The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-30

Those Uncovered Frontiers.
The distempered Imagination OF those
people who are constantly anxious about
our uncovered frontiers has probably given
rise to most Of the rumors Of Indian out
breaks lately set afioat. We do not mean to
suggest that the transfer Of troops from the
Indian country, where they belong, to the
Rio Grandc, where they do not belong, was
a wise transfer. On the contrary, their ab-
scncc may be felt as mischievously In the
Territories az their presence In Texas;
nevertheless, the frontier outcries have thus
far been mostly gratutous, though they
may have had their intended uses, since
they came simultaneously with the resump-
tion OF recruiting.
Not long ago, for example, we had the de-
tailed story Of an Indian attack on the Black
Hills region. Ranches were robbed settlers
were shot, and such panic prevailed that n
dozen companies Of cavalry and infantry
were put In motion toward the devoted spot,
to save Deadwood from destruction. Since
then, all has been quiet In the Black Hills,
the only variation Of the monotony being the
appearance, near Crook City, OF n man
named SPIEGEL, with an Indian corpse
dragging at the end of lariat, whose other
end was fastened to his saddle This man
had Falstaflian story Of six ranchmen at
tackled by two hundred redskins, while he
himself, pursued by three, killed one. put
second TO flight, and brought off the third
in the manner his auditors saw. But ex-
actly how many of the red raiders were
white raiders. and how many OF the facts
were fctions, will never be known. The
- r.lfof bo rrix nj found pnl,NI.,
to relieve Major BARTLETT Of the Eleventh
Infantry, although often hearing OF In
dams along the road" saw none, and
thinks they may have gone to Tongue
river"
We have also had the sensational story Of
SITTING BULLS crossing the line and camp
ing on the Bear Paw, near MILEs's battle
ground. with joint force Of Sioux and Ncz
Perces. He had with him LANE DEER's
lodges, who had broken away from the
Sioux train that was crossing TO the new
reservations. He had shortly before been
Joined in Canada by other refugee chiefs.
with their lodgcs-FIRE CLOUD, PRETTY
THUNDER, YELLOW THUNDER, THUNDER
BULL, RUNNING BULL, RUNNING EAGLE,
BLACK BEAR, and BLACK Moon. An untor-
tunate named VALENTINE had already been
| killed and SITTING BULL was burning the
pralries south of the Bear Paw. This was all
very circumstantial but why SITTING BULL
still sits in the lap OF winter in that bleak
region, without bestirring himself toward
| the object Of his alleged invasion. does not
appear. Why he should "burn the prairies."
when the tack at this season Is as difficult
and as useless rs setting the river on fire.
has also never been explained. The latest
stories from SITTING BULL are indeed a tri-
! ne more moderate The Ncz Porc6s who
took refuge in his camp at Wood Mountain,
Canada, are now represented, not az joining
him on the warpath, but ~ being anxious TO
| leave him; and instead OF ravaging the
frontier, SITTING BULL Is reported 10 be
contcnting himself with plundcring other
| Indians.
We do not say that SITTING BULL may not
at some time cross the border; but we can
not fail to see that he has been used az a
scarecrow for months, and probably will be
80 used for months 10 come. SITTING BULL
seems originally to have escaped TO Canada,
very glad to get away, and quite deter mined
never to come back but his camp has be-
come a sort Of asylum for other refugees.
all escaping with Il sense Of wrongs COM
mitted against them, and the war element
may one day break out again. There are,
however, no settlements in danger from him,
and II the frontier attachments expressly
charged TO watch SITTING BULL only per-
form their duty, the possibility of his having
crossed need cause no apprehension The
SITTING BULL scare seems to be convent
emily arranged for encouraging the recruit
ing Of the army up TO the furthest author
lied limits, II not beyond them.
The best covering for the frontiers Is that
which good faith and resolute equity fur
nish. without these, no army will be n
guarantee against the efforts at vengeance
made by wronged race; with them, the
Indians would themselves be our frontier
protection.