Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-05-08
Tho MOdOC War,

took to reconnoitre the position of the
savages, all but twenty were shot
down, and among the officers some of
the most promising young men in the
service. This lamentable misfortune
attests the defensive character of the
location which the Indians have Sc
Iected for their fighting ground. They
are secreted in Il section of the country
that is scanned and corrugated by the
action Of the hidden forces of Nature,
that have never been subjected to a
scientific survey, and Of whose APP
breaches, detiles, escapes and outline
conformation nothing whatever is def
initelv known. The proposition to
surround them and starve them out,
with the limited force at present en-
gagged with them is preposterous. I'M
doubtedly such is to be the strategy
finally resolved on, but in order to eX-
ecute it the army i'll the field will have
to be increased even beyond the limit
now assigned to the extent of the force
for the entire country. The regret
for the slaughter ofso many brave and
gallant men is universal. They went
TO their doom with confidence, and
their only regret was that they were
refused the privilege of seeing theswily
enemy that shot them down from their
sure concealment. 1t is evident that
the Government has to deal with a
desperate foe in this Modoc band, and
that it will require much more extend
ed and thorough preparations to van
saly to any of its military advisers.
If, rs rumor goes, a call for the III
crease Of the army to fifty thousand
men shall be thought obligatory, Con
greSs will have to be summoned in ex-
traordinary session in order to modify
the existing law. The opinion is be
lieyed tobe unanimously held at Wash
ington that sufficiently large army
should be ut once put in the field to
make the work Of conquest "short,
sharp and decisive" Unless punish
ment can be promptly visited upon
this remnant OF a tribe with the force
that can be concentrated from the
present army, its increase to the re-
CURED limit must certainly be ordered
by the only authority by which armies
are created ut all. 1t would be crimi-
nal to deal with business so serious in
q shilly-shally manner. But the i'm
mediate duty Of the Government unde-
niably is to call the troops 1t has scat
tered through the Southern States to
sustain Durell iniunctions and Kellogg
usurpations, and concentrate them in
the Modoc region. That done, peo-
pie Jealous of their menaced liberties
will hesitate before arming an ambi-
tious an usurping Executive, engaged
Oh distant pleasure tour while brave
men are biting the dust in an unequal
war, with the additional power for
which he may soon enough be ready
to find personal use. The well re
membered threat to the State Govern
ments that was the startling feature o.
the late inaugural should furnish the
warning for the future counter actor
of the people through their representa-
tives. 1t is easy to part with liberty
but difficult and costly to recover it
Congress cannot we'll deliberate toe
carefully upon the conditions of any
increase which it may order for the
army in this instance, nor provide will
too much watchfulness for all exigen
cies within the range of probability
| But the hope is that it will not BE-
found necessary to call it together il
order to remedy the blunders of al
Administration that has used its Indi
an policy as sentimental playthins
in political managment-Boston Post
May LIST.