The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-20


feel the greatest interest although it is the exclu
sve privilege OF Congress to devise the best means
to secure this end
many good people residing east OF the Alieghanies
mistake the character Of the emigrant population
VINO nave OF late years brought millions OF acres
under cultivation and produced hity or sixty mil
mons OF dollars OF gold ana silver. where. twenty
years ago. white man dared not venture. These
people are % the same kind as settled Ohio, lndi
ana and iowa; they are IA good az we are, and
were we in their segd we would act just as they do
know it, because have been enc OF them. They
pay their full share OF taxes and contribute to
our national wealth and power As a rule the
cmlgrants do object that the Indians should for
ever remain non-producers, beggars and ROBBERS,
II not worse. II the Indians willing to work,
they used to in the gold mines Of California, nobody
will prevent them. SO to-day. II the Cheyennes
Arapahoes and Kiowas Will utilize the beautiful
pastoral land assigned them in raising stock, they
will soon become the richest people in the South
west; but this they have not DONE and 1t looks as
though they never will And the question will
surely arise, and that very soon, how long must
the government continue to clothe and feed them
without any assurance OF self-supports The pres
OF white settlements on the borders of Indian
reservations Is nothing new. 1t has gone on for
two hundred years, and must go on, and the Indian
without resistance. In others they will resist ana
IN some cases injustice win be done but surely our
government can never admit to practice the prin-
ciple that one wrong justihes another; and q
greater, that because the soldiers In New Mexico
chase and kill few Cheyennes near Fort Bascom,
who are more than hundred miles OF their reser-
walton to steal horses, they go and kill the sur
veyors near Camp Supply engaged in lawful sur
vey; and because "Whistler" has been killed by
some murderer on the Republican, they must de-
mand OF the government an indemnity in ponies,
else his death must be avenged on any stranger.
These are not supposittious cases, but cases ac-
tualy pending, and illustrate how far we have thus
tar progressed in the great work OF civilization
The affair with the Modocs Is not regarded as
an exceptional case, nor has 1t any cOnnec-
ton whatever with the affairs OF the Apaches,
Sioux, Cheyennes, Arapahoes and Ki0was that
wander over region Of country four or five times
as great as the whole State OF California. The Mo-
docs are small remnant Of what used to be called
Pitt River Indians or Rogue River Indians. with
whom there have been several wars. They are
familiar with the habits and customs OF the whites
have seen gold dug from the canyons OF their
mountains and have participated in it; have seen
the wild valleys where they used to hunt and fish
converted into prosperous farms and ranches but
in this they seem not to have initiated their white
or not is not in question, but they have taken ref
uge in natural fortress have defed the civil and
military agents, and lastly, under nag OF truce
killed General Candy whe was their best friend;
and this was not an isolated fact, for about the
same time they decoyed Lieutenant Sherwood
within reach Of their rides at another and distant
part, and also stealthily attacked Colonel Mason's
camp on the opposite side from that where Gen.
eral Candy and the Peace Commissioners were
shot. All the Modocs are involved and do not pre-
tend that the murder of General Candy was the
individual act of Captain Jack. Therefore the
order to attack is against the whole, and If all be
swept from the face OF the earth they themselves
have invited 1t.
The place is like fortress, and during an as
saut the soldier cannot pause to distinguish be-
tween male and female, or even discriminate as to
age; as long as resistance is made death must be
meted out, but the moment all resistance ceases
the firing will stop, and survivors turned ever to
the proper Indian agent. This whole matter must
be left to the o1cers on the spot, and these must
be sheltered against the howl such as followed
Major Baker after the Piegan attack, as also Gen.
era Custer after his attack on Black Kettles camp.
There Ii not much danger OF too much harm being
done. To be effective and exemplary the blow
must involve the terrible; enough to impress the
kindred tribes OF Klamaths and PlUtes.
believe the civilians and soldiers wish the same
END, and in fact, do not differ much as to the pro-
cess. All Indians must be made to know that
when the government commands they must obey,
and until that state OF mind Is reached, through
persuasion or fear, we cannot hope for peace.
am yours, with respect,
w. 7. SHERMAN, General.