New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-24
THE BLACK HILLS.
AN INDIAN WAR FEARED.

AN INDIAN WAR FEARED.
MANY THOUSANDS OF MINERS PREPARING TO GO TO
THE UIIIs-FArIUgE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO
| BUY THE IANDs-ANGER OF THE CHIEFS Al
| THEIR TREATMENT IN WASHINGTON.
| (FRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TEIBUNE.I
| Fort LARAMIE, June ia train for supplies
was sent in from Camp Janney, in the Black Hills.
Knowing that there could be no mail before the re-
turn, your correspondent accompanied this tram,
thus insurng the early publication of THE TRIB-
JNE's letters Since my arrival there have been
Indian raids and there has been an influx Of miners
desiring to 90 to the Black Hills. The attempt TO
make a treaty with the Indians for the sale Of the
! Black Hills has failed
What is now termed "the Black Hills excite
ment arose soon after Gen. Clusters return from
his campaign in the Hills last Fall. The glowing
descriptions furnished of the gold fields. which were
| further einbellished by persons in Western towns
who wished the price of their land to advance,
worked the mining excitement up to n night
hardly surpassed in the days of "'49 ard
80" when California promised fortunes
The excitement increased when what was
considered the corroborating stories of the miners
brought back by Capt. Nix and Lieut.. Hay were
heard Yes, there was gold in the Black Hills be-
youd question and the news aroused determina-
ton in MANY mems breasts which has shown itself by
reckless invasion of that dangerous Indian country
Notwithstanding the attitude assumed by the GoV-
ernmcnt and its evident purpose to Keep lnvloate
pledge in treaty until such time as law and Gus
tom should warrant its abrogation by consent OF the
Indians the Hills have been invaded. Again ana
again miners have gone into the Hills, sometimes In
large numbers, sometimes in small. No matter what
the risk go they would They have been brought
back by the soldiers; i'll one case all their property
was destroyed This fact deserves attention. There
L. L., Tho authn nj
the United States. The miners made war upon the
Government in fact, by capturing part OF It's mill
tary force and holding the soldiers prisoners This
is secondary thought, however; the primary one IL
the infatuaton that drove the miners to such
an act. Another party has been massacrcd ny the
Indians
TIE TREATY WITH TIE SIOUX.
What is the meaning of this strange conduct OF the
miners is question any thinking person would very
naturally ask 1t supposed that those whose duty
it was to think of such matters had asked the ques
ton Furthermore, that the answer had been very
positive the effect that these parties were only the
vanguard Of n large number of citizens-a sort oil
skrrnish line-who We're ready to march INTO the
Hills as soon as permission was given. Although
men in Washington may have thought that the num-
Der of men in Northern Wy oning and western d.
kota vino were planning to march into the Black
Hills region was not very great still u this place 1t
was estimated that at least 20 600 persons were pre-
pairing to 90 to the mines. If rich mines were dis
covered thousands more would come. The lnhabl-
tants of Colorado, California, and Nevada have all
witnessed such great gatherings of miners. The eX-
citenent goes far to prove that there is great pop
lar movement. ! will not discuss whether it
is right or wrong movement and only
assert that it exists. l will say that the
claims of white and red men to
the land in the Black Hills of the same value
This is apparently IA strange statement. The Sioux
Indians in 1868, made treaty in regard to the
Powder River country, which never had belonged to
them. They are usurpers. The land belonged to
the Crows, and the Sioux had only just obtained a
foothold in the Hills when they made the treaty
This il one of the facts on the white mans side of
the argument
However this letter has not been written to state
the rights of either side. The great movement of
population toward the supposed mining regions III
the Black Hills of so much Importance that 1T
seemed as if the Government would recognize its
magnitude, and make arrangements accordingly to
obtain possession in peaceable way of the lands
decided to the Sioux Indians by Section 10 of the
last treaty. A commission was appointed, and its
members visited the various agencies to persuade
the chiefs representing the tribes to go to Washing
ton and at once make treaty for the surrender OF
the lands. The matter was considered OF so much
inheritance that the necessary funds were taken from
the Treasury without the permission of Congress,
the chief officers Of the Government trusting to that
body 70 make legal the unauthorized expenditure.
RESULT OF THE CONFERENCE
At last the chiefs arrived in Washington and
what was done The Indians were prepared to talk
in business manner, to discuss the whole question;
but there seemed 10 be no one TO listen to their
marks. At one audience it is true, there were
several speeches made which contained thin strain
of the most interesting question. The Indians ap-
peared there az sellers and az Assistant Secretary
Mr. Delano had to 20 to dinner, made an offer. OF
what i-$25 600 for the Indians privilege of hunt
ing in Nebraskal Besides this there was some desul