The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-20
interpreter .Jonea," who knew him well, re-
marked, .'There'n be trouble now, for that's Lone

| interpreter
marked, .sThcren be trouble now, for that's Lone
Vol,
THE MOST DESPERATE SAVAGE
| upon the Plains" and he seemed 30 forcibly I'M.
| ne became quite 'agitated as he came w, and at
the instant he cooked his gun the skirt OF the IN
through the nearest a window into the house
The excitement at this particular juncture was
considerably intensified among the Indians hy =
sentinel at a mounted Ki0wa, who, in attempting
to charge past the guard, had been ordered 70
halt but instead OF obeying had shot the sentinel
in the leg with an arrow, then pushed on to make
his escape. Fortunately, however, the responding
shot which We heard despatched leaden messen-
ger In pursuit, which promptly executed ltS mis-
sion oretributive Justice and most erectually ter
minated his ability to perpetrate further mlschlel.
| That was the last arrow this warrior drew from
his culver previous to entering upon that dark
and mysterious trail which debouches into the bilss-
full praires OF the spirit Land''-those elysian
| hunting, pillagng and scalping grounds OF the
| great aboriginal Manltou.
Finding that they were unable to induce General
dams at length subsidized q little, and with
bad grace, succumbed to the necessities
OF the occasion. Even that belllcOse individual
with the highly appropriate and characteristic
canine designation OF Lone VOL, cOndescended to
abate somewhat from his former naughty de-
AS unaccountable as It may appear, this same
savage piscreant, who mas the blood or many
whites upon his head, has recently been persuaded
to make
PLEASURE EXCURSION TO WASHINGTON,
New York and other Eastern cities, where he has
been ieted, driven around the parks taken to thea
tres and shown other marks OF distinguished con-
sideraton by the votares OF the condoning policy.
have not a doubt that some OF the advocates Tor
lenient measures towards the Indians are truly
sincere in their sentiments, believing them
to have been sd na dealt With to and oen
been the case with many OF the tribes.
The large fortunes amassed in brief periods by their
this But this fact does not justify the prairie In
dams, who have been well treated in robDing and
numbering every white man they encounter.
and the other gentlemen who, without compensa-
ton, accepted positions upon the indian Commits
sion, and who for several years past have exerted
their utmost endeavors. and with marked success,
in thwarting dishonest agents and contractors in
their Vaccinations for deraudng the Indians as
well as the government can Tor q moment Ques-
ton the purity Of their motives or the eflcacy OF
their gratuitous labors In promoting the well
doubt that many OF the men who were induced to
accept the appointment of agents have deem &C
tu Ro Dy EnaOd Tauay
was well to do in the world, and could have had
no motive for leaving q comfortable home and
buryng himself in the remote wds of the Indian
Territory upon the meagre salary of 81, 500 other
than that OF doing good In the exercise of unal-
lOyed benevolence; yet when we met him at Fort
Sill he did not ATTEMPT 10 advocate continuation
OF the enient policy toward his wards.
The first observation he made to General Sher
man was this:-'1 have used every effort in my
power to improve the moral and physical condition
of the kiowas and Comanches; but thus my
corrigible and will continue to plliage and murder
our citizens, and should the people of Texas, who
may hereafter suffer from their depredatlons.
choose to pursue them into the reservation am
resolved to take no steps to prevent them. The
INDIANS DESERVE CHAsT1sEMENT
for their atrocities, and shall no longer deprecate
or shield them from it,"
This sensible conclusion arrived at by an emil
nently humane and nd-hearted Christian, whose
opportunities for studying the character OF his In
dams had been ample and who earnestly desired
to impart to them the dement's OF education as
we'll as moral and religious instruction, Is opposite
and well worthy the careful consideration OF the
peace policy advocates.
Another significant fact illustrative Of the ro-
suits OF the civilizng process u.s. that long time
previous to General Shermans visit at Fort sill 1t
was hazardous or white man to go alone in any
direction ten miles from the post, several men hav
ing been killed by the reservation savages within
that distance during the previous three years.
Neither the officers nor soldiers ever Thought of
their stations without an escort.
1t Is only short time since, as I was informed,
Indians at point distant from his agency, when,
on account OF his INABILITY to accede to their I'M
to death, and to Illustrate the execution Of their
neiariOus purposes he was
OBLIGED TO MAKE A SPEEDY ESCAPE
to the protection Of the garrison at Fort Sill.
These are not the only Indians who, without
provocatiOn, have perpetrated wanton outrages
upon our citizens. The Apaches, in Arizona, what
ever may be said of the treatment they have sub
sequently received at the hands OF exasperated
TONS took the initiative at an early date in making
war upon our people and have prosecuted 1t relent-
lessly ever since The causeless attacks made upon
the escorts OF Captain Sigraves and other ex-
pOres and upon emgrating parties show this.
II these Indians had been robbed OF their lands,
enslaved or otherwise maltreated, as were the New
England tribes by the .veheraed Pilgrim prOgeni-
tors OF the peace policy supporte s, there might
have been some pallation for their conduct; but
they can plead no such excuse And may be par
doned Tor adding IN this connection thai distance
has certainly afforded to the descendants OF the
Puritan Fathers much more favorable and en-
chanting view OF the remote natives OF the Plains
than their sires were able to discern when in close
proximity to the race.
The prairie Indians in some respects appear to
be entirely different in disposition and habits from
their brethren who occupied the Eastern states,
some praisewOrthy elements. Gratitude, for eX-
ample, was prominent trait In their character but
THE NATIVES OF THE PLAINs
so far as have been able to discover have not the
remotest conception OF that sentiment, nor do
they seem capable of comprehending the motive
that gives inspiration to IN act OF benevolence or
charity, but invariably ascrbe 1t to fear the ex.
p citation OF reward; for they never make presents
or confer lavors save with the anticipation OF re-
ceiving more than their eqy4yalent in return. Be-
sides the Eastern tribes were localized, occupying
permanent abodes, where they and their an
cestors rom time fmmemOrial had titled the
SOIL which, under the rulings OF lurs rudence, may
justly have entitled them to an absolute fee simple
OF the lands they claimed, whereas the prairie
tribes have never followed any OF the ayoCations
Of civilization. Agriculture has been unknown to
them. They never even planted a seed, but like
their canive Gus conductors the wolves, they from
time lmmemoral have slept on the trails and sub
sisted H. on the flesh OF the bufiaoes, and their per-
captions Of right equity and Other moral attributes
may be considered as In close approximation with
those oil their canine camp followers, and the lat
ter. In my Judgment, possess concurrent claims
with the savages TO valid tenure OF the country
over which they conIontly roam.
From what has been said 1T may be conjectured
that am aitnless I'm regard to the feasibility OF
civizlng the aborigines; but such an inference is
erroneous, Tor my own observations during resi-
dence OF several years among the ChOCtaws
Chickasaws and Cherokees compel me to admit
that many OF them already occupy a more elevated
position upon tue scale o. social culture, education
and refinement, and entertain higher respect for
law than their contiguous pale-.a ed neghDors In
Texas ana Arkansas. The ,act should be borne In
mlnd, however, tnat these people are OF q different
type from
THE WILD NOMADs OF THE PRAIRIEs
having always been more local and tractable in
their natures and correspondlngy easier brought
under the melioratng Influences Oh social and
moral teachings.
The exceedingly perplexing Imbroglio as to the