Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-22

The officers at military headquarters
appear to think that "Lo" is more
sinned against than SHINING, and that
the cause of nearly every Indian war
during the past twenty years has been
the inroads and trespasses of a certain
class of renegade whites styling them
selves mountaineers. They claim
that Chief Joseph and his band are not
hostile Indians, in the full sense of the
word, like the Sioux and Cheyennes,
but that they were living peaceably in a
small reservation given them by the
Government, of perhaps ten miles in
length by two or three miles in width !;
had adopted many of the customs of
civilization; had built houses and school
houses, educated their children to a GER
tain degree, cultivated farms, and, in
short, were doing all that could be ex-
pected of any savages, and were pros
porous and contented, supporting their
families, and asking no favors in the
way of rations or clothing from the
Government, when the mountaineers :"
so-called, the off-scourings of civiliza-
ton, and the bane of frontier life,
bounced down upon the little band,
drove them from their farms and
homes, and moved their own families
into their houses. At last the Indians,
driven to desperation, took up arms
against the invaders, and having no
abiding place, no homes, no refuge of
any kind, resolved to fight and die rath-
err than stave and die. They have been
hunted from pillar to post, are kept in a
constant state of decentralization, and it
is a wonder, so the military officers
think, that Lo " is as gentle as he is.
The Government sets Off a small tract
of country for reservation and prom
ises the Indian good thing" away
Presently the Government land is taken
up, the land of the Indian looks rich
and fertile, and the lazy mob element
of the white freebooters have an eye
upon it. and proceed to drive the right
full owners off, thus creating difficulties
which result in war and the slaughter
of many innocent parties, for, it must
be rememberd that the Indian is an ig-
norant savage, and he cannot be ex-
pected to use the same discrimination
that an enlightened son of civilization
would use in his means of attack and
defense Goaded to desperation, he be-
comes a demon, and fights SO long as
there is any life left in him, neither
giving nor asking quarter. When he
goes into battle under these circumstan-
ces it is not remarkable that he should
expect to die and strive to kill as many
of his foes as possible before that event
takes place If the government pre-
fessess disposition to civilize the Indi-
an and make a quasi-citizen of him,
why, say the officers, does it not protect
the tribes who are friendly, never ask
for supplies, and manifest disposition
to support themselves in the latest APP
proved American fashion? The Sioux
who have always been a terror TO the
frontiersman, have thus far received all
the aid and supplies from the Govern
ment, while the friendly ones have
been known to starve before asking a
cents worth of assistance Indeed, it
is stated that thirty of these sef-same
warriors actually starved to death in
one severe winter, and still no depreda-
tons were committed upon the white
settlers.
About ten years ago, Lieut.-Col. NJ
Y. Sheridan, upon Lieut.-Gen. z. H.
Sheridan's staff, was sent down into
Kansas, with about thirty cavalrymen.
to GUST some white trespassers upon a
little reservation about eight miles
square, occupied by about fifty warriors
and their families, belonging to the Sac
and Fox tribes of Indians. These alb
origines had cultivated farms, educated
their children, and were living in COM
Portable houses, built for them by the
Government. They were peacable and
happy, but the reckless mountaineers
who were too lazy to improve farms of
their own, and seeing all the good Gov
eminent land taken up, bounced down
upon the poor little band of Indians,
stripped them Of their possessions,
drove them away, and occupied their
home s-even the houses which were
built for the rightful owners by the gov
eminent. 1t was with much difficulty
that Col Sheridan succeeded in driving
these ignoble usurpers off, and then he
had to flee the country to avoid arrest,
and he had no sooner cleared out than
the whites went back, drove the Indians
away, and again took possession.-Chi-
cslgo Tribune.
No mora hnSiDaSC for mo - co; III n