The Weekly Arizonian., 1871-03-11

i duty toward the hardy pioneers who are striV
 ing at fearful risks to build up new States il
 the far Southwest Experience has alread
 sufficiently demonstrated the futility of all eff
 forts to induce the Apaches to listen to term
 of peace until they shall have been severel,
 chastised. They have so long been accustom-
 ed to commit their depredations with compar,
 ative impunity, that they regard the white
 travellers and settlers as involuntary purVeyors
 of cattle and goods tor them. It has been their
 boast, in their parleys with Army officers, that they own all the live stock and other property
 brought into the Territory by the whites, actual possession being mere question of time. They boast, too, that they could at any time exter- minate the whites if they considered it to their interest to do so The most advantageous bids for their friendship have been steadily rejected, on the ground that they can obtain by force more than they could by fuvor should they consent to peace. The facts have justified them in this position, which is an eminently sound one from an aboriginal point of view. It will require arguments more forcible than those now within the control of our officers to convince the Apaches that 1t is better to accept such goods and chatles as the generosity of the Government and the honesty of Indian agents may furnish them with.
 'Thess wild Indians range over the country between the San Bernardino mountains in Cal ifornia and the Red River of Texas, and be- tween the 35th parallel of North latitude aud the Mexican border, though they actually in- habit but small portion ofthe territory com prised within these bunuderies. < x x They are to large extent armed Tith the best modern breech-loading weapons, and are kept well supplied with ammunition through the perfdy of Sonoraniaus, Ammunition has been issued to these Indians, either with or without authority, at Camp Thomas; afidayits by two men who witnessed the issue are on file in this tovn. .-ED. hRIzoYAN. who purchase from them such horses, mules, horned cattle and other plunder as they may wish to dispose of In case an unexpected resistance makes il prudent for them to retreat, their precautions are so we Il taken that it is impossible to fol- low them any considerable distance. Nearly every murder committed by them increases their supply of arms and ammunition ; and when they are fortunate enough to find money upon the bodies of their victims, they know how to procure with it such articles as they desire. No mercy is shown to their captives, and the bodies of the slain are mutilated in the most horrible manner.
 "Many camps and garrisons of United States tdoops are located in the Apache territory, but they are too small and too much hampered with restrictions to afford guy protection to white settlers or travellers, or to chastise .he Indians Beyond furnishing escorts for the mails and government freight trains, which duty they are not required to, and do not, per form-ED. and guarding the quartermasters 8 property and conRissary stores under their care, they can do little ''Economy" having demand~ ed the discharge of nearly All civilians in mill itary employ, large proportion of the small force stationed at each post or camp is em- ployed in various essential mechanical occupa- lions, or on "daiIy'' or "extra duty" as team- sters, purveyors of wood, etc. As conse- quence, when acommanding officer is informed of 6 massacre or robbery by Indians in his viz cinity, he can muster but scant troop to send in pursuit. It is not through want of zeal, therefore, that the Army officers in Arizon a and New Mexico permit so many depredations to go unpunished, but simply lack of means to perform what they are so often unjustly accus- ed ofnegIecting These Apaches can only be properly punished by surprising them in their camps in the mountain fastnesses. To do this it will be necessary to put and keep in the field well-equipped regiment or two of light cav airy, or, what would perhaps be better, reGi-