The New York herald., 1872-09-08

FORT SILL !. T., August ~, 1877.
what the Schleswig- Holstein question was to the
statesmen Of Europe the Indian question is to our
polticians-the more determined the effort to solve
II the greater are the difficulties encountered. But
although there was but one man in Europe, accord
Ing to Palmerston, who understood the Schleswig-
Holstein mudde, and he was Dead the matter was,
doubtless, plain enough to the people Immediately
concerned. The difficulty arose and was continued
through plethora Of unmeaning treaties, diplo-
matte pOwwows and the interference Of outside
parties. So in like manner the solution OF the In
dian problem Is too heavy task for the Washing
ton S0lons, whose ideas concerning the Indian have
been formed from seeing the gentle savage In the
house of his Great Father but to those who live
the border and have relations with the different
tribes 1T is as plain as the rule Of three.
Yet the conflicting interests of parties in
terested in lands, railroads and army and
Indian supplies, bureaucratic red-tape, political
pressure and "philanthropcn interference with the
operations Of troops render the dearly bought ex-
periencc Of settlers and army officers OF avail.
The Indian puzzle still remains to disturb the
quiet of washington and keep this wide border in q
state Of anarchy. The present administration s 1t
Ii maintained, responsible for the reign Of terror
that prevails in Texas, along the banks Of the
Rio Grande, ana here on the Red River, having
adopted a let-us-have.peace policy with incarnate
nends, who love murder and rejoice in robbery, in
stead or the just, but mercifu action OF previous
governments. How
THE PEACE POLICY
has worked viii In this letter endeavor to show
That 1t has not fully realized the expectations Of
even the President may be inferred from the act
that there are now here two special commissioners
from Washington charged with the duty 81 ex-
amining into the present condition Of affairs
In the Indian Territory, ana the caase and
reporting thereon. These commissioners are Pro-
fessor Edward Parish, OF PhadelphA, and Cap
tain Henry E. Alvord, Of Virginia formerly
OF the Tenth United States cavalry polored). The
HERALD commissioner will anticipfe their report
Ijoined the commissioners at lawrence, Kansas.
on the 10th inst, and that afteroon we set out on
our mission. Taking the Pleasant Hill road to Sc
dalia, we got on the Missouy, Kansas and Texas
. Railroad for Limestone Gan the extreme end Of
the road, 100 miles from tb Kansas border and In
the Cherokee Nation Of tie Indian Territory. The
rails were down but rw days, and consequently
our progress was slof, the average speed being
nfteen miles an hour The road runs over mag
nicent prairie lar for the greater part of the dis
tance: one sectioa Of 1t is known as the 'Tunneln
q stretch OF nat country for ninety miles without
cabin, station, log-house or wigwam. As the hot
sun was sinkjg in the lowered bed of the horiz on
the scene Sas truly beautiful in its desolation
No Indian, were to be seen, nor were there any
cattle in Jew, but nocks Of wild birds futtered up
from thsprarie and raced with the train 1t seemed
to me nat II civilized people, as the Cherokees
claiued to be by their distant admirers had sway
herr this long but narrow and splendid belt OF land
would be well stocked with cattle least por-
tim Of 1t cultivated.
FORT GIBSON AND THE CHERoKEEs.
Nearing Fort Gibson, military post on the east
han n nr W. oft tha
prairie ana struck into wide stretch Of timber
land. few scattered log huts and shanties Of
mud covered with brushwood were to be seen, and
here and there lounging, mongre Indian, listless
and nlthy, peering out at the passing train from
bencath dirty sombrer0, decorated with gaudy
feathers The Cherokees, like all the other tribes and
remnants OF tribes on the reservations, rarely
make their homes near the road side, prcferring
the deep recesses Of the forest, where the hated
pale face and his detested civilization can
be readily avoided; and passengers by the
Missouri, Kaasas and Texas route Will
not long enjoy the pleasure of staring at semi.
civilized Lo ss he loafs on his native heath Fort
Gibson is eKht miles from the railroad station and
IA situatedon high blur overlooking the Neosbo
and the rkansas Rivers. We were dumped down
at the Saton at eleven O'Clock at night and an
ambullnce being ready for us, joted over o very
rougt trail to the fort, getting In shortly after
midhght General Grierson, the commanding
onyer Of the post, and the officers Of the two
p,nies Of the Tenth cavalry stationed there ex-
ended us the hospitalities Of the place. and we
remained until the following night. made the
best use OF my time in making such inquiries as
enabled me to form fair estimate OF the character
and capacity Of the Indians claiming to be civilized,
their present condition and wants. AS is pretty
yell known already, the members of
THE ROSS FAMILY
are the r. F's Of the Cherokees, and have con-
ssolling influence with their red brethren Of the