The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-20
General sherman,s Annual Report.

The Commission, in its annual report Of De-
cember last to the President OF the United
81 ates, has full testimony on this point, to
the effect that all the officers of the army aud
all the troops with whom they came IN contact,
had fully and cheertully co-oDerated with them
in their efforts to bring this difficult business to
a peaceful conclusion. l need not here
refer to the deliberations and acts of
that commission further than to state that
its members were unanimous in the con-
clusion, that if we would maintain a
permanent peace with the Indians east of the
Rocky Mountains, they should be collected on
reservations, as tar removed as possible from
the white settlements and lines of travel and
that there they should be maintained Mt the cost
of the United States, until they could wholly or
partially provide for themselves. The two prin-
cipal reservations indicated by the Commission
were north Of the State OF Nebraska. and west Of
the Missouri river, and south OF the State Of
Kansas, and west OF Arkansas.
THESE districts are the only parts Of our vast
national domain at all adapted to the purpose
not already appropriated. The Commission
further recommend that tor each Of these reser-
yations a sort OF government should be provided
by law, looking to time in the future when
all the Indians would be reduced to the peace
full condit on Of shepherds, herders. and farm
ers, This general plan was justified by the then
state of facts, and lis wisdom has been demon
strated by more recent events.
A sense of national justice dictates that, in
taking from these savages the lands whose wild
game has hitherto fed, clothed, and sheltered
them, we should, in restricting them to the
exclusive use OF part, ulakc Lueul COmpeuSd-
tion OF some sort for the remainder and, if
possible, procure their consent. Influenced by
this consideration the Peace Commission during
the fall and winter Of 1867, and the spring and
summer of 1868, held a council with all or
nearly all the tribes and parts of tribes east of
the Rocky Mountains, making liberal provision
for ana presents to all who came 10 the ap-
pointed places of council according to the
forms and ceremonies to which they were long
accustomed
Formal written treaties were made with each
separate tribe signed with all iormallty, and
transmitted to the Senate of the United States
for ratification. The treaties with the Cheyen-
mes, Arapaboes, Kiowas, Camanches, Navajoes,
and Crows were duly confirmed, but those with
the various bands of Sioux, Snakes. etc, were
not confirmed simply, 1t is inferred, because
tney were not complete when the Senate ad-
journed; but for some reason Congress did
not take any action on the chief proposition of
the Peace Commission, which was embraced in
their report of last December, VIZ, that which
relates to the setting apart OF the two reserva-
tons hereinbetore referred to, and providing
governments therefor. which was designed to
precede the confirms alton of any of the Treaties
and was the OILY vital principle of the bill. l
regret that l feel compelled to refer to this
fact because many persons attribute to 1t the
reason why we failed to secure lasting
engaged in q costly war with four of the
principal tribes, with which we have
to deal, viz.:-Ihe Cheyenne Arrapahoes,
Kiowas, and Comanehes. 1t has al
ways been most difficult to discover the exact
truth concerning the cause of q rupture with
any Indians. They never give notice beforehand
OF a warllke intention and the first notice comes
after their rifles and lances have done much
bloody work. All intercourse then necessarily
ceases, and the original cause soon becomes
| buried in after events. The present Indian war
IN General Sheridan's department il no eXcep.
tion, and as near as can gather it, the truth Is
about ths:-
Last year, in the several councils held at
| North Platte and Fort Laramie by the Peace
CnDn mic with frapmpntarV hande N GinuY
the Indians asserted that they were then, and
had been always, anxious to live at peace wi h
their white neighbors, provided We kept faith
with them. They claimed that the building OF
the Powder river road and the establishment OF
military posts along iu drove away the game
from the only huntlng-ground they had
lett after the occupation of Montana
and Nebraska, and that the road hai
been built in the face of their protest. and in
violation of some old treaty which guarantees
them that country forever; thst the road and
the posts along ii had been constructed in 1866
and 1885, Tor the benefit of the people OF Mon
tapa, but had almost ceased TO be OF any prac-
tical use 10 them by reason of the building of
the Unod Pacific Railroad, whose terminus
and better road west of the mountains.
For this reason, ano because the further ex-
| tension of this railroad under rapid progress
would each year make the Powder River road
| less and less used, the Commission yielded to
| the earnest enireaty of the Sioux, and recon-
mended the Abandonment Tor the time being,
OF this road. On the I'd day of last March
| General Grant gave the necessary orders for
| breaking up the posts Forts Reno, Philip Kear.
ney and c. f. Smith, and it was well to wards
| August before the stores and material could all
| be hauled away.
As we had reason to apprehend, some OF the
| Sioux attributing our action to fear, followed
| up our withdrawal by each to The line of the
| Pacific road and 10 the south of it into Colo
RADIO. Others of them doubtless reached the
| camps of the ArapahOes on Jean creek, and
| the Cheyenne camps on PaWnee Fork, near
| Fort LaTned, and told them what had occurred,
| and made them believe that by war, or threats
| Of war. they too could compel us to abandon
] the Smoky Hin line which pAsbes through the