The New York herald., 1876-07-07
Indian Strategy and Personal Gov
ernmont.


crnment.
With q professional soldier for President
it might at least have been expected that
where the operations of tho government in
volved the use of the army it would have
been directed intelligently. But it seems
that we have not even this little compensa-
tion for all the evils involved in the presence
of a soldier at the head of the State Acts
of gross ignorance, politically, were forgiven
the President by the nation because of the
common recognition that he lacked political
experience acts that violated all the pro-
prieties Of official life were condoned with
the notion that nice morality was not pro-
duced in camps Since the weary catalogue
Of Presidential shortcomings has been traced
throughout to that cause on what ground
will the Presidents defenders rest his terri
BILE blunderings in those points with which,
as a soldier, he should be familiar?
Grant is the author of the present Indian
war. 1t is the inevitable result of his policy,
policy pursued in his usual way, with the
obstinacy of an Opaque brain, not penetra-
bic by ray of intelligence. 1t is his per-
sonal creation. for none other could have de-
Tended and maintained the system Of nurs-
ing the Indian strength by the praying bri-
gade and of exciting the Indian fury by the
depredations of the rings which plundered
the appropriations and left the Indians to
starve. AS early as April it was shown in
the HERALD that an Indian war was immi-
~
notorious and the only person Indifferent to
it, of all those whose duty it was to be inter-
ested, was the stolid occupant of the Execu-
tive chai-.
CENTS malign influence is as evident in
the conduct Of tho hostilities as it was in
did what lay in his power to degrade and
dishonor the distinguished officer who is the
most brilliant victim of the butchery and
thereby to dishearten to some degree every
other soldier Custer was called to testify
before committee of Congress. 1t was not
even optional whether he should appear
he could not help it. Before that committee
he told what he knew of certain transactions
involving the Presidents personal friends,
and that in the White House was regarded
rs the objectionable sin, and the gallant
soldier was deprived of his command. Be
cause he told the truth in a matter of public
concern he was made to feel the wrath of the
man whose sworn duty it was to uphold and
protect him in that course.
This point illustrates to what degree the
President interfered with the conduct of this
campaign and SO removed and relieved the
be responsible. BY that means it comes
about that our troops are sent to fall into
the same obvious traps that Indian warriors
have prepared from time immemorial.
Crooks soldiers in 1876 fall precisely as
Braddock's men did more than a century
Terry and Gibbons are sent to operate
against o common enemy almost without
concert or comprehension of their rela-
ton to one another. Sitting Bull
and his warriors were found in triangle
bounded by the Yellowstone, the Tongue
open point Of the district thus nearly cir
cumscribed by considerable streams runs
the range Of hills called the Panther Noun
tains. Wary Indian fighters could have
caught the redoubtable Sioux there in his
own trap, for he could not have passed out
if the commander who first found him had
secured the concentration of the other
forces on his the savages could have been
driven to point at which they would have
been shut between the difficult Yellowstone
and the troops. There the war could have
been ended by an example that would have
been salutary.
But this would have needed concert and
intelligent direction, which cannot be had,
it seems, in any movement where the Presi-
dents influence is felt. Now there is an ex-
pensive Indian war on foot. There will be
a carnival for contractors, and the personal
friends of men in high places hope to have
one more chance at the Treasury before the
end of this Presidential term.
santa Anna.
The death of Santa Anna in the City of
Mexico removes from the scene once pic
turesque figure, which for years had lin
gered superAuous upon it. Such strange
fascination attaches to men of his stamp
that, although the rumors that came from
West Indian Islands and later from
tho City of Mexico always spoke of the
old man as hopelessly retired from public
life, no one would have been surprised if he
rosc into notice once more with his wooden
leg we'll 10 the front in revolution or
grasp at the great power which again and
again he had held. He was successfully
soldier, emperor, anti-imperinlist, presi-
Ha tasted the sweets and the hitfcrs of lifn