The New York herald., 1878-11-02
Our skeleton Army.

The annual report OF Lieutenant General
Sheridan deserves the calm and careful at
tention Of every citizen who processes the
honor and pride of a patriot. The only
possible excuse for feelings prejudicial to
our little army was ruined by the bill pro-
hibiting the use of the national soldiery as
a posse comitatus, SO now republican and
democrat, South and North, are compelled
to regard the army as what alone it is-the
foe of the nations enemies and the nucleus,
which the most ordinary caution suggests,
of the larger force which some accidental
foreign complication might require. The
nations principal foes, recognized as such
by every one, are the Western Indians.
How the red man became our enemy
neither political party can explain without
admitting indelible disgrace on its
own part. The Indians have been
cheated, lied to and abused ever since
civilization crossed the Mississippi, and
the lions and jackals of every administra-
ton have taken active part in the villanous
work. There are now west Of the Missis-
sippi about three hundred thousand
Indians, all the males of whom are compe-
tent to bear arms and nearly all in pos
session of effective weapons. According to
officers Of the army, who are supposed to be
are scarcely any of these savages who can
not be made, not only peaceable, but self
supporting; but the influence at Washing
ton Of the whole body OF army officers does
not equal that of any small local Indian
ring. and every Indian ring sees in any
attempt to civilize the Indians the loss of
its own occupation. A rifle and sabre
campaign against these white vermin
being prohibited by current sentiment
perhaps because they would in some
cases have to be pursued into the
House of Representatives and the Senate
Chamber itself-military efforts must
be restricted to the effects of the evil in
watched and sometimes fought. For this
duty we have not fifteen thousand men
available. Although we are the only civil
lied nation in existence that has not for
years seen o complete regiment Of its troops
at any important point, let alone any 'show"
point, we have not enough of troops at any
single post on the border to protect life and
property in case of an Indian outbreak.
We are in the position Of chess player
who with few pawns must protect himself
against the full board of his adversary.
The situation at certain points is given by
General Sheridan in figures within the
comprehension Of any one. What the results
of such inadequate provisions are is al
ready known to every one who has read
the HERALDs numerous reports of gallant
but ineffective chases during the past year
or two. The lately outraged residents of
Western Kansas also have something en-
phatic to say on the subject. Yet between
old time hate and modern partisanshlp.
dishonest greed and personal obligation to
rings which have contributed to campaign
expenses, Congress this winter will not be
lacking in men who in one way or another
will be persistent in attempts to impair the
strength and efficiency of the army. These
men should be watched by the con-
stituencies responsible for them. The
question is not political but national. So
opposition to the army is not partisanship
but rank treason, which can be and should
be punished, as it may be, without resort
to either law or violence. Elsewhere in
the civilized world treason makes its per-
petrator socially and politically an out
cast. Is our civilization to fail on this i'm
portant issue?