New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-17
PEACE WITH THE SIOUX.
LETTER FROM BISHOP wHIPPLE.

,r,ScK pEsrRoYRn--k PERPETUAL. PEACE Apvo-
CATSD
.. the Editor Of The TrtbWRe.
era. The Sioux Indians had the solemn pledge of
,s United States that they should be protected IN
,h absolute and peaceable possession of the country
which was set apart fer them by she treaty of 1888
TIA, treaty was made by of the highest officers
a. the army men of national fame and untarnished
honor Ii could not have been made had not they
rledaed o soldiers honor that the faith woaid be
lenf. The Constitution of the United States makes
these treaties the highest of all authority, and de-
elares that they are binding upon every citizen.
The ordinance Of 1857, which is equally binding
declares that the Indian tribes shall be protected III
persen property, and life. and that their property
shall ne yer be taken frem them except ia war which
has been duly authorized by Congress. know OF
No instance in history where great nation has 20
shame ossly violated IT'S solemn cath We Inst sent
sn army nte the country which we had pledged 10
white man should enter TO seek for gold. Ihey
found gold. The discovery was heralded oy the
press A greedy host of adventures hocked to the
"Tldorads" The press the people. and the rulers
scanned 10 have forgotten that these red men held
th title to these lands by the guarantee OF anatlohs
honor as well "a by the undispute6 possession of
.ensuries Il was the Old story of Ahab esvefIna
Nahotifs vineyarl. Ahh excused ms conseieiice Ivy
caIliuy Naboth chGTisb fsllow, and he crowned
tbc infamy Of pobbing by murder. These are hard
unr,ls. When did Congress authorize war against
80 siouxi When did the Executive give ordas to
garry desolation and death TO the women and
children of the DasOtas !
The history of this war is this: In November
ISL Inspector L C.. Watkins wrote To the Indian
Office that Sitting Bull and the Indians with him Ia
TIA Powder River country were gnilty OF depreda'
SONS mon the settlers IN Montana. He said thaE
,Nar .laI al
,ter shoud I've punished. Every motive of huInan-
~ and ;ustce demanded that we should be careful
~ urotrct the innocent and only punish the guilty
That Fall there was inadequate supply of pro-
visions al the agencies and the Indians went ont to
their upeeded territory 10 hunt. They went they
were accustomed tO da-wiIh the consent of their
.uents and as provided by the treaty. An order
xas issued Dee. s. 1879. by h. Z. Smith, C0mmis-
ssper of Indian Affairs that uuess the Indians
rstnrped 10 the. agencies before Feb. l, 1876,
they would all be regarded as hostile. That officer
rs dead hut he told his friends TIE order was a
cad mistake, and that be had been deceived
nv others. The Indians lad gone away from
te agencies 10 secure food and skins for clothing.
The United States had set apart this very country
A hunting ground for them forever Eight months
after ths order rctHln De treated as hostile,
Congress appropriated money fer the seventh of 30
possibie 6rr the Indians TO obey the order No one
81 the runners sent out 10 inform the Indians was
able 70 return hmsclf by tine time appointed, yet
Indian women and children We're expected TO ira
verse troclcss desert without fuel proper cloth
ipr under the renalty of death. Gen. Sheridan says
in his report that the troops found the weather so
severe as late as March that they were PROSTITUTION
All had to return to their posts. If well-clad sol
diers with tents and supply trains could not remain
ont IN March We can Judge of the feasibility OF
Ip,lan families tTaversing that vast desert in the
depth Of Winter.
BEGINNING OF THE WAR.
When this order reached Cheyenne Agency, Agent
Bingham wrote back, Ii has surprised me and my
Indians that the Government thHks that war Is
possible. / have never seen theze Indians more
friendly disposed" Even the Edla1s who were III
he Powder River Country and were directed IN
return the agencies, received the message without
NV signs Of irritation They dr not dream of war.
They said " We cannot come now We are aunt-
hr; we win return early in the Spring" This
order furnished the pretext for war Early in Feb
mary troops were concentrated, and by March the
var wrs inaugurated. Ca March IL an Indian village
Was attacked. An Indian village means cOliec-
ton of tents occupied by men, women, and children.
We ery eut with indignation when sayages follow
the rule of savage warfare and attack one OF our
villages and murder women and children. Is the
at any more humane when civilization attacks In
dian settlements and kills Indian women and
balesf Is the crashing shell or the merciless mimic
ball less cruel when it tears the flesh of the In
dams wife and child than when the tonaIawk and
rife kills the white mother and bahei The Indians
say that that village composed of people who
coming back to the agencies IN obedience 10
the order of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
The war, thus begun forced all the indians IN the
Powder River country into hostile attitude. Then
came the massacre Of the lamented Gen. Custer and
BE gallant army Even this disaster did not make
Us think about justice. a cry arose for extermina-
ton. The years war has accomplished the usual
resalts-we have killed few of Indians, in
ending men. women, and children. We have hardly
had an engagement which was not attack upon
az Indian village. We have boosted Of our glOrious
victories when we have burned and destroyed the
food the clothing and the shelter OF these Indians,
md turned them out amid the horrors OF a Dakota
Winter to die We do not torture the wounded and
the dying but employ the meEciless savage to do
1t for US The P3wnces and the Crows the
savage enemies of the Sioux. Incorporated into
our army. They are paid, and fed, and clothed by
N and We are responsible for their deeds. Recently
ateegraln announced that number of Sioux chiefs
came to cur camp with tag Of truce to slie for
pesee All were brutality murdered by our Crow
scouts Would We not hold another nation response
pie Tor the acts committed by the allies whom they
mad employed 1t VIII be said it a mistake
tiat the officers Of the army fct righteous ndisna-
uoh az the act Ibclievc il. There are IN olT army
sou'e "t the nohest men that lived. pay, and
ai"a5S VII pay, al honor 70 such men. They hate
'a's |'cteAed Indian warfare They feel ashamed
anu hdmbed when they are sent to carry Oh war
HhisA they know he result of violated treaties.
me people and the Government commit Injustice