Arizona citizen., 1871-09-30
THE PEACE COMMISSION

Personally we have visited nearly every community in Arizona, and con- versed freely with men of all grades of prominence. Without exception, all express sincere want for perma- nent peace. With but one exception, they have peaceably submitted to suc- cessive years of Indian outrages and begged and prayed for peace in fact and not merely in name. The nation has been frequently advised in Con- gress of the implacable and continued Apache atrocities, of hundreds of lives being taken, houses destroyed, settle ments abandoned, mails captured and Government property stolen by force; of peace after peace being made with certain bands of Apaches only to be soon broken; also, the press has con- stantly teemed with too true reports of outrages of all grades, and a pam phlet was published and scattered broadcast by legislative direction on the same subject, and likewise Con- gress has been impressively memorial ized time and again. The press of the Western half. of the nation with one accord has demanded that safety should be given the people of Arizona, or her civil government abolished and full sway given the savages. Years upon years have been spent by this peoplefn supplication inspired by con- stant murder and robbery of them selves, for that safety which a nation owes its people, and to this day mur- der upon murder is being committed, United States mails are captured and wholly destroyed; military camps are robbed of United States cavalry horses in open day light, and every man and woman in Arizona knows it would be rashness to travel alone one mile be- yond the larger towns or settlements eastward from those on the lower Col orado river. In the face of these un- deniable facts, with abundance of proof that the Apache never regards himself at peace except with the post where he makes peace and gets his regular pieces of food and garments, and with the boldest of the warriors spurning peace on any terms, and well organized and enthusiastic mill tary ready to accommodate them with war that would soon bring them to the dust or terms of peace dictated by their conquerers, comes a member of the Peace Commission among them. And what for? And how does he perform his part? These points must be considered.
 MT. Colyer may have more power but not more rights than the humblest citizen of Arizona. He may have more general knowledge, but it is preposterous to say that he has as much on the Apache question as the most unlettered man who has lived and suffered herein through series of years. His mission is admitted to be one to induce the hostile Indians to go upon reserves and there remain and keep the peace and cease to plunder. To successfully manage a people, some knowledge of that people would seem requisite; to make a people stop life of atrocity, some insight into their character, if not force to compel them, seems essential. Has Vincent Colyer endeavored by patient study to learn their traits, or what means will secure an unbroken peace with them? He tried hard to get some or any chiefs to go to Washington with him, and after his efforts in New Mexico and at Camps Apache and Grant, not chief could he get to go along. They say he is strange to them, and will not and do