New-York tribune., 1874-03-07
The President had become 80 much used to
having his own way that he had promised
Satanta's release In an of-hand manner, for


having his own way that he had promised
Satanta's release In an of-hand manner, for u
getting that that red warrior was tried, con-
victed, and held in durcss under the civil laws
of the sovereign State Of Texas. Gov. Davis
discreetly demurred, and then for the first
time, it appears to have occurred to Gen.
Grant that he was not Governor of Texas as
well as President of the United States
Diplomacy found way where common sense
might have blundered. The President urged
that he had pledged bis word that Satanta
should be released. Would Gov. Davis 10 the
means of proving to the average Kiowa mind
that the Great Father was liarf Certainly
not. SO it was agreed that the whole question
should be judiciOusly hushed up until the
Texas Republicans had rcnominsted Gov. Davis;
that the captiyes should then be released and
that the Government should, in consideration
thereof, establish a new chain Of forts, arrest,
try and punish Indians who had been raiding
in Texas, compel the restoration OF stolen
property and captiyas, compel Indians on.
reservations 10 stay there, and punish Satlnta
and Big Tree if the Kiowas misbehayed. On
these conditions the captIyes were finally re-
leased. Gov. Davis was meantime nominated.
His Democratic opponent was elected; and
the promises of the United States Government.
remain to this day unfulGlled.
This whole matter incidentally came up in
an examination into Indian Affairs by tho
House Military Committee, not long since.
Gen. Sherman, who was giving his views with
that modest rcticence which always charac-
terizes him, said if SataDta should 60 on
al, Of
intentions, scalp Gov. Davis, he-Gon. Sher-
man-would not shed astear. ExGoy Davis.
who has-in the language of tho worldly
thus far lost every trick in the game, objects
to this mild but military expression, and takes
up the pen in his own defense. With the
stat esman,ike collectedness OF a man who has
nothing left to lose, Mr.. Davis reminds Con.
Sherman that no has, in his intempcr-
ate allusion TO the Late Execntive of
Texas, yielded to temptation to indulge IN
witty squib at the expense OF man VINO
"has no equal chance of reaching the public"
Ex-Goy. Davis evidently does not enjoy beng
twitted after he has found bis post of honor
in a private station. But he hIs other
arrows in his culver. He reminds Gen. Saer-
man that the release Of Satanta was an cx-
istrate of the nation. He says that the Prosi-
dents order took him by surprise. His exact
language is that it "was sprung upon" him.
When he declined to free the captive murder
ers he was besOught to save the pledged
faith Of the President and the United States
Government "a phrase which needs ex-
planatlon, but not here. Accordingly, Sa-
tanta was released. and five solemn promises
we're made but not kopt--to Gov. Davis.
1t was not to be expected that Gen. Sher-
man would remain quiet under this somewhat
troublesome statement. He has written lot
ter in which he tells exGOv. Davis that he
Dayis-is solely responsible for the release OF
the captive chiefs he abates not jot OF his
somewhat blood-curdling expression as to
Satanta's intentions towards the ex-Goyernor's
scalp. But he says that he put his own life
in jeopardy when he went on tour of obser-
vation along the Texan frontier lately. and
that he will not do it again. This Is lllogl-
cal and Mr.. Davis, in his reply, seems to
think that it serves the General right to
fright him thus. Dropping Tito sarcasm, the
Ex-Governor says: "Satanta and Big Tree
"are condemnable only because their ex-
"ploits happened to scare the General-in-
"Chief of the United States Army" Then he
reminds the General that he has not met the
statement that the President of the United
States promised the Kiowas that their chiefs
should be released unto them. and that the
President aforesaid temporarily forgot who
was Governor of Texas On this point ID
must be confessed the General has main
tanned mastery silence.
While these redoubtable chieftans are cross
ing sword and pen in belligerent but Pick
wickian controversy, Satanta, with his Presi-
dental pardon in his (fguratiye) pocket is
whetting his scalping-knife with Interior do
signs on the late Republican candidate for
Governor of Texas Gen. Sherman. who lacks
words in which to express his contempt for
"the humanitarians who were the means of
liberating Satanta, hopes that that noble saw
age will scalp the man that released him.
This is q miserable piece Of business, through
and through; but can it be possible that the
General is indifferent to the safety Of the
scalp of the President of the United States !
Gen. Sherman's letter revives an old questions
Who released Satantaf
-
The neatness and dispatch with which quack,