Omaha daily bee., 1874-08-05
Custar's Exploration.

General Custar's dispatch from
Slim Butte is eminently satisfactory
80 far as it goes /; but, then, it does
not 20 very far. 1t is a pleasure to
know that all are well, and that the
eminent geologist has seen indica-
tons of Ignite from his safe posi-
ton in the center of the wagon
train ; and that the amiable paleon-
tologist has picked up a bone four
feet long and one foot thick; and
that the estimable photographer has
taken some views of the vast and
varied monotony that passes for
scenery in Dakota; and that the
experienced guide has found a hole
in the ground with a retired sulphur
spring at the gable end thereof; that
the expedition will not blow Sitting
Bull and his warriors into the happy
hunting grounds, unless the mis-
guided savages- wickedly rally to
contest its passage through lands
sacredly guaranteed to them ex-
| clusiyely by among other signers on
behalf of the United States, VIM.
| T. Sherman. All this is satisfac-
tory in the highest degree. We
notice, however, that Gen. Gustav,
who expected to reach Bear Butte,
his objective point, OH the 18th OF
July, intended to leave for home by
August lst, and SO would find him
self at Fort Abraham Lincoln by
the 10Th. Now, Gen. Custar set out
IN the I'd of July, with sixty days
rations, and instructions from the
War Department to occupy sixty
DAYS in his trip. Instead of spend
ing thirty-five days in the Black
Hills, he will only SPEND thirteen.
Instead of carefully seeking for gold
and silver, he will just march to the
top of Bear Butte and march down
again, after the royal example OF
the King of France. He is careful
to state that he will not fire first,
and, in fact, anticipates no trouble
with the Indians, to whom he has
sent concillatory messages. What
does all this mean?
q, 1t means precisely what the Globe
said when the column set out. We
have n O business in the Black Hills
country in the first place, and II
considerations of national honor and
plighted faith were insufficient to
restrain US from violating a treaty,
on which the ink of our commission
ers was hardly dry, we might have
at least selected a more opportune
moment for outrage. Sending
Custar and the whole cavalry force
into the Black Hills country was, II
they were whipped, to make unten-
able our whole northwestern from
tier, from the Niobrara to the Can.
ada line, or, in any case, to make
reasonably certain a repetition of the
horrors of 1852.
We never meant to explore the
Black hills thoroughly; if we did,
why did we leave the scientific
equipment exclusively to the State
of Minnesota, Yale College and q
st. Paul photographer? The truth
of the matter is that General Gustav
has seen now what he should have
seen q month ago-that no matter
how the expedition results, it will
result in injury to the nation, to the
Administration and his friends.
He would very much like, we dc
not for q moment doubt, to get even
with Sitting Bull o rthat affair upon
the Muscleshell last year, when
the Indian Napoleon gave the
Long Haired Chief all he wanted
till General Stanley came up, and
SO get the step out Of which Sitting
Bull euchred him. Nevertheless, he
recognizes fully that he has gone
where he had no right to 60, and
that there Is danger in his absence
from Bismarck-hence he is pre-
pared to return as rapidly as may
be. We hope he will be in time to
avoid any serious trouble, either al
the Hills or along the river and the
railroad. And we think that in fu,
ture he will do well to look ere he
leaps.-St. Louis Globe.