The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-21
Correspondenee OK the Phoenix.
WASHINGTON, D. o., June 18, 1870.
Prohahix tho S7ataf IA In tho Hnnoo an


elioited SO much interest by outsiders as
did the one yesterday, in the House,
on the adoption of the report of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs. It has,
OF course, been we'll understood for some
time past. that Spain was favored by the
silent influence of the administration /;
but it was not for n moment supposed
that the President could be induced to
issue message instruoting Congress as
to their duties respecting their judgment
on Cuban affairs. Hon. Caleb Cushing
Is accredited with the writing of tho
message and the one to whom it is
thought General Banks referred in his
speech yesterday. While there are many
Republicans favorable to the report Of
the committee who will, for policy sake,
sustain the views of the administration,
Rithout them there are more than
enough, with the aid of the Democrats,
to defeat this foreign policy of Secretary
of State.
It was supposed by the Government
that if Red Cloud and the Sioux chiefs
could beinduced to come to Washington,
and have talk with their "Great
Father, Z" that the dangers of an Indian
war would cease. The frontier settlers
having threatened to mete the swiftest
vengeance upon them whenever oppor.
tunity favored, learn that no little
trouble was experienced by the Govern
ment IN convincing the Indians that they
would be safe in coming to Washington.
While their presence in Washington
allowed the President and his associates
tha a ON n to na of fr;o f,,o -
talk with the red men, it also allowed
the influence Of the conflicting interests
of the Indian peace commission on the
one side, and the military, gold-greedy
and land grabbing land contractors) set
of adventurous fellows on the other. No
sooner than the Indian delegations ar-
rived in Washington, did these selfish,
unprincipled curses, calling them by no
worse name, begin to foment discord be-
tween onr Government officials and the
Indians; first, by discouraging the Co.
vernment in the idea of conquering
peace with the Indians, by complying
with thoir requests; second, by inf1uenc-
ing the Indians to make unreasonable
demands upon the Government, and
such that was not within the powers of
the President possibly to grant. Thus
the lncongruous donble-working machine
was applied to produce one and the same
result. Yet with all this combined innu-
ence, the bitter experience of Red Cloud
III his long years Of wars with the whites,
has, 1t seems, softeniug influence upon
him. and it is thought he will not be
hasty IN commencing hostilitics against
the whites; but will wait for awhile the
carrying out of the promises to them
from our Government. Meanwhile, the
Government knowing the shalIowness Of
Red Clouds promise, not to disturb the
whites so long as they are kept of his
hunting grounds. has already set to work
to carry out the programme on which
rests all our hopes for permanent
peace. The peace commissioners, MS far
as can learn, are dissatisfied with the
promised result of this great Indian
council, and feel that whatever may be
done, will only result in patchwork.
Let us hope that the Government, since
it has full knowlege of the costs in the
sacrificing of life and money of Indian
wars in the past, will right-about face in
the good work of staying forever the re-
currence Of another Indian war. The
history of the Seminole war, many years
ago, and the Sioux war, in 1856, in
which our public treasury was drained
to the tune of over 500, 1000. 900, and
thousands of lives, is solemn admoni-
ton of warning. Let us heed. Better
allow the Indians the use of their hunt
ing grounds for few years undisturbed,
than to be eternally giving to railroad
monopolies millions of acres. even ap-
proximate values of which ore not known
by it's givers, only by its receivers.
1t IS feared that much of the four
weeks remaining in this session of Con-
gress is likely to DO taken up in deter
mining in the House. the eligibility of
the cadot-brolzer Whittemore, to renew
his Congressional honors as member of
that body. The question arises, could
we not dispence with Mr.. Whittemore, at
least, for the remainder of the session?
1t is hoped that his case will be simply
referred, and no action taken this ses-
sion. HOMO
HE New ArroRNEY-G G GENERA1--TH
SOUTH IN THE CABINET. The only imme-
diately obvious fact in the appointment
OF MIR. Ackerman, of Georgia, to the place
made vacant by the resignation of Mr..