New-York tribune., 1868-12-17
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
LETTER FROM PEACE COMMISSIONER
TAPPAN.


of Indian wars also the proper and most immediate
remedy The parties to this controversy are active
and energetic positive In their assertions and perss-
tent in their efforts to obtain hearing, and an IN
dorsement, by those in authority. of their pecuiiar
views upon this much vexed subject. This discussion
will soon be transferred to Congressin an attempt
to secure the transfer of the Indian business from
the Interior to the War Department., course ADVISED
by Gems Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan, and opposed
by many who claim that the civil authorities
should control Indian afairs-that the civil
department should be rendered moro efficient
and powerful by proper and much needed legislation
and under no circumstances should the country de-
grade itself, to depend upon the army to enforce
treaty stipulations and the law, except nsubordna-
ton TO civil authority, claiming that such
course is consistent with our National institutions,
civilization and law, and any departure from 1t as
dangerous TO our liberties and fame as nation Inc
most active in the advocacy OF such proposition is
Colonel s. +. Tappan resident since 1860 of Denver,
Colorado Territory, and six years previous resident
of Lawrence, Kansas-now member OF the INDIAN
Peace Commission-who has been laboring for five
years to secure radical change in the admnistra-
ton of our Indian affairs, claiming that Indian wars
are wholly unnecessary dsgraceful, and dishonora-
bic to us as nation. That the Indian is too often
Treasury of the country That he is no obstacle in
the way of permanent and honorable peace That
the most foolish and trivial charges are made the
cansesr for Indian wars costing the country thou-
sands of lives and hundreds of millions OF dollars
and sometimes, as in the Black Hawk War; cam
paigns are made against Indians without previously
alleging the commission of crimes on their part as
the reason. That Gen. Harvey, now veteran 9tncer
i'm the arIny Just preyous TO the attack upon black
Hawk offered to take this Chief and all his people on
to Washington To answer any charge made against
them, which was not permlttea, ana tnat ~ a2 Iu,2
war The Secretary of the Interior, Alr. Browning
served all through that war; and he does not KNOW
the cause. II. 4;
now one of tribute-a question as to whether the
country shall continue to pay tribute OF plood anu
treasure to political aud speculating %
cation of the Indians he considers the recent aIar
on the Wichata River Indian Territory, massacre
like that OF Chiylngton at sand Greeh, lew Des fhs
subject 10 Commissioner Taylor. lt may be neces-
sary TO add that Col. Tappan was the only menDer
of the Indian Peace Commission VINO dla nor laIoI
the prosecution of o war against the hioWas ana
other Indians. protesting that they Weio III ihesh
and our people i'll the wrong. -. ,oso
HON. " G. TAYLOR President Indian Peace Commission
and Commissioner Of Indian ABdbs -
DEAR SIR: The dispatches OF yesterHayi s o.
published ina the papers, OF engagement Few Gays
ago. between detachment OF United Stines l0pis & anu IN =
camp OF Cheyenne Indians, near me Hlonata an
dian Territory gives me apprenenslons oi %
protraced as the consequence. DshSte M h s Idi
by the army upon detached village Sl Chv9 i -,
aus numbering 50 lodges and the kliiDg OF aoIen oi
the 80 Warriors att ended WIN % oss o. ts 20 ~ ~ ~ h ao,
will result in the union OF all the INDIANS goun oA e & ,
degree OF latitude, aud west OF Kansas ana te
eastern PV,.l'h W '"o VIZ for many wears have
excepting tho Utes, MuV LOT ,5S Jnoaca IS,,h
been a with tho Plains Indians, ahd az peace WIN
he bnfer unless tbis war policy Is immediately abaD
doned and your department enabled to give positive and
snnft dn e al Greay entered into with W
ierenl tIlees 81. us, ~ ,cb feSrfn ma
ing as II undoubtedly wi throagn the Ierfi.9ries
New-Ncxco ArZona, Colorado and Utah, along the iron
,icr OF Texas and Kansas AN area OF half nyioI
square miles, 20 regeire an immense army onu Nhs
expense to protect tie exposed settlements ahu Ioue"
have no hesItancy in expressing my convictions tas
dl 70 be COMMISSION AZ s last nIoetingJ that the pres
ent conflict grew out Of delay In carrying out treaty
agreement with the Cheyenne Indians couI e.sy nave
been avoided unnecessary and dshonorabo 10 a con
uoced with H. Moreover that 10 not only for the IN
terest OF the kiowas, Comanches, Apaehes
and Arapahoe the ten existing circumstances "a
make war but absolute necessity with them as teI
only means Of seilpreseTyation and safety am hsiy
~ opinion now as ~ the tune 2I ygpW9lue9 iav n ,
Peace Commissioners committed fatal error IN aJoutn
ing de without another effort for peaee-Du tha. U.s.
passed aud only renans CONSIDER te Di
Indian affairs. and. fpossibe such action asmay be
necessary ward OF the Indian that now threatens
the country IL the commission OF crime by two Chey
enne Indians 200 Cheyeunes, some asserta crime
which tho Indians themselves condemned, and were
stupid and criminal bluBderug OF military officers cu
inmate in the confederation OF five powerful tribes IN
war, what must DC he result OF an attack upon small
| detached camp Of men. women, aud Children who
were evidently moving south TO their reservation
| in order to AVOID contact with the tr0opS-an
attack that notified the Indians OF a determlna.
tGn on the part OF the army to e1terininate them
At that time ordered in command OF troops
The agency Of all the tribes war; have had much
to do with them. know, and every one knows, tha has
bn tssY Mil Keen the peace II they can; that
they were never the first TO go 10 war; and were never
the first TO violate the Of their treaties Making
concession TO the eamor raised against the Indian no
compromises with the conspiracy that contempates the
commission OF an Infamous crime In the destruction OF
that unfortunate people, merely Tor specuatye ana po-
Ical ends assert that they apprseiate ana wiz I'M,
(which cannot be Justified or even exeused) forgetting
that own people have for generations and for CEN
tures committed cruel aud disgusting barpatltles
upon the Indians giving them, the weaker party, the
advantage OF plea Of doing all they do only IN retaa-
ton We repeat the fatal error Of undertaking the e.,
pacty of the Indians for protracted and successful
guerrilla warfare aud persist In pursuing aud punshng
Ing the villages containing the women and children
tho active war parties, which OF course is con
tribe, in punishment for real or fancied outrages,
but war for tho exterminatIon OF their race
Can they by any known process OF reasoning
como 20 any other conclusion from what has happened
TO them during the last few years Can they i3m th Te
Cheyennes cannot forget the ASSASSINATION and mutia
Creek 1854 while In the employ and under the prooc
ton OF the Government; they cannot fall TO remember
ther ec,eptanSe ., a @ III h he fp 9pls snie ~ To- ~
confer With prominent officer of the army ana tho a
lage aud them war. The other tribes are not
comprehend their inteut, and approhen9 their ini-
port 70 them u il proclamation OF deter
natlon the part Of the whites 70 extermuate them
amon women. ana children. viii not iusult tho in
diligence Of any by asking what he would do under
lke circumstances We G know what he should do. aud
The Indian r. not wanting In courage manly spirit, and
common sCIsc,
The practice OF holdugan entire race responsible for
the alleged criminal acts OF few, must be speedily aban
dOn0d, alarming state Of VIII continuc 10 exist
on tho Western border, involving the death Of hundreds,
not thousands OF onterprsng industrious, and deserv
ing pioneers who have settled there in ancied security
depeudug upon their Government for peace and safety