The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-15
GheGnteltfaeneer.
An Ineligible Statement Of the luz
dian Question.

An IntelliElble statement OF the lns
dian Question.
From he Philadelphia Ledger,
Red Cloud, his chiefs and squaws, with
Spotted Tail and his suite, have engaged
popular interest in Washington for some
days past. Red Cloud is Sioux, and a
popular and influential leader among all
the tribes, families and subdivisions OF
that warlikC nation, such US the Ogallallas,
Brules YanclOns, and others. Lis imme-
diate people, however, arc the Ogallallas,
Their range OF hunting grounds is about
the big Horn Mountains the Black
Hill, and the Powder River country, in
Wyoming Territory, 1t Is genial and
fertile country, with IN abundance Of
grass, especially in the valley Of the big
Horn" a tract of about hundred miles
in length, and from five to twenty miles
in width. Here the grass grows evenly
over the valley, and stock may be win
tered in open air. The climate being
about the same rs in the mountain dis
tricts of Kentucky. The Sioux are salts
fled there and want no change. But IN
1866, General Pope, acting for the Coy
eminent, started to construct some ROADS
there, and built some forts for the protec-
ton and convenience Of emigrants to Alon'
tana, and there has been trouble ever
since. The Indians say this irightens oil
their game, and is in every way IN inva-
sion Of their rights. Red Cloud notified
the military that this occupation OF his
country would he resisted. During the
summer Of that year IN attempt was
made to settle the dispute by negotiation,
and some Of the chiefs reluctantly signed
the treaty, but Rcd Cloud LEFT the coun..
Gil, and taking his rifle, said "he would
place his trust in that and in the Great
Spirit" In II few weeks lie had sum.
moncd 5000 warriors, and there was war
everywhere along the projected roads.
Red Cloud was full Of energy and . mas
ter of Indian strategy. lie laid plans Tor
the capture of the forts and the slaughter
of their Carrisons. lie concealed all his
forces in the hills near Fort kearney, and
sent out detachment OF them to surround
and cut off small party OF troops who
were on duty outside of the fort. This
was done with the expectation that the
garrison would sally out Of the fort for the
rescue OF their comrades. And the SOL
diers did go out, three officers and sew,
cnty.three men, commanded by Colonel
Fetterman. These were artfully drawn
by Red Cloud into the hills, where he
fell upon them with his whole force and
mastered them all. All the other forts
were soon in state Of seige, there were
frequent battles and skirmishes, and the
upshot Of it all was that the forts and the
roads were abandoned, all Of which raised
Red Cloud to n high pitch Of admiration
among his people, and caused Il CORES,
ponding differentiation of the power and
courage Of the United States when re-
sisted in this prompt and bloody mode.
Since then there has been cessation OF
hostilities, more negotiations, more dissat-
faction, efforts to get the OgallalIas into Il
reservation on the Missouri river, and an
attempt TO cut of their supplies OF lead
and ammunition, by preventing traders
going into their country with these essen
tinl articles.
These prclimlnarics will aid our readers
in the understanding of Red Clouds
speech, made in the Interior Department
on Tuesday. Take the following pass
ages: The Great Father has sent his
people to my country, and left Inc moth
ing but an island. Ihave got two noun.
tains in that country-BlaCk Hill and Big
Horn. There have been stakes driven in
that country, and want them removed.
tcdnt no r0atlS there. l don't want TO see
the white people making roads in my
country. The whites arc going through
my country and killing game. want
two or three traders, Mdt arc ask t9r. l
don't want any reservation on the Mis-
souri,. What l hear is, that my children
and old men are dying of like sheep. The
country don't suit them. My people are
melting away like the snow on the sides
of the hills, where the sun is warm
Before lie set out for Washington he
went to Fort Fctterman and gave the
commanding officer there the following
reasons for tho journey:
~ have been treating with you ever
since 1851, and no good has come OF it,
Our treaties do not last, and now | want
to go and sec the Great Father, and make
n treaty that will last. Tell the Great
Father am here and desire to sec him,
and take fifty ofmy people with me to see
him"
Col. Chambers tclcgraphCd to Washing
ton, and the present visit is the result
Whether any good will come oft, is not
clear yet. Red Cloud is willy, rcsolute
man, Of naughty spirit, DESTROYS OF living
in his own wild way, sovereign over his
people, and he wants guns and ammunition.
The Government is clearly not ready TO
furnish him with means 10 renew his war,
while he says he only wants them to ena-
BILE him to hunt game. 1t is quite rs evil
dent that he will not willingly go upon u
reservation. What then is to be done ?
Indian wars are costly in money and bar.
rem in glory We can refer to one in 1865,
that cost $3O,OOO,OOO, which employed
5000 troops, and the result Of the campaign
was the killing oCtwenty or thirty Indians,
at about million Of dollars apiece, This
war commenced III dispute between u
ranchman and an Indian, about some lost
stock, and it was never clearly asCcrtained
that the ranchman had actually lost amy
a,o.I. T., ,,;n,,, ~ s,,nI, a Cnrf owl II is