Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-15

strategy. A large humber OF the most
prominent men in the tribe were invited TO
meet him in 3 peace conference, and for
their entertainment feast of roast beef
was plentifully seasoned with strychnine,
and if Captain Wriehf's plan had not been
sccidently banked, Captain Jack would
never have lived to be hanged by
authority Of the United States. An Indian
of another tribe, however, who was acting
as interpreted, warned the Modoc5 Of the
fate in ssore for them Il they accepted
Wright's ofsred feast, and they refused to
eat Of the poisonous food. Upon their re-
fusal Wright, who had taken the precaution
TO 6isarm the Indians. opened fire on his
defenceiess victims, butchering In cold blood
about twenty of bis guests. a large num-
Der Of those present on this occasion secur-
ed their safety by fight, and among these,
ii is said, was Capt. Jack. After this mas
sacre Wright marched tliumph2ntly into
1reka, where he and bis companions were
complimented with q banquet for their
bravery In slaughtering unarmed Indians.
.'Since then the Modocs have had hard
time of it. They were in the way Of the
Oregon settlers, who took possession Of
lands which had belonged to them and
their foretsthers from time immemorial,
and every effort was made TO get rid of
them. In 1864 they entered into q formal
treaty with the Government, which was
made the pretext for expressing them in
every imaginable way. Money was nnu-
ally appropriated for their use, and great
part of it az regularly stolen by our Off
Gals. Then the terms Of the treaty
were altered, without the consent Of Capt.
Jack, and the Modocs were forced upon q
reservation among unfriendly Indians Of
another tribe. Here they remained until
they were nearly starved and frozen, being
reduced to the extremity OF killing their
ponies for food. Finding this condition IN
endurable, they returned TO their former
home, where they led shiftless but harmless
lives, subsisting by fishing aud hunting.
They were friendly toward the whites, and
the farmers in that region said they wanted
no better neighbors. Finally, in 1871, two
Commissioners, properly authorized, held
conferences with the Modocs, which result
ed in giving them permission TO remain
where they were, provided they refrained
from theft and disturbance.
"This arrangement, however, did not suit
the Indian agents, who wished to have the
Modocs on a reservation where they could
have the handling of their supplies. Rep
RESERVATIONS we're made to the Interior De-
partment that it would be impossible to
Christianize these savages, who were quietly
earning their own living, unless they were
sent back TO the reservation among their
old enemies the Klamaths, to be frozen and
starved for the benefit of the Indian Ring.
The Indian Ring has its headquarters in
the Department of the Interior, and the de.
ar1dQ Af it's a0Qr1fa MI roQOont.
ton. The order was issued for the remov-
al of the Modocs; a conflict of seven
months involving an expenditure of hum
dreds of thousands of dollars ensued; a
handful of half-civilized Indians defied the
whole military force of the United States
for more than half year, generally getting
the Lest OF our troops in all encounters
with them; many lives were lost; the
took place, and at last, after q protracted
resistance which was practically that of
aboct thirty Indians against several mill
lion white men, Capt. Jack surrendered.
"This is not pleasant story TO relate,
nor one to be read By Americans with pride
and satisfaction. But it is true one, and
what is more, it illustrates the kind Of
treatment systematically pursued toward
St1C OEie1un OSCup2Hbc Vi OuE sui Wy buc
officers of this Administration, under what
President Grant is pleased to term his
peace policy-a policy which consists In
swindliug Indians and taxpayers alike for
the benefit of tn meanest aud most rascal
ly of our national Rings.
"Had not Capt. Jack followed the exam
pie set him many years ago by an officer
acting under authority of the United States
Al -.
might have gone down to posterity as that
of great hero. His numerous violation
of good faith, however, cannot be excused
by provocations received from third parties;
and bis death is deserved. But if besides
these six Modocs who are to be executed
to-day, an equal number of the thieves be-
longing to the Indian Ring, who are pri-
marily responsible for all the trouble with
these Indians, could be hanged at the same
time justice would be more equally distri-
buted.n