The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-12-17
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
Extracts from the Reports Of Generals
Peue and Sci,Oficld.
GEN. POPE'S REPORT.

WASHINGTON. II. G.. Nov. 3D.-The re-
port of Rrcvct Maior-Gcnrral John Pope,
commanding the Department Of the Mis-
souri,. after reviewing at some lcn"th the
campaigns against hostile Indians in the De
partmrHt during til" past year, says:
All bands oi Indians in the Southwest. the
Chcyrnnc> and A~raplhoc>, kiowa~ and CO.
manchr~. are now nj their respective A"cn-
cir>. brought there 10y military force after Il
campaign Of eight months of almost Unprc-
ccdcnt hardship and EXPOSURE. and after 4
heavy expense To the Government. They
art. brought there. too. entirely ~UhdUrd.
and in such condition and under such cir
clnn-tanccS that there i not the least dan
Ger, in my opinion. of amy further trouble
with thcm.if only tllrvarr treated with com
mon humanity and dealt with with even or,li-
nary honesty. jnIr>>thcy are property fed.
they must either suffer She pam"> of hunger
or StarNC to death. To see that they are 81
cared for H. the Government a. we'll u hui
m0nity demands, and H. the usual appropri-
atinns of Congress provide for. l. Il duty de-
Vulycd upon another department of the Gov
eminent. If honestly performed in the fu-
tur", ~ | am sorry to believe II has not been
in the past. further troubles with these m
dian- may he considered 1T an End.
Referring to feeding the Indians, he SAYS:
''lt is presumed. though without positive
knowledge, that the appropriations made
by Congress. if honestly dl>bur>cd and i'll
dici0uSly distributed, will be sufficient for
this purpose. and | cannot, in view of the
peace Of the frontier and honor and good
faith Of the Government, too strongly urge
that this subject be closely looked after.
and that measures more vigorous and ELI
Cicnt than those hitherto pursued hca doptcd
and enforced without delay. The military
forces have lone and are doing well all they
have the right or power To Ito, and cannot
and ought not to be held in any manner ac-
countable for any further hnstilitleS with
these Indians due to bad treatment and want
of f0Od AT the Agencies to which they have
been forced 10 return. and where they now
are. 1t Is with painful reluctance that the
military forces take the field against Indians
who only leave their reservations because
they are starved there. and who must hunt
food for themselves and their families or see
them perish with hunger. 1t i revolving
to any humane man to see such things done.
and far more to be required to be the active
party To commit violence upon foriorn In
dams who, under the pressure OF such ne
ccs>lty, only ito what any man would do UNI
der like circumstances. | desire to say with
all emphasis. what every army officer on the
frontier will cOrroborate. that there l. no
class of men in this country who are 80 dis
inclined to war with the Indians a. the army
stationed among them. The army has
nothing to gain by Il war with the Indians.
On the contrary, it has every thing to lose.
In such Il war it suffers all the hard>hips and
privatiOn>. and. exposed n it l. to the
charge of assassination if Indians are Killed,
Ia the charge Of inctiiciency if they are not.
to misrepresentation by the Agents who fat
ten on the plumber of the Indians, and mis-
understood by worthy people al Il distance
who are deceived by these very Agents and