National Republican., 1877-10-26
Who are the Sayagcs L?

sibc Tor the acts OF sitting Bul ana MS WAirlOTs.
1t has made an honest effort 10 treat with the rene
gadc and failed. This removes the responsibility
Of the Sioux being In British America from the
United States Government, and makes them the
wards of the Dominion. Tho British Government
Is to be congratulated on its now acquisition. SIT
TISU BULL and his one thousand warriors will soon
become the liveliest cmgrants Canada ever re-
cevcd from the United States. The frontier settle
ments in the neighbOrhood of Winnipeg and
Winncpcgosis lakes which have long resembled
IEviSO's sleepy Hollow" in lethargy, will soon be
awakened by the mellow hum drum OF the Indian
from from and the merry music Of the mellihuous
war.cry. While we do not envy the Canadian
government their new acquisition, we feel at lib
erty TO give little friendly advice. Indians Will
murder and jplunder before they will starve and,
in order 10 avoid the evils arising from such
dtiOn Of things the Canadian Government should
at once devise some means Of getting rid Of SITTING
BULL and his nomadic followers. Perhaps there is
nothing that takes hold of the Indian nature with
more avdity than smallpox. Many years ago,
when the Mandans lived upon the Upper Missouri,
| y negro who had taken the disease was sent ndrin
from a steamer, and, After much suffering, found
his way into the Mandsn camp. short time after
his arrival he died, and the contagious disease
spread through the whole cncampment and six
weeks afterwards the head chief, rather than have
himself and fainily die of the terrible scourgc took
them to the bluffs overlooking the great river and
commencing their souls TO the Great Spirit cut the
throsts of his wife and little ones and threw them
over the bluffs, and then cutting his own, he lcaped
over the preCpice; and thus the last of the noble
Mandans persisted in the waters of the Missouri.
Small pox is a dangerous foe of the Indian; and as
the disease oflen RACES in the country where SIT
TING BULL is now sojourning, would 1t not be adj
| visable for the Dominion government to make the
place his permanent home1 This Is not as humane
a suggestion as II might be- but SITTING BULL by his
renegade action has forfeited all claims to human
| ity, and must submit to consequences which will
naturally follow his unwise and vicious conduct
National Union.
We dislike very much to give further
publicity to the foregoing article. That
such an editorial should have appeared in
paper published in the capital of the
country is humiliation enough, even if that
paper did not pretend to represent the ad
ministration. Still we do not deem it
proper to let it pass without that emphatic
dissent which must find an echo in every
honorable breast.
The Indian chief SITTING BULL has
proved to be an ugly customer. What
cause led to the war with him we have not
now time to inquire. 1t is generally be-
licved by those best informed that long
series OF broken treaties harsh treatment
and gross mismanagement led those Sioux to
consider resistance less serious calamity
than submission. Even then we have been
told by well informed parties that our peo-
pie actually commenced hostilities.
The result has been dcplorable enough.
The fate of CUSTER and his gallant men has
aroused the deepest sympathy, not un-
mixed with the depreciation of the manner
in which they were sacrificed. That they
bore themselves brayely and were not un-
worthy soldiers of the flag under which
they fought their sad story truly tells.
That stronger force, inspired with their
cate the power and dignity of the Govern
ment is misfortune which it is too late to
speculate about.
So far as the Sioux and SITTING BULL are
concerned it is useless 10 pretend that they
did anything we had not just reason to an.
ticipate. We began the war, and We hap,
pened to get the worst of it that is all
When the troops which ought TO have been
" in the field at first appeared against him
the Sioux chief, who turns out to be 9
dplomatist as well as a soldier, crosses oyel
to. Canada. Whether the British govern
mcnt will permit hostile force to remain
in its borders is one of those question:
which diplomacy can meet; but when {
newspaper in civilized city proposes to in
troduce smallpox among them to destroy
1 them we stand aghast. A sentiment tina
i is due the American honor. which W,
7 proudly believe is not inferior to American
II bravery and capacity, rises in revolt agans
y a suggestion so criminal and base
SITTING BULL refused to negotiate witt
II the commission. Perhaps he remembered
= that CRAZY HORSE surrendered, and tina
CRAZY HORsE was dead. We must conies,
l. we were never altogether satisfied with tn,
IL narrative about that affair. If an honorable
y adjustment can be made with the Sioux, i
: should be made, but it is beneath us l.
II make promises we cannot or will not keeI
If we have been guilty of bad faith so oftel
II that we cannot be trusted, we at least hay
II the consolation of knowing that if our from
II tier is assailed we are not so weak that W
/ cannot honorably defend it; but never le
10 our good name be tarnishcd by propOsitiO
y so cowurdly and dishonorablc.
n
he Is IT not most time for the other side to col
l. rilinte n Iittlpg Sunnngp far "a rlanpp tbs