The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-12-05
The Tudi02lS.

Public attention is now being directed tow
ards the Indians who occupy our western from
tier, and to the spirit of lawlessness with which
they are conducting themselves. 1t is plainly
evident that if our government intends that the
territories it has acquired shall be populated
that safe transit shall be furnished for mails
and subsistence for our western settlers-that
life shall be safe-that the great route TO the Pa
cifc shall become a realiy-very stern measures
will have to be taken with the Indians.
The number of the Indian tribes west of the
Missouri river seem to have been very much I'M
der estimated. We have grown to regard them
as a race which was rapidly dying out, and
in whom the desire for contention with and OPP
position to the white man had long since passed
as one broken of spirit, shorn of strength and
deficient in courage, but late events are serving
to eradicate all such impressions from the public
mind. The Indians are proving themselves, by
their course, as fully revengefu, warlike and OPP
posed to the white man as ever, and the few SOL
diers kept by the government in the scattered
forts and trading posts in the territories are be-
ing rapidly decimated by the bullet and arrow,
knife and tomahawk of the s'noble red-man -
Scarcely day now passes in which we do not
hear of some settlement attacked some emigrant
train fired into, or some such outrage being COM
mitted by the Indians. They come either open
ly in overpowering bands, or else in small num-
bers stealthily and secretly. In each case they
strike quickly and effectively, and then are away
across the plains to some distant point, render
ing pursuit of them almost impossible or very
| hazardous TO the small force that could be sent
| against them. If all the murders perpetrated by
these Indians could be given in figures, if the
full amount of property they have destroyed
could be set forth, the array would be astonish-
ing to the people of the land. Just the other
| day we read of noble specimen of the race 60
ing to the headquarters of Gen. Sherman on
some Emission of peace" and to exhibit, in a
strong light, his peaceful proclivities he ,oore at
has belt the soaps Of cleUen Dhite men, acomen and
children. We can but wonder that the impul-
sive Phil. Sheridan allowed that disciple OF
peace to go out unmolested from his presence,
to commence again his murderous course.
These Indians have cost US large amount OF
money and caused the death of a large number
of men. 1t is hard to reach any estimate, but it
is known that the Black Hawk war of 1892
cost $4,000, 900, attended with a loss of 4, 600
men, the Seminole or Florida war lasted seven
years. costing $4,000 lives and lO0,OOO,OOO
the difficulty with the Creeks and Cherokees,
about the same time, cost US $1,000, 600 the
Sioux war OF 1852 to 1856 cost about 300 lives
and SAC, 900, 900; in 1864 came the Cheyenne
war, which cost 1000 lives and $50, OO0 900,
and this was resumed and continued in 1867, al
a cost of 300 lives and $l5 900, OOO On the Pa
cific scope, during the last twenty years, Indian
outbreaks have cost US, in the aggregate, $780,
| 900, 900. In New Mexico, since we Acquired it,
three campaigns against the Navajoes have cost
$50, 600, 900, and the Indian troubles on small
scale in the several States and territories during
the last forty years will doubtless swell up the
amount of their cost to US to fully $1,000, O00,
900, while our present conflict with the Chey.
ennes, Apaches, Arapahoes, Kiowas and Ca
manches are swelling that aggregate alarmingly
Is it not about time that some means should
be adopted altering this state of affairs? Trea
ties and conferences seem to be of little account
The Indians solemnly meet in council with the
whites, they make great promises, profess un
bounded admiration and veneration for the
"Great Father and smoke the ''Pipe of Peace
with great zest and JUNCTION but, after the lapst
of few days this ''peace policy is laid aside
aud the Indian is found on the war-path agar
as treacherous and revengeful and savage &c
Indian affairs have heretofore been ,coneucted
under the auspices OF the Interior Department
but proposition is now made to transfer al
that relates to them to the War Department
Let it be done at once Make Phil. Sheridan
Indian Commissioner, and give him force enough
to successfully combat the savage tribes of the
west, and the Indian wars will cease. He viii
compel them to respect the laws, to obey the be-
hests of the government and to cease their out
RACES upon the whites. The valley of the Mis-
sssppi, stretching from the great river to thu
Rocky Mountains, is destined to become the sea
of "A new empire. There new States are TO b.
formed and where now are vast forests or vaSte
pralIles VIII ohe uay pe great CItieS anu culu
waited region. Already the summit of the Sierrs
Nevadas have heard the whistle of a locomotive
and soon an iron band will connect the extremes
of our continent magnificent future awaits
the west, and body Of savages should not b,
allowed to hinder the sweep of empire. Colo
nize them, compel them to occupy the Reserva
ton already laid out for them, aud teach then
that they must not modest the settlers upon gov
eminent land, or destroy public or private prop
erty. Itmay take a few harsh examples to &C
complish this, but it were better so than the re-
lentless war which is now being carried on
Let the War Department take charge Of Indian
affairs and effect the peace which mild measurs
have failed to bring about.