New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-24
DRIFTING INTO TROUBLE.

| DRIFTING INTO TROUBLE.
We should all be very glad if we never had
need of soldiers. If the necessity of an army
could be abolished it would be an unQuestiOned
| blessing to the country and the world. But
without waiting for this we have virtually
abolished our army, and are therefore some
times subjected to serious Inconvenience At
this moment we have few hundred men on
our North Western frontier, engaged in the
task of keeping several thousand hardy and
intelligent pioneers out of the Black Hills
country. As long rs the Winter lasted this
could be done. The men who were willing to
run the risk of freezing to death were not so nu-
merous but that the army could find their camps
and bring them out. But now that Spring
has come even into that desoate region, there
is scarcely a village in the Western States, not
to speak of our Eastern cities, but is organic
ing company of gOld-hunters for the new
diggings, as yet revealed only to tho imagina-
tive ken of Gen. Custer 1t Is difficult to
make them see they are committing a criminal
act in going there. They hear, from high
authority, that there ia gold there. Nothing
stands in their way except the Indian title to
the land, and the Government order fOrbiddinS
them to trcspass upon it until the title is ex-
tineuished. 1t is too late IN the day to per-
suadc them that the Indians right is sacred;
and if they think of the extinguishment of the
title at all, they expect it to DO done before
they get there. They are more anxious to be
early on the ground than to be sure of the
legality of the means by which they get there.
Their numbers are constantly increasing and
the work of keeping them back is becoming
every day more difficult In one case 80
soldiers have captured 40 miners, and it was
a serious question whether they would take
their prize into Laramie, or their prize take
them into the Black Hills. OF course, we are
bound by every consideration of national honor
to keep these invaders out Of the Indian
country, until the title of tho savagos is
cquitably acquired by us. But the matter
should not be neglected very much longer,
or great disgrace and disaster may result
from it, The Government is largely re-
spOnsible for the rumOr of mineral wealth
in Wyoming and for the excitement cOnse-
quent upon it. Unemployed and enterprising
men, of the most unmanageabe kind, are rush
ing towards these supposed placers like air
into vacuum. handful of men here and
there will not be enough to keep them away
will do everything which is possible A de-
plorable collision may take place any day.
Every hour is precious, and yet the Chiefs who
have come to Washington about this business
are worried by the underlings of the Indian
Bureau, snubbcd by the President, not per-
mittcd to state their demands, and not even
permitted to select their clearinghouse. This
is certainly not the way to prevent the trouble
which threatens the North Western frontier.
Things do not look much more satisfactory
in the Southwest Gen. Ord reports, on the
authority of Col. Hatch, that TIE country bor
dering on the Rio Grande below RinggOld is
virtually in the hands of the Mexicans, the
raiders being so strong in the sympathy and
assistance of the Mcxicans residing on this side
that they are able to terrOrize the American
population. They have even gone to the length
of killing two soldiers out OF squad OF five,
and arresting the survivors for murder! This
seems like the last expression of impudent
lawlessness. But it mus be confessed that
the President takes novel way of meeting it.
He directs Gen. Belknap to warn the Governor
of Texas that if these proceedings continue,
cit may become necessary for him to withdraw
"the United States troops from that locality" OF
dent to hear of such Outrages perpetrated upon
soldiers who are merely doing their duty but
if he had stopped long enough to count twenty
before giving his order to Gen. Belknap, he
might have thought of some better way of treat
ing the matter than by sending such threat
to the Governor of Texas. The troops are
there we suppose for the protection of the we'll
disposed citizens; to withdraw them would
merely expose this class to the malice and greed
of the marauders, and thus punish the innocent
to spite the State authorities The President is
generally too prompt in giving orders about
South Western affairs, and Secretary Belknap is
also too prompt in following his hasty dictation.
The present dispatch is worthy to rank with
his famous approval of Sheridan's banditti bust
ness. The state of things on the Rio Grandc
requires more knowledge and more Judgment
than appear to be available at the White
House and the War Department.