The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-26

sioners, and approves OF the two prlnclpai re-
servations which they indicated-0ne nortn VI
Nebraska and the other west OF Arkansas.
sTheee districts, "he says, "are the only paris
of our vast national domain at all adapted 20
the purpose lot already appropriated, ana
there sort of Indian government should De
provided by law, looking to time IN future
when all the Indians would be reduced to the
peaceful condition of shepherds, herders and
farmers" 1t will be remembered that the
proposition to set apart these reservations,
and compel the removal of the Indians, was be-
fore Congress at its last session, but, Tor some
reason or other, it was not acted upon. Gene
raj Sherman refers to this fact, because many
persons attribute to 1t the reason why we failed
to secure lasting peace, and why we are at
this moment engaged in 4 costly war with four
of the principal tribes with which we had to
deal, viz: the Cheyennes, AIrapahoes, KloWas
and Comanches.
General Sherman's narrative OF the origin OF
the present difficulties with which General
Sheridan is dealing puts the blame upon the
Indians. Last year certain tribes made repre-
sentatlons which led our military authorities
to abandon the Powder River country, and
then, attributng our action to fear, other tribes
began warllke operations to compel our apan-
donment of the Smoky Hill country, when
constitutes the very heart of the buffalo region,
and the best hunting grounds Ut America.
General Sherman narrates their plans and de-
scrihes their barbarities, which were OF the most
shocking character. He excupates the white
settlers from all blame, and refers to their
efforts 10 pacify the savages. He also exculpates
the troops from all charges against them. The
soldiers, not only from naturaI aversion to
but under positive orders, had borne
with all manner OF provocation in hope
that very soon the peace commission
would cuiminate in the withdrawal OF the saw
ages from the ueighborhood OF our post-roads
and settlements, and thereby end all further
trouble. But at last the conduct OF the Indians
was such as to compel the Governor OF Kansas
to call upon the State forces to take the field
for the protection of the people against their
outrages. He set to work organizing TWO
cavalry regiments Of picked men, we'll mount
ed, ior volunteer service, and the Secretary OF
War has authorized the acceptance OF one OF
these mounted regiments for Blk months. WIN
good force Of regular cavalry and the Kansas
volunteers, General Sheridan will take the 1eld,
and he expects, during this winter, TO punish
the hostile Indians in his department so that
they will not again resort to war. "Such as
are not killed" says General Sherman, viii be
collected by force on their reservation and be
made to remain there"
General Sherman reiterates his idea OF the
necessity OF measure, which has been ap-
proved by the highest authorities OF the coun-
try, which was proposed 10 congress ny tns
peace commission, and which has been urged
upon Il by nearly the whole press Of the coun-
try. He argues that the management OF In
dian affairs should be transferred back to the
War Department, where it belonged prior to
1849. That department Of our government IL
the only one that can use force promptly, with
out the circumlocution now necessary; and no
other department can act with pronptness and
vigor enough to give any hope that the plans
and purposes Of the peace commission will Ge
carried out. General Sherman, however, doubts
the success of any plan of dealing with the
savages. He doubts If the Indians themselves
will make the necessary personal efforts to sue
ceed, and fears that they will at last fall upon
our hands mere mass of helples paupers.
But at the same time he believes that the only
hope of saving any part Of them from utter
annhilation is by fair and prompt execution
of the scheme suggested by the peace commls-
sion, which can alone be done by Congress
with the concurrence Of the Indians them
| selves.
h The whole prospect, as seen by Genera
T Sherman, is certainly not very cheerful. 1t Is
war in the present, vexatious difficulties in the
future, and final result dubious and griev
| OuS,