Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-12
Thefn(liau Dilemma.

! The Administration IL 10 terrible diem ma,
brought upon it by its owu excessive folly and
bad management. 1t only the President aud
bis Cabinet were embarrassed by the painfully
critical state of the Indian question, the people
could look on with composure, and see them
wr.he in futile attempts to cxiricate them
selves. But the future peace Of that vast tract
of country roan"d over by bands of savages.
and the lives Of hundreds OF our brave soldiers
are at stake. The subject is calculated to rouse
the kccncsL public anxiety lest further blund
ers of the Government may lead to new sur
prises aud maSsacres of troops aud the inde6-
nlc prolongation of this costly Indian war.
| The summer campaign against the Sioux is
now virtually over, it is said. Sitting Bulls
army has sca;tercd itself 10 every direction. So
| report the scouts, who arc unable to find it or
a fragment of it anywhere. These are merely
| rumors aud impressions that want vcr6cattou
JudSing from the strategy OF the able Sioux
| chief, be may be, for aught We know. al this
III mcnt preparing for swift descent on one
Of the detached torces now looking for him.
The theory of the dsintegration Of his army is
| borne out only by the appearance oil small mum
| bers OF Indians knowD to have been with him.
| at the agencies, where they sue for peace, are
d!sarmcd and become nominally prisoners OF
var. But whether scattered or together, Sit.
ting Bull aud his great baud of hostiies remain
uncorquered. 10 all the fighting that has
taxed place they are the victors. The Indians
aud not the Federal troops have won the cam
paign. In DOW Withdrawing beyond the reach
Of he increased forces of the whites they may
be only pursuing that Fabian policy which civ.
i|ized armies have often adopted with success
Il h.;
SUIT OF the sayages, but give up the chase and
raign wi stand confessed. And the blame of
it will be justly laid on the Administration.
The President and his advisers provoked the
strife by permitting the wanron violation of
solemn treaty and when the Sioux took the war
path the government had no troops uear by with
which to crush the incipient rebellion In the
absence Of soldiers the Indians gained courage
and mad alliances, and were soon able to out
number. wv to one, all the force that the gov.
erament alter great delay put into the field.
Having needlessly plunged tho country into an
Indian war. it Should have made short and
decisive campaign by calling up an oyerWhelm
ing force from the South snd other sections
where soldiers are stationed but not wanted.
But that which was begun in wrong has been
wrongly manage1 throughout, until by one
cause of delay and another, the fighting season
III Inc Indian country Is nearly past ana gone
IL the Government now gives up beaten, it will
deservedly suffer the whole disgrace. Honest
men OF all parties will Indignantly demand why
it is, that with Is 0oU soldiers at its Command,
nearly every man Of whom is available for the
lndisn service, this wretched war was not end
ed weeks ago, as it could have been with execu
tive decision and vIgor No excuse can lie
framed that will save the Government from the
shame aud blame of the result Had an English |
Administration been guilty of su h tresche'y to
the wards of England, and displayed sucn inn
becl.y ID t:ying u suppress revolt it wou d |
have been hurled from power at short notice. |
And the fsithlcssness and stupidity of the Pros
idelt AID his advisers in this whole Indian bus |
mess ,ught Of themselves to be u sufficient req
sor for demanding a change Of party and policy |
at the White House. Nothing but thorou b |
reform there can cause an abandonment Of the
policies and traditions under which the Indians
have be,n SO badly and SO feebly governed II
late. We want President who will not sane.
ton the practice of deceit on the Indsns-as in
the monslrous violation OF the treaty of 1869 /