Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-02
h Modoos.
Letter from oonsre..man ~Lus,reli.

- -
Tho following letter from Q member
of ,Gongress, Of CALIFORNIA;, explains
itself, aud puts quite q new phrase
OH the Modoc war:
LAVA Dsps, CAR, Juno II, 1873
To Hon. Z. DeIauo, Secretary inte-
rior, Washington, ID. C.-DEAR SIR
The Moaoc war is over. Tho Modoc
tribe, except fivGor six, arc captivcs.
Capt. Jack and several OF his con-
tederatcs will soon be tried by court
martial for the murder OF Gen. Gan
by mud tho Peace Commissioners.
| There can be but one verdict or re-
| suit in tho conviction and execution
ofall those participating in the mur-
der Of settlers and Peace ComniissioI-
eva have spcnt several days in tlfe
Lava Beds and th6country auJaccht;
l have investigated, SO iar Us
could. tho causes of the war oetWeen
EIhe whites and Modocs, aud from u
careful Investigation | can arrive AZ
Int ono conclusion, that tho war was
caused by the wrongful acts oi onu
white men. In the first pace, ~ Is
charged by responsible parties ma.
Indians were c%oInpcllcd to slaughter
! ihri,. horses for food OH the klamath
reservation to keep from starving.
When they had no nor horses 10
4 slaughter they were forced by hun-
ger to seek their fishing ground on
Lost river, n tract Of land set apart
for them by Hon. Il. Steele, late
Superintendent of Indian Aitnirs TOR
california. The land is valuable;
-, Spectators desired it, and sought to
| have the. Indians removed. The In
diuus say there was but one or two
F, courses lett them-denth by starVa-
lion OH the reservation or n speediet
f. death Inv bullets. In the AVA Beds
: they chose the latter. / am in favor
of hanging those who participated IL
/ the murder Of the Peace Commits
sioncrs or settlers, but humanity ant
Justice demand an investigation o
The war aud its causes from 1T
- first Inception. Let us have boil
: sides of tho question. Let u
:, have the sworn statements Of Tn
- Indians, which will, / am credhabl!
y informed, be corroborateu by. III
testimony of responsible white men
If you have the authority to ORDER
direct that the testimony OF all tnos
r. who are likely TO be convicted am
~eyecy.tcd be tlkeu. / regret to hav
n TO say III, DuL L DciiSSS
was q time since the organization q
-. the Government when there was S
much corruption and swindling, he
- only of Government and people, Blu
:; Indians, rs there is to-day being prat
~ ticcd on the Indian reservations o
~ this coast. Mr.. Mcacham and M
Steele managed affairs to the %satista!t
ton of the people and the Indians.
regret they were not retained &
Sc superintcndents. lido not know wi:
ID is To blame, nor do l accuse any pa
re ticular agent of corruption, an
~ before launching these Indian chic
n Into eternity, let their testimony |
he taken that the guilty parties may |
es found. We have lost many valuab
IS, officers and mon i'll this war, AL
.ir Justice demands if any person
ed persons were guilty OF imciting u
W Modocs TO war, he or they should
e. punished. / am willing, IT you ca
re delegate 10 me authority, to aid al
IS. assist in the investigation of all Il
of causes or charges which may or ca
II be brought out before court marti
ed as the representative Of the people III
T. mcdiately concerned, and who ha'
nh suffered most by reason of the wa
if | feel justice demands a thorough l
II vcstigntiOn. 1t | can III any WI
III serve the Government and people
aiding or assisting the investigate
he command my services by telegraph
b. Fort Jones. Very respectfully,
he IKE LUTTEELL,
lis Member Third Congressional District, Ialiiorn