Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-15


politician the requisite qualifications for
an available candidate. The Chicago
Times says the Indifference Grant had
always shownin sacrificing the lives of his
soldiers contrasted strangely with the
charity and benevolence he professed for
the Indians; but the Republican press
seized upon his announced policies with
regard to the hostile tribes, and presented
them as proofs of generous and Chris
tain disposition. The country was as
sured that the treaties made with the In
dams should be faithfully executed; that
Indian agents and traders would no Longer
be permitted TO cheat and pluRder; thai
goods bought for the different tribes
should bepurchased byme who had no in.
teresti obtaining commissions and making
sales; and that earnestand practicable effort;
would be made TO get the Indians on re-
servations and furnish them with stock
and implements of farming which would
enable them to live comfortably. How these
promises have been kept was told by the
Secretary of the Interior in communica.
ton addressed to the President, on tbs
7th instant, and published in the Times
on yesterday morning. The Secretary
says that, ''from our extreme Northern
border to Mexico, there are complaint:
from all the tribes of what they call 8
lack of faith, and he transmits letter
from General Stanley, in which appears
the subjoined:
81 am ashamed longer to appear in the
presence of the chiefs of the different
tribes of Sioux, who may inquire why we
are not doing as we promised in 1867,
and in their vigorous language aver that
we have lied to them when telling them
of the benefits we intended TO confer
upon them. In Wyoming, an organized
band of white men is prepared to move
into the Big Horn region, to prospect fol
mines, despite the warnings of the mill.
tary authorities that that country is re-
served for the use of the Indians. In
Colorado, similar expeditions, though
not so large in numbers, are preparing
to enter the reservation. In New Mexico
portions of the Utes are dissatisfied at the
arrangements made for the location of
their reservation, and say they have been
deceived. In Kansas, the Osages are in
censed at the encroachments of the white
settlers, who occupied their lands while
they were absent on their summer hunt.
The reports from every quarter show that
the uncertainty in regard to the policy to
be pursued by the Government, especially
in reference to the treaties made in 1867
and 1868, has produced general disor-
ganization.
Under no other administration, says
the Times, have there been as many and
general complaints from all of our Indian
tribes, OF perfidy and violation of treaties,
as has been made the past year. The
Quaker commissioners have dealt with
peaceful tribes, who were willing to GO
on reservations. The statement of Gen.
Stanley shows that so far from correc-
ton of the wrongs and abuses which the
Indians have suffered from agents and
traders, these wrongs and abuses have
multiplied, and have extended to all of
the tribes, 'from our extreme northern
boundary to Mexico" Who is response
BILE for the violation of treaties made
with the Indians2 Whose duty is it to
see that 'treaties are faithfully exc
cuted9" Who appoints the Indian
agents and commissioners Who assigns
the army officers to duty on our Western
frontiers2 Whose business is it TO frame
and carry out the policies TO be pursued
toward the IndiansG Congress has voted
the necessary appropriations to make the
payments for which the government is
responsible. The money was in the trea-
sury, and this money was expended. The
fact is notorious that Grant will do all he
can do by secret and indirect methods
to prevent searching investigation
into the butchery of the Piegans, and
viii endeavor to shield Sheridan from
the punishment and hot indigna-
ton which ought TO pursue him be-
cause of the part he took in that atrocious
massacre. The same contempt for justice
and proDriety which elevated Sheridan
over Meade and Thomas and Hancock
will operate to save him from the penal
ties which ought to be visited upon him
for planning and ordering the butchery of
SO many sick and defenceless men, women
and children. The slaughter of Mountain
Chief and his band was one of the most
cowardly, brutal and infamous massacres
ever perpetrated by company of sol
diers belonging to a civilized nation. The
Indians and squaws and papooses were
when they made no resistance.
Babes were murdered in their mothers
arms, and mothers were killed for at
to hide their Children. The
iendish character of the massacre; and
he fact that the Indians made no re-
;istance, is shown in the fact that
1ut one Of our soldiers was killed, and
hat 17S Indians of all ages, sexes, and
were slaughtered These facts
ire indisputable. They appear from evil
lence furnished by Sheridan himself, and |
n his attempt to whitewash himself. |
from July until December, there were
,ut six whites killed by the Piegan Indians.
)ne of these was killed in a fight which |
riglnated in family quarrel, he having
married. squaw. During the same time,
light Piegan Indians were killed by the
whites. Just before the massacre of
fountain Chief and his band, Gen.
ully, whose opinion in Indian matters
entitled to more weight than that
f any other officer, advised that
fountain Chief and some of his princi-