The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-24

be very glad to see them begin the task.
| Surrender OF Thirteen Nlodoc Braves
what Shall We Do with Thems
Under the dispensations Of kindly Prov
idence the Modocs are bringing the war to
close by quarrelling among themselves. Pre-
vious to the encounter at Dry Lake it appears
that Captain Jack consulted chronometer
for the purpose of divining the future, and
invented prophecy that Modoc skins would
thenceforth be proof against 'Boston"
bullets. The result of the fight did
not justify the willy Captain, who
relied on breastworks more than In
dian cuticle. Thirteen warriors and fifty
squaws and children shook off the leadership
Of the false prophet and retreated to Snow
Mountains, whittier they we're followed, holly
pressed by the troops Tired Of this work
they at length made overtures to surrender,
and on Wednesday evening" as our dispatches
relate, they did so Internationally. This is
substantial victory for the troops. 1t has
been q disheartening campaign through
out for them; but to their activity
and courage is due the surrender Of the thir-
teen Modocs who count some Of the most
formidable fighting men Of the tribe among
them. It is now known that several Indians
have been killed, the Shack Nasty family
suffering particularly in this respect although
Jim of that ilk still lives. He is, we believe,
included among the surrendered.
The uncomfortable fact, however, remains
that Captain Jack, with twenty braves, is
still on the warpath. The late reverses
and divisions of the tribe have, it is
said, had discouraging effect upon the
neighboring tribes, whose young men have
been painting their faces and holding war
dances for some time past The late surren-
der will tend to make the murderous ardor
in their unsophisticated bosoms burn less
brightly than ever. The Indian nature is not
by any means cast in the heroic mould which
its worshippers claim; and although soil
tary redskin, when he can expect no quarter,
will fight to the bitter end, in bands they
are easily demoralized by disaster. Those
who have witnessed the fights between
tribes warning with each other are
well aware how slight the causes are which
induce stampede on either side. Two or
three Indians killed in the commencement of
such fight on particular side will demon
alize that party as much as four times the
proportion when the combatants are whites.
They fight as if the main object was to see
who will be the first to run, and the slaughter
is all done in the fight. From this peculiar
ity we imagine that the following of Captain
Jack will shortly dwindle down to zero,
unless the old scoundrel soon makes up his
mind to surrender. We may, therefore, con-
clude that the war of the lava region, which
has already cost so many lives on our side,
is drawing to close. The surrender will re-
store the dropping spirits of our soldiers and
will allow more vigorous conduct of the
campaign against the band of the redoubt-
able Captain.
When the murders Of Major General Candy
and Dr.. Thomas at peace conference first
stirred up the blood of the people o
universal cry for vengeance was echoed
all over the land. The Comman-
der-in-Chief, by order of the President,
formally handed over the Modoc tribe to ex-
termination. This was recognized every
where as simple justice; but the attempt to
carry it out has proved how difficult such
sweeping orders generally prove. In the first
French Revolution the Jacobin Convention
ordered the slaughter of all English prisoners
taken in the war. Its carrying out was never
attempted by the soldiers, who revolted
from such a horrible proposition in
civilized warfare. The reprisals possible
by the English who held French prisoners
was alone sufficient to deter the French
generals from SO dangerous a step. The
thirteen surrendered Modocs in charge of
General Davis present difficulty in which
the element of prisoners on the other side is
wanting, but which will be freely canvassed
on its merits. We do not believe that when
once surrender is accepted by those repre-
senting the law the prisoner can be
summarily executed. Had all the Modocs been
surrounded in one of their Businesses, at
tackled and butchered, there would have
been no trouble about the matter. The sur
render of certain number, however uncondi-
tionally, presents us with phase of the war
that is, we hope, provided for at Washington.
valor, even when accompanied by savage fe-
rocity, has charms for some romantic minds,
and we shall not be surprised to find new
batch of missionary people, anxious to give
these Modocs passport to Para
disc, with rations and hymn books on
the way, bestir themselves with that
benign object The fact that they are muir
derers will be hidden in the fact that they
have copper-colored skins. The missionary
people would, no doubt, be content to lead
psalm class composed of Bogus Charley,
Hawker Jim and his cutthroat confreres, even
if every savage used white scalp for hassock
in the preparatory prayer. With view to