Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-12-09

from an exceedingly disagreeable ard embarrass.
ing duty feel quite satisned that all the cou ntr
south Of the Yellowstone River, from the Black
Val ey and perhaps a. far west Is Clark's Fork Of
the Yellowstone. IL gold bearing but ~ 70 the
amount Of gold deporit. cannot say; Il FAY be
great or II may be small This area H. also ~
many places well ambered. has many beautiful
vallty Of rather high altitude, with good soil and
abundance OF running wster. Nearly the whole Of II
w1 .asea 10 co
temperature II uniform, the cold weather Is found
10 be less injurious TO stock where there IL no
shelter than milder climate where cattle are snb.
teCted TO the changes OF alternate freezing and
thswing. and where the rains rot the grass.
The Sioux Indians, numbering sbout q cog.
now hold this country and Tn sdd;t'0n. the belt
eastward from the base Of the Black Hills Of the
CHEYENNE to the Missouri River, which would
make about 600 acres Of land for the head OF
each family aud perhaps much more, without one
single acre being cultivated, while the maximum
amount given by the Government to an adult
white settler is only 100 acres, on which he has 10
live build hut put up fences, till the ground and
f'he observation Of many years in my own COM
mand and throughout most OF the Indian country
for the last twenty years has left the impression
that this system of ciyilZing the wild portion Of
our Indian inhabitants has not met with II success
which gives a fair equivalent for the expense,
trouble and bloodshed which have attended 1t.
believe there il true humanity in making the res
crvations reasonably small, dividing them into
tracts Tor the heads OF families, making labor grad
unliy compulsory and even compelling the children
10 20 to school To accomplish this purpose. to
civilize, make self-supporting, and save many
more Of these poor people than otherwise will be
saved, | believe u best 70 transfer ne Indian a
the general administration of the army, governed
and controlled in responsibility Of accounts In ac-
cor1nnce with present system. The indians
will thus be humanely and honestly dealt with.
and believe. II this had always been the Case.
there would have been but few Of the troubles and
bloody records which have characterized the civil
ization Of the Indians in the many years gone by.
In relation to affairs along the Rio Grande Gen.
Sheridan gays:
Nearly all the troops in the Department OF Tex
A. except those along the Rio Grande frontier,
were engaged In this campaign. Those stationed
along the Rio Grande River the boundary line be
tween the United States and Mexico. have had the
Illuminating duty OF attempting 10 protect our cit
liens and their property from raids by people OF
foreign country, who come over the boundary IN
armed parties to steal cattle, and do not hesitate tc
attack and kill our citizens when necessary to &C
complish their purpose.
The low stage of water in the Rio Grande, and
It, great length 300 800 miles the
duty Of protecting 1t difficult in fact. almost i'm
possible with the few troops available for the
purpose. In speaking OF this duty As 3 hnmlat-
ing one do not mean that II 10 not perfectly lc-
gitmate-for any duty IL such which has for it,
object the protection OF the lives aud property o
the people an internato nal boundary linc-but
when 1t Is considered that these armed parties, M
po lite bank of the river. and there in sight OF our
troops who dare not cross, Craze and slaughter The
stolen cattle with impunty, the service Is very
mortifyng 10 those engaged In the protection OF
that frontier. This condition OF affairs has been
going on for the last twenty years.