The sun., 1873-06-04

The war with the Modocs has at last been
closed by the capture of Capt. JACK and
his band, aud il Is safe 10 say that the
costly, tragcal and long protrncted strug-
gle between this handful of suvaGes and
the Government forms one OF the most
discraccful chapters in our history.
report from the Interior Department,
published by order Of the last Congress,
sny~ that the Modocs have been known as
| generally uuiricndlv to the whites since
| lSj3. 1t would seem that the tribe enter
! tanned harsh feelings toward the whites in
1858. as it was only the year previous that
| n large number of its most prominent men,
having been summoned to II peace confer
pnrc by certain Capt. Ben WRIGHT who
they supposed was the authorized repre-
sentative of the United States, were in
vitpd to sit down TO "a feast of roasted meat
seasoned with strvchninc; an invitation
which was declined in consequence of the
fact that an Indian of another tribe who
was acting as interpreter for WmGnr eX-
planned to them the character of the cii-
| teiiainmCnt to which they had bccu
h.ddcn. Capt WRIGHT, disgusted ut this
slight upon his hospitality, at once began
| M indiscrimnate slaughter of the Indians
| gathered TO form n treaty, having taken
| the UrcCautiOu to disarm them ms prelim-
mary to his peace negotiations, after which
he marched into the town of Ireka. him
self and his followers adorned with the
scalps of the Modoc men and women whom
they had killed. A. reward for their
brilliant strategy Capt. WRIGHT and his
companions were entertained i'm Il banquet
Ivy the citizens of NrCka. Many living
witnesses attest the truth of this episode
in our Modoc relations.
1t il probable, therefore, that in 1si3 the
Modocs were not entirely friendly in their
feelings toward the white men who had
come TO drive them away from the land oi
their forcfathers, and failing in this, had
first cndcavorcd TO poison them Ike ver-
min, ant then had masSacrcd them while
pretending to make n treaty OF peace.
But Notwithstanding their natural resent
meut at what they might have called i'll
treatment If they had been whites. they
entered into II formal treaty with the
Government IN 1861. Whether they
understood the terms Of the treaty or not
is uncertain; but the existence Of the
document was made an excuse for SWIM
ding them, Us is usual in dealing with the
original pIopliCtors of American soil.
Aftcrward the terms of the treaty were
altered. and Capt. JACK was requested to
o assent to the alterations. This lie refused
to do. lut wa finally induced 10 remove
to reservation, where lie aud his men
were nearly starved while the representa-
tives Of the United states Government. ac-
corlug to the testimony of disnterc-te'i
witnesses, were doing thriving business
IN selling 10 miners and settlers beef and
other supplies appropriated by Congroe'
for the Use of the Muducs.
{ In the mean time the klamath INDIAN,
, who were quartercd on the same reser,a
. ton with the Modocs made war upon
: them So that between starvation ana Ia,
. Klumatls they We're obliged Ia leave and
y return To their old homes. Here they
Z minded their own business, and were CON
D sidvIcd good nciEhbors by the settlers IN
/ that region But IN the summer of IS
e. two Commissioners, acting under mstruc
n tious from the proper authorities, hrl,
. consultations with these Indians, as tn,
: result Of which, according to the report (,
20 Congress from which the most of these dc
{ tails are derived, II was understood tha
d the Moiocs should be permitted 10 remair
I at their old home, provided always tina
d they refraiued from theft and disturb
= unCe.
This arrangement, however, did not sui
u the agent. of the Indian Bureau, who I'm,
= no opportunity TO fleece the Indians afte
u they left the reservation of their enemies
'' The Interior Department was at once III
e. undated with letters from subordinate
/ oihcial, declaring that the prospect o
Il "civililing aud outstanding these In
" diaus wa, hopeless unless they could b
" sent back 10 the reservation whore thu
) had barely escaped death from cold am
starvation. Mr.. r. b. OpENEAL, India
70 superintendent Tor oregon, in "A letto
o.. written June Il, 1s,2, suggested TO th
BE- Commissioner of Indian Affairs that
'i would Dee good idea 10 kidnnp the nea
- men ol the Mudoc- and hold them in IN
prsuumcut at some point remote flol
ln their tribe until they could he brought
ole terms. L. ID. APPLICABLE, "commis,nly
ld charge at Camp lomaX, a person wi
er hus been accused of making large prof
81 from ms transactions with the Cover
10 mcut on account OF Modoc supplies, in
ut letter 10 Superintendent ODENEAL, WI
Ii ten May ;, ls12, expressed the opinion Tia
b. the idea Of arrcstnE the Modoc lcadc
lie Was one worthy of consideration, addn
'd however, this significant commentary;
'' "In MI. Ildu mrU he me solution " ne pro
De-, ITu hf.t uill,I The pTtslIi nut IfrEdiHp bDtUc
%. . me departments hUH LutIn ant mduuV, dl
w. tht ct,tf, CIpt. Jdoh, ne drr'N rJuld mo- dOuht
r,gurdod " Ne Indians ds an act " udchtrg
I'D OiU part.
~, Ia consequence Of the representation
tic made to the Interior Department that
all would be impossible Ia christanze CaI
nae JACK ana his band unless they were !
cs moved to the klamath reservation,
ui order was issued on July 6, ls12 to reno
ma. them by force in the following Scptrmh,
tn I'm November last, in obedience to m,tu
ith tous from Washington, Col. WuEATo
Of with "A few soldiers undertook to captu
to Capt JACK and his followers for the pl
ul- pose of transferring them 10 that rcserN
II tiun. The attack resulted in the defeat
uu- the troops and IN further nostilities,
OIL which several white CitiZuus were kill,
of Since then a pitiiul succession Of pea
of negotiations and hostile operations |