Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-11-25
General Sherman and the Indians.

Gen Sherman in his annual report discus
ses at some length, the yexed question what
to do with the Indians OF the Plains and how
to do it. He has become pretty much cured
OF any sympathies he may formerly have had,
and declares that there is only one way -
deal with them, and shat is 20 force.
tie wants men to put them all on sheir reser
vations and TO keep them there, away from
SPECTATORS and under the control of the War
Department. Even if the government is
obliged to support them IN idicnees, it will
be cheaper, as well as more humane, than to
supply large military posts Mt remote points
He mas just dispatched Gen. Sheridan with
5000 cavalry, the largest and the best
equipped force ever on the Plains. against
the main body Of the marauders.
We give the following extract from his re
port
II is idle Tor us longer 10 attempt 10 occu-
nv the plains In common with these Indians ::
Tor the country is not susceptible Of close
settlement with farms like Missouri and
Iowa, and is solely adapted TO grazing. All
of our people are necessarily scattered, and
have more or less cattle and horses which
tempt the Indian, hungry, and 1t may be
starving for the want Of his accustomed
game and he will steal he will not hest tate
to kill. Therefore. = joint occupation OF
that district of the country by these Two
classes OF people, with such opposing in
terests, is a simple impossibility and the In
dams must yield The peace commission
| has assigned them reservation, which if
| held for fifty years will make their descen-
dants rich, and in the meantime they are
promised food while they are learning TO cul-
| tiyate the earth and to rear tame stock. To
labor with their own hands or even TO re-
main in one place initiates with all the hered-
itary pride OF the Indian and force must be
used to accomplish this result.
! IL was for this reason that the peace com
mission at its Chicago session in October,
after the events before described occurred
and were known to them. was forced TO the
conclusion that the management OF the In
dian affairs should be transferred back to the
war department, where it belonged prior to
1919. This department of our government,
il the ONLY one that can use force promptly
without the circumlOcution now necessary
and no other department Of Our government
can act with promptness and yigor enough
10 give anv hope that the plan and purpose:
Of the neace comm issioners will be carried out
Even then there is doubt that the Indian!
themselves will make the necessary persona
efforts to succeed, and / fear they will at las
fall upon our hands mere mass of helples.
+ paupers
neople. far removed from contact with thes.
Indians, and dwelling with painful interes
+ on the past events, such as are described t.
, have occurred in Minnesota in 1868, and a.
the Chivington massacre of 1864, believe tina
the whites are always in the wrong. and tina
) the Indians have been forced to resort to wa
in self defence, by actual want or by reason
: of our seIfshness. ! am more than convincet
that such is not the case. 10 the present in
stance, and hope that have made it plain
r | further believe that the only hope OF saw
ing any part of these Indians from utter an
utilization is by a fair and prompt execution
s of the scheme suggested By the peace com
q mission, which can alone be done By Con
e grees with the concurrence with the Indian
!, themselves. Even then it will require niue
: patience and hard labor on the part OF til
of6cers who execute the plan, which DO Nc