Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-12-09
that impelled the Indians to go, into

the spring in dissatisfied eondition-their
minds all torn UPS no doubt true.
The government had made no provision at
that time to fulfill single stipulation
made with them at Medicine Lodge Creek,
not one; and to this day nothing has been
done by Congress to confirm to the In
dians the reservation recommended by the
Peace Commission, which was, the vital
principle of the treaty and plan Of that
Commission. .-,.q .-,-l..- n; .,,f. 49,
Added to the failure on the part of the
Government to furnish supplies, the prom
ised and coveted guns and ammunition
were withheld in the spring. They were
purchased and ready for delivery, but
General Sherman, as 1 understand, for
bid their delivery. To give them guns
and ammunition at that time, and in their
extremity for food, was to give them meat.
To refuse was to doom them to starvation,
where they were then located, since they
could not rely upon the bow and ar
row to supply them with food from the
small game in the surrounding country.
There was then no alternative for these
Indians but to go out. into the buffalo
range of Western Kansas, and this was
no violation of the treatyon their part. i
Shortly after he entered into COM
mand of the, Missouri Department, Gen.
Sheridan found many of these, Indians
encamped about Fort Dodge, and they
asked him to talk to them, but he re-
fused blush to write the words, but
yet they are found in an official docu-
ment from him to General Sherman
While refusing to talk with these unlet-
tered men, General Sheridan allowed
subordinate army officers and others to
fill his mind with stories about these
Indians and their designs, and he came
to the conclusion that they were dissat-.
isfed with the treaty, did not intend to
be bound by it, and all they wanted was
to get the annuities. 'z''1 '-'' ''' '
He says, so far as he saw, the manner
of the Indians was insolent and over.
bearing. Did he regard it as an insolent
act for these poor people to request the
privilege to talk to him Had he con
descended to allow an interview, with an
honest and humane desire to do justice, |
have no doubt but that through his infu-
ence the Indians could have been pacifed,
and our present complications, SO disgrace
full to us, have been avoided But he
began at once to prepare for war, and ev-
cry story that came to him injurious to
the Indians he accepted as true, and act
ed on it, His fine fighting qualities had
lain dormant for few years, and he was
''spoiling for a fight Soon the Indians
had some difficulty with the Kaws, and
then again with the whites, some Of whom
were tortured, killed and scalpsd Then
Gen. Sheridan commenced his campaign,
which, during winter, it is expected in
army circles, will prove successful and
result in the punishment of, or the de-
struction of the Indians. If any officer
can accomplish this feat, Gen. Sheridan
is the man. But Idoubt his success
Had Congress,i in February last, given
to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs an
amount of money equal to two daysio of
General Sheridan's present war expenses,
he could and would, 1 am confident, have
kept those Indians all the, year atntheir
villages in peace and quiet. d But this OBJ
vious duty was neglected, although that
body was importuned to dosso. = More
over, Congress neglected. to confirm the
reservation to. them as recommended
by the Peace Commission, and yet Gen
eraT Sheridan is waging war luponIthem
to compel them to go upon reservation
when there, is, no such thing .sar,g M
Of the money appropriated by Con.
gress, and turned over to General Sher-
man, to fulfill the stipnlationss of the
treaties made by the Peace Commission,
he has turned over to General Hazen, for
the benefit of the Cheyennes, de- S5O,-
900, and he, is, as / understand it, to be
the guardinn1 and ciyilizer of these
bands, when General Sheridan whips
them into the designated territory,
falsely styled reservation. General
Sherman says, he has selected General
Hazen because of his superior qualifiea-
tions for the trust. What areb those
qualifications "A year OF two ago Gen
eral Hazen was Acting Inspector in the
Platte Department. and, in an official
communication, used this language about
these Indians: "The Indian is dirty
beggar and thief, who murders the
weak and unprotected. but never at
tacks an armed foe. 81. n The
white. man owes the Indian
nothing. -, ~
He is in, the way of natural evolutions of
progress, and when government pays to
him what is reasonable compensation
for his title to the territory, or for privil7
eges in it, the debt is perfectly cancelled,
as when corporation pays the assessed
value ofthe site of "a public school," For
the Northern Indians Gen. Sherman has
confined the, civilizing duties to Gen.
Harney, and has put 100000 in his
hands. Harney's qualifications for such
duty may be known when it is, stated
that he is the man who attacked camp
filled with Sioux women and children at
Ash Hollow in 1855, made conditions
for surrender they could not comply
with, and then commenced the
work of slaughter, after the man
ner of Chivington at Sand creek.
God help the Indians under such
humane and civilizing influences as we
may expect from Harvey and Hazen.-
So far as the Cheyennes, Arapahoes,
&C., are concerned, it is not material to
them as things now exist, who has the
money General Sherman may set apart
for them, since they can derive no bene-
fit from it, as by military order General
Sheridan has outlawed them and forbid
den any and all persons from communi-
eating with them, or in any way aiding
or assisting them, under penalty of pun
ishment. .-rzs ..it u. al-i t.:Ht
have not exhausted this subject. but