Evening star., 1869-12-06
REPORT OF LIEITENANTGEN
SHERIDAN.

The report of General Sheridan accompanies
that Of the General of the Army. General
Sheridan commands departments which cover
territory of great extent, i'm which most of the
Indians i'll the country abide. The number OF
troops. he says, would be sufficient IN the COM
panics were kept filed to their maNmula. After
reviewing the recent ln,kan depredations in
Montana and along the Missouri he saws -
''Steps have been taken To remedy these evils, as
far as we can, hy the erection OF block houses.
The post at Fort BufOrd has been in state OF
seige for two or three years. IN the early spring
hope TO be able to send few troops from the
department. OF the Platte to the department OF
Dakota"
Although there have been numerous dlepre-
datlOns in the department of Dakota, and some
in fact i'm all the departments, still the con,ii-
tion OF Indian affairs is very much better than
last year. The policy OF reservations adopted
by the Indian Department Is, in his Judgment.
the only policy that will put an end to Indian
murders and depredations. He thinks that il
may be necessary to punish some of the Sioux
as the Cheyenne and other tribes south had to
be punished, before peace can be fully estab-
lished and the reservation system made a sue
cess; but every effort will he made to avoid any
necessity of this kind. with the strong hope that
the savages may settle down on their reserva-
ton and adopt more peaceful and civilized
life.
"The Indians" he says, /" have run riot along
the lines Of our Western settlements and the
emigrant and commercial lines OF travel for
many years, numbering and plundering without
any adequate punishment, and the Government
hao SougHt give 10 SOnlc
of It's best interests by making presents to those
sayages, or, i'm other words, while il found il
necessary to enact the most stringent laws for
the government OF civilized whites, it was at
tempting to govern a wild, brutal and savage
people without any laws at all. or the infiictiOn
OF any punishment for the most heniOus crimes.
This system was not q success. Ii white man
commits murder or rObs we hang him or send
him to the penitontiary. IL an Indian does the
same we have been in the habit OF giving more
blankets.
The Indian is lazy, idle vagabOnd: he never
labors, and has no profession except that OF
arms, to which he is raised from a child; a scalp
is constantly dangled before his eyes, and the
highest honor he can aspire 10 is to possess one
taken by himself. 1t is not 10 be wondered AZ.
therefore, If he aims for the honor when he
grows mp, especially if there is no punishment to
follow the barbarous act. The Government has
always been very liberal TO Indians, especially
whenever they have settled on reservations; the
lands allotted To them have been Of the very best
character, making them, perhaps; by tar the
richest communities i'm the country.
1.-The system at supply ing the wild hands nm
der the present management T. working we'll;
the Indian gets all that the Government intends
him to have; he cannot now plead bad faith. and
If he does not give up his cruel and destructive
habits, L see no other way 10 save the lives and
property OF our people than 10 punish him until
peace becomes desirable object.
''Ihe troops at the different posts throughout
the miiitary division are luartered (oticers and
men) comfortably. The expenses for the coming
year viii be- much less than for the past; how
ever. very large portion OF the expenses OF tie
Indian department.