Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-09

VINCENT CpLyBRs Report to the Indian
commissioner asserts thai, according to the
| records of the Indian department, the ApaGhE
| Indians were the FRIENDS Of the Americans when
| they first knew them; that they have always de-
sired peace with them, and thep placed nnon reSer-
vatiOns in 1858 and 1859 were industrious, Uteli-
gent, and made rapid progress in the arts of
civilization; that their ill-will and constant war
with the MeSicans arose from the fact that the
MeXcans denied them any rights 10 the soil as
original occupants, and waged a war OF eTtermi-
nation against them; that the peaceahie re-
lationS of the ApacheS with the Americans con-
tlnued until the latter adopted the Mexican theory
Of DISCRIMINATION" and by acts of inhuman
treachery aud cruelty made item cur implacable
foes; that this policy has resulted in a war; which
IN the last ten years has cost us thousand lives
and over forty millions ofdollarS and the country
is no quieter nor the Indians any nearer eXter-
mnaton than they were at the time of the Gads-
den purchase; that the present war will cost the
people of the United States between three and
onr millions of dollars this year: that these In.
dians still beg for peace, and all of them can be
placed on reservations and fed at an expense
of less than half million of dollars
a year, without the loss of life. On
representing these facts to the president, Com
missioner Colyer was directed to proceed to
New Mexico ami Arizona, and there take such
measures as he deemed wisest to locate these
Apache Indians upon suitable reservations,
feed. clOthe and otherwise care for them; and
the president instructed the war department to
cooperate with the commissioner. In obedience
to these orders, he went to those territories and
in consultation with the Offices of the army, In
dian agents and the Apache chiefs, lie selected
suitable reservations in four localities, remote
from settlements, invited the Indians to come
in, and left them in charge of the Indian
agents in New Mexico and offices of the army
under Gen Crook, in Arizona The Indians
came in gladly in large numbers, and at last
advices over four thousand, being one-half of
all the rowing Apaches, were living peaceably
upon the reservations; that no depredations
have been committed by any of these Indians
since they came in; and that b fore spring, if
| they arc unmolestcd, and have sufficient food,
he believes we shall have peace restored to these
territories; that Major Gems. Schofeld, Stone
| man and other army officers reported that the
| ApachcS, who came into the military posts last
| year paid for large part of the rations issued
| to them by supplying hay and wood to the gar
| risons at much less cost to the government than
that paid to the contractors for the army. The
report further shows that the act of Capt Nell
Son, the army officer in command at Camp
Grant, in turning back the party of two hun
dred armed citizens who imperiously demanded
TO cross the Indian reservation at that post was
| necessary, saved the three hundred Indians col
ected there from another bloody massacre AID
the nation from disgrace, and Thinks CAPTAIN
Nelson for it. The Grd1r countefmanding the
previous order 0 General Crook, Of employing
Anc2nes TO fight Apaches, was made by the GEN
erdl himself, greatly TO his houOr. The com
missioner travelled through the heart of the
Apache country with an escort of fifteen men,
and though the Indians came around them day
and night in scores, frequently outnumber-
ing them five to one, not an animal was
disturbed or an article stolen. He was
received with cordially by General Granger
General Crook and all the officers of the army
in New Mexico and Arizona and there was at
no time any discord of action. On his return
10 Washington, the reservations selected by the
commissioner, and the arrangements made by
him for the protection and subsistence of the
Indians upon them, under the care of the Off
GERS OF the army under General Crook, were APP
proved by the president, the secretary of the in
terror, and directions given by General Sherman
for their permanency. Of the complaints made
by officials and editors in Arizona, of Il want of
courtesy toward the white people, as well as OF
the numerous threats against bis life the vitu-
peration and abuse Of the press of Arizona and
California, the commissioner takes but slight
notice, as the business for which he was sent
was accomplished, and be trusts for his vindica-
ton TO time and the good results with which he
believes God will prosper the work.