Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-28

She rid ans Opefasions-An Investiga-
- .ssssforl Demanded. a.a

Z HIGH ne kz1BnUeN<
8 Frobtths 81. Louis Republican.
Our Indian affairs are rapidly as
SUNNI ashape which nearly con
Germs the hDnor of the American
people. We allude particularly to
The recent battle in which the Chief
Black Ketfle, his village, and alarge
poFtiehs 0f his warriors, were des-
treyed By the military force under
command of Gems. Sheridan and
Gustav. 1t would certainly seem as
if one fact ought to be, nd..cOuldb
effectpally settled beyond any doubt
or cavil. That fact is whether or
not Black Kettle and his tribe were
friendly or hostile ?-Ehether the
slaughter was imperatiyely deman-
ded by the public good, or whether
It was wanton and useless butchery?
Gen. Sheridan, in his report of Jan.
I, claims that he simply did his duty
in the premises, and that there are
no mitigating circumstances which
should inspire us with any emo
tions of pity for the unfortunate
beings who were sent to swift and
bloody doom. On the other hand,
Gems. Palmer. Parker, Col. Wyn-
coop, and perhaps others, declare
boldly that Custar attacked and
massacred Black Kettle and his band
because the Federal soldiers had
marched long distance and could
not go back without fight; and
that the Indians were, to all intents
and purposes, friendly. Without
adopting wholly either theory, we
are forced to say that it must be ap-
parent to the most prejudiced mind,
that there is a very wide difference
in them. On one theory, Sheridan
deserves the thanks Of the country
for having etfectually performed a
very disagreeable service. On the
other, he deserves to be stripped of
his epaulettes and cashiered the
army. Great and brilliant as is the
reputation of this distinguished
soldier, the reputation of the
Republic is greater and more bril-
liant still. Both alike demand to be
cleared from even the shadow of
stain. Neither Sheridan nor the
nation whose servant he is, can af
ford to have rumOr 90 forth to
the country and the world that we
are amusing ourselves with whole
sale murder. That such a rumor
does prevail to a considerable extent
the most casual reading of the public
prints will abundantly prove. 1t is
full time it had its quietus, and that
quietus, in order to be lasting, must
come from the very highest and
most impartial source. We do not
want the Indian agents to sit in
Judgment upon Gen. Sheridan, nor
Gen. Sheridan to sit in judgment
upon the Indians and their agents.
Let Congress appoint special COM
mittee of investigation; let them, if
necessary, 60 to the ground in per
son and thoroughly slft the facts in
the case from beginning to end, and
then let them make a formal report.
We trust human life has not yet
reached such an awful discount in
this country as not to be worth the
trouble of examining whether it was
rightfnlly taken or barbarously
stolen. The victims in the present
instance were only Indians, of course,
but as no negro in the South can
have his shins struck without the
blow reverberating through the halls
of Congress, we trust that these
slain children of the forest may, if
deserving, receive the same jealous
championship as their darker breth-
rem