The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-29
The New Indian War ON the Plains.

proved delusive. The savage fendness for
plunder and scalps has again been displayed
In incursions upon the pioneer settlements OF
Kansas and attacks upon the wagon trains. 1t
is as difficult for the bold spirits of the preda-
tory tribes to restrain their murderous pro-
olivities as it is for the hardened profess
sional criminals of civilized life to becoms
honest men, and in their recent outbreaks
they have only followed a long line of barbaric
precedents.
General Sherman, who has supreme COM
mand over the trans. Mississippi District, has
paid great attention to the varied phases Of
the Indian question, and he has wisely been
intrusted with control over the managem 9nt
OF Indian affairs in his department, which was
not possessed by his predecessors. We have
a strong hope that this power will enable him
to adjust the existing difficulties and all other
complications growing out of the irrepressible
conflict between American progress and Abo-
riginal conservatism, +" in satisfactory and
conclusive manner. Heretofore he has been
regarded in the far West rather as the
friend of the Indian than of the white man,
and he has certainly shown a strong disposi-
rage and injustice. He was denounced some
months ago by the people of Colorado for his
official opposition to proposed policy
based on the bitter anti Indian feel
ing of that Territory. He has recently
visited New Mexico for the purpose
of providing for the removal of the Navajoes
TO a distant reservation, and he spared no
pains to redress the alleged grievances of that
tribe. He has also accompanied Peace Com
missioners to various other tribes aud bands,
listening patiently to the contradictory state
ments made as to the causes of past difficult
ties, and sparing no exertions to avoid future
outbreaks. The charge which has been made
against some military officers of brutal and
unreasonable hatred of the Indians, cannot be
preferred against General Sherman. His
recent despatch to Washington, therefore, au-
nounoing that he has ordered General Sheri-
dan to drive the savages who committed the
late outrages ia Kansas south of the Kansas
line, and in pursuing them ''to kill, If neces-
sary," is full of meaning, and from his decla-
ration that he deems "further forbearancs
with the Indians impossible" an active and
decisive campaign may be anticipated if his
plans are not thwarted by intrigues of ths
Indian Bureau.
General Sheridan in the order he issued at
Fort Harper on the 24th inst, stated that the
recent acts OF hostility had been committed by
Cheyenne and Arrapahoe Indians and that they
had embraced ''the murder of twenty un-
armed citizens in the State Of Kansas and the
wounding of many more, and outrages on
women and children too atrocious to mention
in detail" These affiliated tribes have a fast
and loose connection with band OF warriors,
known as Dog Soldier Indians, who have per-
petrated nine -tenths of all the outrages commit
ted on white travellers and settlers on and near
the lines of travel across the plains during the
last few years. The Dog Soldiers are nearly
all Arrapahoes or Cheyennes by birth and afi
iation, but they do not scruple to violate the
treaties made by their more peaceful associ-
ates. II is rumored that the chief cause Of
their recent outbreak was defeat in . war ex-
pedition against their ancient enemies, the
Pawnees, and that they had no other immedi,
ate provocation for wreaking vengeaucs upon
the white settlers than this disappointment;
and II this statement is true, it only affords
new illustration Of we'll trait of the
savage tribes of the Plains.
1t is evident that the maintenance of peace
In Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska, on and
near the great national highways, should no
longer be made contingent upon the success Of
the wars Of Indian tribes against each other,
or the changeable fancies Of whimsical and
sanguinary savages. The old home of the
Cheyennes and Arrapahoes, which is between
the Arkansas and the Platte, embracing part
of Western Kansas and a portion of Eastern
Colorado, is SO situated as to afford them
facilities for attack upon the main lines oi
travel and the frontier settlements of Kansas
and Colorado, which they have used on many
occasions. General Sherman orders that they
are now to be forcibly removed south Of the
Kansas State line, and General Sheridan is en-
trusted with the execution Of this order.
There can be no permanent peace until this
removal is effected but If the offending tribes
are located and retained on a reservation re-
mote from lines of travel and white settle
ments, future difficulties may be avoided.
The dispatches of Superintendent Murphy,
published this morning, in which he says that
''war is surely on u.s." confirm all that Gene
raj Sherman has said, and show how great il
the necessity for prompt and vigorous mea.
sures on the part of the Government.
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