Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-02-27
xyDIAy WAR IN WIOnINU'
lrrom the New Northwest.

From the New NoftH-"o0
Tho Indian news in this issue Is OF u
startling character. 1t Is not ''lonI
fiat the Actin. Agent and a Corpora
have been 1a,nalereil and mutllateu
not alone til the Indians nave s;o ,,,.
the animals of the Govcrnmcnt lIv HS:4e
er: not alone that the Indians AZ " NV
CLAY Agency have taken the Govern
ment cattle and driven Oft the helti,
ers. It is that the apprehensions ana
rumors of general uprising OF Tue
Eastern Montana and Northern w 20.
ming Indians seem verified, and tiiat
this evidently concerted actioh =.
those two agencies is but the 1rsl
shock of conflict in an important strus-
gle. 1t will be remembered that IL was
in the humiliating concession OF the
Government to the insOlcnt demands
of these Indians under Red Cloud,
that the BOzeman route was abandon.
ed. the main avenue to Montana closed
and Forts Fetterman, Phil kearncy
and Smith dismantled and abandoned
after the massacre Of eighty-three sol
diers at Fctterman which have never
been avenged or atoned. Then went
Red Cloud to Washington, became
deyout Government pet, received
horses. guns, ammunition and annul-
ties, and for two or three years they
have been "goOI Indians" But the
devil inherent in. them has been busy,
and now. well armed and organized,
with that powerful, willy, and ever
hostile chief, Sitting Eull, and his
Minnesota Massacre Indians massed
at Tonge river and probably allied
with them, they repay with perfidy
and slaughter the misplaced contidenc
and f,yors of the Government.
We do not feel assured that this is
a matter 10 be regretted. 1t is logical,
inevitable sequence of the policy. 1t
would bear its fruits and bring the
conflict some time; as well now as
ever. There is no policy toward the
Indian has merit or virtue but to be
his master, ard then treat him with
whatever leniency, favor or compul-
sion his conduct may entitle him to.
The Government seems never to have
comprehended that an Indian war is
war. It's Extraordinarily unassailed,
it's commerce unllindercd, its great
cities tranquil, the slaughters Oh the
frontier do not startle national pride,
arouse the commercial element Or dis
turb the tranquil slumbers of the great,
though it's citizens are slaughtered, its
soldiers belcaguered in their forts, its
flag insultel by an insolel!t foe and its
expanding civilization crippled unto
the death by savagps. 1t does not
even yet appreciate that the solution
of the question is i'll opening railway
communication through fertile Indian
domain and enabling settlements to
be established whose very existence
overawcs the savaees and commands
peace. If this outbreak results in
prompt c!lastisement Of the Sioux and
awakens Congress to the f;cts aasl re-
suits III the larger economy OF con
verting the land grant Of the North
crn Pacific Railroad eastward OF Boze-
man into available securities whereby
i'll the next two years that thorough
fare shall be completed through the
Sioux Country, the blood of the mar
tyrs will Lot have been shed in vain
and this later" Massacre of Nyonilgr
will have been the nettle danger from
which was pll,c!Sel the iiowerof safety.
If it fail Of those things, the lesson !
will have been void Of good, and the
blood OF the victims as but I, useless
sacrifice unto the Red Moloch of the
plains. =. =