The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-13
IFor the Dlspatchl IA.

[For the Dlspatchl 80 Nst
THE SIOUX. @
A DEFENCE OF THEM ny ONE WHO KNOWS
THEIR TRAITS--MANIFEST DESTINY OF THE
NDIAS---WRoSG AND INJUSTICE OF THE
WHITE MAS--cUsTgR's MIsFoRTUNE NOT TO
BE CONSIDERED A MASSACRE, BUT A sFAfR
FIGHT, so FAR AS THE SIOUX ARE con-
CERNED. 5sis,
We are forty millions while they arc but
a handful, and since they are guilty OF the
crlme OF possessing what we covet, by all |
means let us destroy them. This is mani
fest destiny-a necessity Of our civiliza. !
tion-and no one but a sentimental enthu- |
siast would pirate OF justice to the weak !
when great material interests are involved. |
But since our stars thus compel us TO COM !
NIT this robbery, let us at least do it in |
bold and buccaaeerish way, and not smirch |
the deed OF the ravager with the manner Of !
the sneak-thief.
Besides, it is always we'll to leave some
thing for the future, and q decent regard
for the possibilities OF progressive iniquity
on the part of posserity should restrain as
from sounding, at single sweesA the lowest
depths OF deprapity, The aaassacre OF
Glencoe did very we'll In its day, and st.
Bartholomew was no uncreditsble affaig. but
the browning act OF savagerS IN the sercn-
teenth century was UnquestisNabfy't tie de-
yastaton OF tho Falatinate. The misister
who devised, the ayonarchwto orderea, and
the soldier who executed this deco have,
long held high inches liz the temple OF
infamy, but It. has been reserved for
this age and nation 10 put 90 the
blush the DaarympleS, the kouvois,
the TURBINES of the past. Marshal
Duras gave his victsns three days OF
grace The troopers o. Phil. Sheridan gave
the Piegans not three minutes. Learning
that the tribe had fas1ed in It's Gall ''sur-
round" that it was suffering from famine
and infected with disease, he moTed stealth
lily toward their camp, and choosing mo-
ment when the mon Were absent in pursuit
OF game he swept clown on ttasc' defenceless
women and children and murdered them
every one! This atrocious' blfhchery passed
at the time almost unheeded,sns other great
crimes have done whenthe'rictm was voice
less. True, some rather srruDulous persons
admitted that the troops were perhaps lit
tie too ardent, and probably outran instruc-
tions, but it seems from the published views
of General Sherman that this is to be the
regular order OF things.
When the hardened WiEain Foster had
made trap Gi the drawbnage that led from
Amy Robsart's bower, SO that in passing
to the main structure OF Cumnor Hall she
must be dashed intofthc1sDsrt below, we are
told that pang shot Through the conscience
OF the wretch, not that nc had comprised
the poor girls death, but because he had
simulated ller lovers .cahl and thus lured
her to her DOOM 1t swas blow delivered
through the afections-a scething OF the kid
in the mothers m ilk-and Foster, monster
though he was, had stilhsome slight trace OF
the sensibilities common 60 his race and age.
We have outgrown such weaknesses. Had
Sir Walter lived in this ,our day, his mighty
Imagination would have daltered ut the task
OF bodying forth a.tirst-class villain, and in
utter despair he wouM doubtless have
abandoned storp-writing and turned his at
tention to questions of .1iaance, tariff laws,
political economy, and fne-spun theories on
the survival OF the fittegt.
It is an instinct OF auriH1ture to hate those
whom we wrong, and HAVING determined to
rob the children OF the -sGi OF their birth
right, and TO kill them if ,they resist our in
yasion, natural iaw:iplpcss us to impute to
them every yiliainy whiclASe practice. Thus
we accuse themaf faithlessness, and prove it
byviolating treaties the moment they become
irksome to us. Weaccuse them Of treachery,
and prove it by fomenting,Tiscord between
rival tribes, and playing them against each
other in battle. I'VE accuse them OF mutt
lifting the dead. and proveit by marching q
column OF troops past the bSdy OF fallen
AIodoc and Kidding the corpse with 4 thou
sand bullets. we accuse theE Of cruelty
and cowardice, and prove it by gleefully
sabring q stricken camp Of wonaen and chill
dren. In doing these things we but act af-
ter our kind. The native Amcrican-the
hereditary lord OF IL wide domain--stands in
the path Of our hog -and-hominy civilization,
and it is meet that We should accomplish the
most atrocious OF acts by methods the most
despicable. Bit while we betraN, &raduce,
and Destroy let us at least be content merely
to appal the world with an exhibition of our
ierocity, and not ut the same monest con-
yulse it with merrimcnt by our luGjcrous
explanations OF defeat
We send forth an invading army, tho.
roughly equipped with all fhe appliances OF
modern warfare, and led by a general Of APP
proved skill and yalor. A brilliant charge
is made on the Indian village, but unhap-
PLY for the cause OF civilization there hap
pen to be men there mingled with the we.
men and children. These men, standing on
their native soil, and sternly resolved to
perish rather than to yield, meet with he
roc fortitude the deadly assault. Steel
leaps to steel, and CLEANS OF inrid light
flash through the murk OF dust, and smoke,
and rceking steeds.
Invaders and defenders fall thick and
fast; but the strife is too keen, too deadly,
to remain long at equal poise. Soon the
whirling sabre Of the trooper, stained with
blood of childhood, sinks beneath the lance
OF vengeful sire. The Serried line is broken.
The troops fall staggering back, and the sun
sinks on stricken field from which no in
yader escapes. Each soldier is allotted his
six feet OF the soil he went to conquer. 1t
is ample for his present needs, and, though
less than he expected, is it not, in the name
Of our common humanity, as much as he
deserves? ....--- <
And now to account for the disaster. We
are told that it was due to three factS-facts
which prove at once the cowardice, the
treachery, and the cruelty OF the Indian.
The sauages not only fought on horseback
and fired at our troops ,oith long-range guns,
but they actually had the audacity to seize
the commencing positions Of the Jfeld'
After this, let mercy veil her face, while
pity, shuddering, flies. Drop ten-inch
Shell in Justices scales, and gorge the eagle
till she shrieks with indigestion.
ssDown, wantons," cries the indignant
fishwiSe to the obstreperous cells (which pre-
sumo to squirm while she skins them.
"Injuns is pizen" echoes the men who lead
the van OF our magnificent civilization.
1.-The sword must preeede the gospel"
sniyels The mild-mannered priest who drives
spanking trade on his moral and religious
sentiments. "Indians. not taxed" explains
the pompous law-giver, " are beyond the
pale OF our civil polity, and must yield to
the development OF those material resources
g. 4, ln,sa 49,