The Portland daily press., 1872-06-08
Peace with the Indians.

Friend John d. Lang of this State, a mem
Der of the Indian Peace Commission, has re-
ceived from Secretary Deano copies of dis
patches from General Howard which contra
dict the newspaper reports concerning the
failure Of the latter to make peace with the
Apaches. The press agents seem thoroughly
imbued with the spirit of the frontier whites
and delight to portray for the benefit of cred
ulous Eastern readers the savage hostility of
the Indians, their settled determination to 90
on the war-path and the horrible massacres
which they have already committed A hun
dred times within the last year these reports,
originating with designing persons who have
longing for the plumber that becomes at
talnable through the presence of large bod
les of troops on the frontier, have thrilled
seaboard communities with horror; and, al
though in almost every instance the contra
diction has been only day or two behind
the false rumors, they have left on the minds
OF some people general impression that the
whole border is crimson with blood. Mr..
Lang, who is perhaps the most influential
member Of the Peace Commission, and who
has been consulted by the President and Sec
Rotary of the Interior at every step on all
matters pertaining to the Indians, has sus-
pected that it was not true, as reported, that
Gen. Howard had given up peaceful methods
in despair, and had at length consented to
let Gen. Crook 'argue" with the Apaches
OF Arizona by means of the powder and shot
OF his troops. Accordingly he has been i'm
mensely gratified by a dispatch from Howard,
dated Camp Grant, Arizona, June 24th, in
which the latter gives a very favorable &C
count of the situation in the Territory and
of the disposition of the Indians to withdraw
to their reservations and cease molesting
the whites. Mr.. Lang was himself strongly
urged by the Washington authorities to pro-
coed to Arizona himself, but as it was neces-
sary to go to California and thence overland
seven hundred miles to the scene of the dis
turbances, he felt that it would be too great
tax on his strength, since he has already
travelled thousands of miles annually durino
his official connection with the Indian Ru-
reau. Gen. Howard was at his suggestion
sent in his place, and from present appear
ances has justified the wisdom of his ap-
pointment
All this will be bad news for Mr.. Sumner
who, in his late malignant and libelous attack
on the President, asserted that the peace pol
icy OF the government has been failure.
Falser words were never spoken! 1t is true
that there have been occasional sporadic out
breaks, mostly melted by the customary dis
regard of treaties and outrages first commit
ted by the whites, like the Camp Grant mas
sacre But every man of common intelG
gence whose judgment is not disturbed by
such tumults and paroxysms of rage as those
to which the Massachusetts, Senator has sur-
rendered himself, knows that on the whole
the Indian peace policy, operating in part
through the Quaker Commission. has
wrought wonders. He knows that the dis
turbances in the Indian country have Leen
local, temporary and generally unimportant.
that most of the "Indian outrages" have been
committed On paper, and that there has been
no Instance of general and protracted In
dian war, like those which filled the West
WIN alarm and horror during the administra-
ton OF President johnson and the most of
his predecessors. The persistence under dis
couragement and the humane disposition
evinced by Gen. Grant and his subord;nates
in the management of Indian affairs ent;tle
them to the warmest gratitude of philantbro-
pists everywhere.