Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-05-30
WHERE THE FAULT rs.

against the troops who happen to be stationed
in the region where the outrages have been
committed, for their lack of activity in hunting
up aud compelling the sayages to course of
peace towards the whites. We are satisfied
that the censure should in most cases apply to
another and different source. The actual fault
lies with Congress. Unfortunately for the
people in the frontier States and Territories
who have most to fear and do suffer by far the
most from Indian hostilities, the votes and Ia
luenee of their Representatives and Senators
in Congress are overpowered by the votes and
influence of a class in each House who have
never seen anything of the Indian of the
Plains, except the made-up and carefully Sc
lected specimens who are culled by designing
Indian Superintendents or other whites who
make fortunes out of Indian annuities and
treaties, and yearly exhibited ut Washington,
like so many prize beeves, for effect; and who
as they receive it through publications of the
Cooper novels order, or of the "nOble red son
of the forest" style 1t is impossible to con-
vince these Representatives and Senators,
some of whom are very worthy men, and reas-
enable OH almost any other subject, that the
wild Indian is, not only not the embodiment Of
nobleness, truth, and bravery, but that he is
exactly that which every person at all informed
upon the actual character of the Indian knows
him to be-the incarnation of treachery false
hood, wanton barbarity and cowardice. If n
murderous raid is made by band of Indians
upon frontier settlement, upon emigrants,
upon prospectors, or upon sole white family,
no amount of positive, most authentic testimo-
ny to the effect that the slaughter was utterly
unprovoked, wanton and Internally savage,
will satisfy these friends of the Indians, or con-
vince them that the sayages had not reasonable
it not absolutely just cause for the butchery.
And if the troops near by happen to pursue,
numbering Indians, ten to one if severe Gen.
sure is not passed, through the influence of
these men in Congress, upon the gallant and
alert and meritorious officer who commanded
the troops, for the proper and just chastisement
As on Instance, we quote from late Con.
gressiondl Globe few words spoken in debate
upon the Indian question in the Senate, by Mr.
Henderson OF Missouri He is one of the In
dian Peace Commissioners who went out to
buy peace with the savages on the Plains
last year, and approved the action of the Com
missioners in giving the latest improved fire.
arms and great store of ammunition to the
hostile tribes In the debate he said:
| Somehow or other there is a war being carried on
| in Idaho now. Somebody has got Il up; 1 do not
know who II is but my impression is that 1t Is Gen
Crook. think the Indians would be peaceable but
for the conduct of General Crook.
| The truth is, more meritorious officer or
more effective Indian fighter than Gen. Crook
has never borne command on this coast, and
he is humane, excellent gentleman in the
private walks of life. His administration in
Idaho against the savages has been quite sue
cessful but still he has been cramped for ade-
quate means to fully carry out his mastery
Indian policy. He has won and he possesses
the respect and gratitude of the people of Ida
no by his active, ceaseless, effective campaigns
against the Indians, and his subordnatcs in
post or company commands have behaved gen.
orally well and efficiently. But, for this mer-
itorious service, for which all of our people,
directly interested rs they are, praise and hon.
or Gen. Crook and his officers and soldiers
for this very soldierly conduct, he is censured
in the Senate of the United States, and the
base insinuaton is expressed that he is to
blame for having prorokcd the Indians to hos
tile action ,......f t..a#s, .tf tsss,a cana .b4s{
1t is because of such utterances as that
quoted above from Senator Henderson, the
Indians are enboldened and encouraged to the
outrages and murders they perpetrate against
the whites Just such speeches are the seed
from whence murders like that of last week on
the Humboldt spring and grow, and just such
toilers in the National Congress MS Mr.. Hem
derscn will as good as bid high premiums to
the, savages for raids and butcheries 50 long as
they found their estimate of the Indian char
lacter on, Eastern trashy publications, and close
their ears against the truthful revelations and
faithful narratives of the sayagery and perfdy
aud cowardce of the Indian, as he is, which
igo up from the plains and the frontier States
land Territories. And until that good day we
need have but small hope for adequate protec-