The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-04-18
THE wAR WITH THE MODOCs.
The Question OF Resp0nsibi1ity-
Lava Bads-Perfls II the sttuation.

THE wAR WITH THE MODOCS.
The Question OF Resp0nsibi1ity-
Lava Beds-Perfis II the situatiou
| = The massacre of the Modocs continue
a theme Of active comment, especiall.
lu military circles and that branch o
the civil service Immediately iuteresteC
in Indian affairs. There appears to b.
some disposition to muddle the matte
OF responsibility, and very unnecessa
rily, as the presumption Of the public il
that all parties concerned, the interior
Department, Indian Commissioners snC
the military are supposed to have beer
working for the best, and in accordance
with avery well settled though 10 thi.
instance unfortunate policy,
THs LATE DOC COR THOMAS.
The Reverend Eleszer Thomas, one
OF the peace commissioners murdered
by the Modocs at the same time thai
General Candy was sssassinsted, was
widely known through the Methodist
Episcopal church. II g early ministry
was exercised in the Genesee IN. Y
Conference. but he went some years ago
to the California Conference. 10 1860
be WAS delegate from the California
to the General Con which met
in Buffalo. He served three qnadrea-
NAL terms as editor OF the Cslitornia
Christian advocate, efficiently discharg-
rug the responsible duties Of his office.
IL 1868 the General Conference chang
I'd the grade OF the B Dok Depository at
San Francisco, and made it = branch OF
the Book Concern, electIng Dr. Thomas
editor He served until 1872, when
the grade was again changed TO that OF
q depository, and Dr. Thomas reported
to the Bishop OF the California Confer
ence for a regular appointment, and
was placed on the Petsluns district.
II e was man Of spotless character, OF
great energy, o. unialterlDg courage
aid genuine devotion.
QUESTION OF kE5PONsiblLiTh.
Dispatches to the New York papers
say that Secretary Delsno regards hrm-
self as fortunate that the murder OF
General Candy and the peace commits
sioner, DR.. Tho mas, occurred after the
management OF the whole matter had
been placed in the hands and at the
discretion of Gen. Canhy. This, it
seems. arose from the TACT that Mr.. A
B. Meacham, one OF the commiss O oners,
WAS distarsted by the Interior Depart
ment and it was thought best to make
the action OF the commissioners subor-
dinate to General Candy. When the
Mrdec difficulty first occurred. Mr.
Meacham, formerly an Indian agent,
who had been removed, was in WASH
iogton, and the government being very
de-irous to settle the matter amlcably,
was prevailed upon bv the friends OF
Mr. Mrachsm to appoint him on the
peace commission. 1t is stated that he,
through trleuds, represented to the
Secretary o. the Interior that he WAS
the man to stop this difficulty. and that
if he was permitted to select ms ssso-
ciares he could bring the Nodes al
once to terms. Believing his assertions,
Mr.. Delsno at once appointed him
commissioner, TO act in conjunctioh
with those whom he named, ard gave
him iuil power to bind the government
to the promises that, on arriving on the
ground, he might deem best alike Tor
the interests OF the settlers and the Ia
dans. When the reports came back,
the secretary came to the conclusion
that ne had made mistake; that go
far rom Mescham beng the right man
Tor the place he was just the wrong
man.
The Indians said: you are the man
who forced us on the K omath reserya'
ton with our Old enemirs, and we want
nothing to 40 with you" 1t is sIso
stated that Mr. Applegste resigned on
account OF Meachsm's unpopularlty
with the Ind ans, arising from the fact
that be had formerly recommended the
removal o. Captain J ack. Nj Steele,
another com m ssioner, also Withdrew.
On the rec bmmerdation ot Mr. Sargent
then a member (now Senstor) from
Cali ornia, the Rev Dr. Thomas was
app Iinted one OF the c)m Dissioners.
Under the circumstance the secre-
tary placed the " ole affair in the hands
of Geueral Candy. This however,
does not appear to be fair way OF
avoiding possibility, as General
Ctnbv acted upon instructions, and his
very last dispatch shows that fact
THE LAVA BEDS AND THE N0roCs.
There seems 70 be no little ignorance
at Washington also as to the scene Of
operations in Oregon A correspondent
OF the New York Herald alter referring
to this circumstance, says:
What are termed lava beds extend on
all sides OF the lake. The country thus
described" says an Oregonisn, sis an
upheavsl OF rocks, q broken formation,
the i'm FEASIBILITY OF which can be well
understood BY all who have ever seen
an ice gorge-Jaeged ends sticking up
10 every direction, and over winch men
attempting TO ucrsmbIe'would be 1.-THE
mercy OF an enemy that might, thus
sheltered, be layiug 10 wat Tor them"
Col. w w. Chsmpmsn. one Of the
pioneers Of the State OF Oregon, now in
Washington, in an interview said: Il
do not 90 so far as to say. like General
Sheridan. Shat the only good lsdlsu is
dead Indian, but their character is as
bad as it can we'll be The cry has gone
sloit, Wipe them OUT but | can only
say that if months elapse before the
capture OF Captain Jack aud the re-
msinder OF his gang the people mnst
not be s4tonished, FOR those lava bets
are wonderful hiding places, containing
Inaccessible pits from which the Modocs