Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-17
~ Told You so,, meacham.

81 Told You So,s, Weacham.
We think we understand what has /;
been called the peace policy of the
We know that large
portion of our fellow citizens have been
disposed to give it fair and impartial
trial. 1t was adopted from the best OF
motiyes-the desire to treat honorably
and deal Justly with the Indian, and at
the same time, secure peace. For more
than two centuries and half, we have
had these savages on our borders, and
have been engaged in constant warfare
with them. Our settlements have been
extended and maintained, only at the
point of the bayonet. Constant incur
sions by the red man of the forest, dur
ing that entire period, have retarded the
growth of towns, repressed the spread
of civilization and interfered with the
planting of our institutions AS the
star of empire took its way westward,
the adventurous settler has been COM
PEELED to go to his work with the imple-
ments of industry in one hand and those
of warfare in the other The outposts
of civilization were constantly exposed to
forays from savages, and the cabin, and
its occupants, on the frontier, was at
their mercy. There never has been
safety to these pioneers, under any pol
icy or system that has been pursued by
the general government. In addition to
these every day occurrences, happening,
as they did, at 50 distant and diverse
points on our broad domain that they
hardly excited comment, there were con-
stantly occurring massacres, so general,
widespread and horrid in their nature,
as to attract the attention of the whole
country. We were, also, not infre
quently subject to general or tribal In
dian wars, which were disastrous in
their consequences to the States, Terri
tories and settlements in the immediate
neighborhood, besides involving the
United States in a large loss of life, as
well as an enormous expenditure of
money. This was the situation at the
incoming of the present administration,
and had been, in fact, the condition
from the settlement of the country.
Each and every policy tried had failed
in reducing the Indian to subsection,
producing a lasting-or even temporary
peace, or in inducing them to accept
the manners, customs and industries OF
civilized life. There were in the coun-
try-as there always have been and al
ways will be-certain well-meaning in
dividuals, who were thoroughly imbued
or infatuated with the idea that these
sayages could be humanized, civilized
and christianized. We think, perhaps,
that this idea had gained considerable of
foothold among the people. All other
policies having failed, General Grant
undertook to put in operation this, as it
is called without any disrepect, Quaker
or peace policy. We honor him for the
trial We have always thought, and
have frequently SO expressed our
selves, that it was a mistaken policy.
The death of General Candy will, prob
ably, convince the administration and
the country that stern, bitter, relentless
war is the only true "peace policy" for
dealing with American Indians. We
have, heretofore time and again, placed
ourselves on record in this respect. We
have nothing to take back or alter The
events of the past few days have, how
ever, brought to the surface a class of
men who are the bane and curse of
every community, people and govern
ment 1t is for the purpose of briefly
referring to them, and not of again ex-
pressing our views on the Indian ques-
ton, that we have spoken of the "peace
policy" We think-and we believe
that the history of this and all other
countries will bear US out in the state
ment-that there is more danger to be
apprehended from the course of men
who ''fall in with the tide" than from
the most determined policy that may be
adopted-be the policy right or wrong.
A large number-by far too
large number-of seemingly intelli-
gent men are willing to take their
opinions from others. They have
no views of their own, but are willing to
follow the tide and, upon the happening
of an untoward event, cry Il told you
so, and place the blame upon others.
Their surroundings and associations,
combined with their want of independ |
ence and intelligent opinion, cause them
to support a given policy, forcing its
adoption upon the authorities from the
mere power of public opinion, because,
in this country, the people rule, and |
then, upon its failure, they are the first
to raise hue and cry against the same
policy, with the remark, Il told you so.
We see this exemplifed, in remarkable
degree, i'll this Modoc affair. 1t assumes
two phases. Meacham, one of the peace |
commissioners, is one of the II told YOU
so" kind. We published, the other day,
and commented on his remarkable dis |
patch, in which he states that fear of |
that Oregon Indictment was the Only
thing in the way of peace. General
Candy and DIR. Thomas are dead, but
Meacham still lives. 1t now appears, as
we are gravely informed from Meach-
ANS friends, that S'Meacham was inn
pressed from the first that the Modocs
meant treachery." What does he mean
then by his talk about Captain Jack
being afraid of constable from the ex-
treme northwest appearing with war
rant7 This was the only obstacle to
peace, hesaid. If the prosecuting officer
OF that Oregon county would forego
prosecution, he (Meacham) was sure of
peace. This was the first phase now
comes the other. The Modocs have |
acted out their nature They havanrnr |