman' or IOWuer
River route opened against their protest IN me
Summer of 1876 AS that O.hcer was on the rams lie
cannot plead ignorance in cxtenuatOn of his false
hoods. To sly that ne is a simpletOn would be the
subhmity of charity Tor he must nave seen lle !"e
graves, Tor 500 miles, OF the victims OF Ile u.iHI
hutchcTy of January 1>Cj. IhcIatte route was ldtu
from Living Spring-JO miles east OF JenNer-aIinOsl
to the Missouri, and when they had cOmpetcd
their bloody march, the garrison at Fort
Sedgwick only remained Oh the entire llne, and the
village Of Ju,csbmg was burned, and settlers mu-
dered under the very guns of the fort. IlOllen God
frey L. Old Wicked was the only Tancheman VINO
successfully defended his home. For six weeks 10
mails passed over the route and all the settlers, with
The exception OF very ieW, VINO mace miraculous e.
Capes by flight. were killed scaped, and horribly
Ilutilatcd, and their wives and daughters reserved
Fora still mere horrible captivity. At that time the
Powder River route had not been opened or
carrisoned Ly the Government y few emf
grants had passed over 1t and malntalned friendly
relations with the Indians. No pretelse OF
had faith the part Of the Government or engl2nts
heard OF; Yet the Indians, il VOCATION Oh 'Yli
treaties swept the Plains in January 1867 from tie
mountains to tho Little Blue when there was n90I
white man between Laramie ana the Oallatn. me
official report made last Summer, staring tEat me
Indians wantonly provoked TO h0Sulnes by
the Government taking possession OF the Powder
River route was therefore deliberately falsed, Tor
the author could not have been mistaken and in 10
way can it be rec0nciled with integrity.
L beg to impress this important and, TO Western
men sclf-cvidCnt truth upon your readers aud the
national authOuties-tkat md6 are no JHeRdy 4"d'GhS
on tie Plqiasi There has been 10 peace since the
settlement Of Colorado although hostile Tribes nave
not cOnfedeYated to make war until recently There
that Is at heart friendly win the WnlteS-hoL one
that does not when opportunity IS offered with ap,
parent safety, steal and murder u necessary, ara
often murder wantOnly. The Utcs, crows, ana some
Others, are the implacabie foes OF the Sioux ana
Cheyennes They have no traditions OF peace be
tween their tribes and they hate each other with
hatred more deadly than they can cherish for the
whites. The socaled peaceable tribes are therefore,
only those who are in perpetual, DISCRIMINATING
strife with the tribes openly at war with
the Government There are 10 peaceabe
tribes in the mountains, or on the Paclpc
slopes until they taught submission by the
most relentless warfare. Massake's little band at
lalf his warriors glan IN battle. The Bannocks and
Snakes were taught peace by bloody discontinue,
leaving them only the alternative of peace
termination. The battaliOns and batteries OF Harvey
md Conner persuaded the fragments or these tribes
10 bow % the progress OF the paelaces W hlc Ante
lone who was Killed with most Of his band at Sand
Creek ty Col Chlyingt0n, was proiessediy at peace
with the whites. do not believe that he meant 10
be at war, cannot justify the indscrminate nlaSsa
that massacre blasted all Col ChiyingOn's political
aspirations. But of the more than dozen OF credible
men have met personally, who participated III That
affair every has assured me that they have found
many white female scaps in possession of the dead
and every species OF plumber taken from the whites
They were, in the Government sense IeaeeaOe IN
dans, but among Them with the knowledge OF ALL
were the most reinoiseieSs luIueIeTS, VINO were
shielded by Antelope and his followers. Spotted TAU
and his band are peaccable in the popular accepta-
ton of the tenn; but Gen. sherman must Know lOf
Gen. Augur Is NY authority for saying IT, that IN his
band are number who participated IN the FOtt
Phil, KearnV massacre. No demand Is made
upon him for the delivery of the sayages who
butcheTed and mutlIated, too horribly 10 men
ton. the captivcs from that Inflated garrison.
lie was recently in council with Gen. sherman and
demanded and received powder and ball for those
Jugderers q preliminary ia peace-as the begin
ming of q treaty. Spotted-I@l may appear to CON
clude a treaty, but where viii be the Phil kearny
say.crs who have Just been freshly supplied with
INNS and ammunition by Gen. Shermani How many
severed trunks or bleaching skeletons VIZ ne fonn9