The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-17
TIE INDIAN WAR.

There is no longer any doubt in regard to
the Indian war. 1t is now fairly under
Roadway and the indications are that the
"hostiles" will include the Sioux, the Piutes,
the Utes and the Bannocks, in all between
five and SIX thousand fighting men. To
these are to be added the braves under Sit,
ting Bull, who number about as many more
giving total army of about twelve thousand
slvages on the war path, devastating the
the fairest portions of Oregon, Idaho and
Montana. The present war bids fair
to be the most bloody known to the country
for many years, and the people will be anx
ious to know the causes that have led to the
outbreak. When the facts are known, if any
authentic account is ever given to the pub
lie, the country will be convinced that the
war could have been avoided. The Brooklyn
Eagle in reviewing the subject says:
1t is true that the leading tribes OF the north
are in revolt, and true that this outbreak at
this time is due TO the Ill treatment vouch-
safed the Indians rather than TO any Innate
yearntng on their part TO be on the warpath.
The OutrageS perpetrated upon them by agents
of the government can be reyenged III no
other way, and hence the reason of the gen.
eral desertion of the reservations and the
gathering of many of the tribes in the fast
Some time when the history of the Indian
bureau is written-if the country ever exhibits
determine ion to have its record published
it will be seen just how little real necessity ex
lists for fighting the Indians or having them
light, and yet how impossible 1T is to govern
them under present conditions in peace. Its
policy has been a disgrace from which the ma
ton will never TecOv, 7; to It's present adher-
sace to that policy must be attributed the un-
fortunate and alarming condition OF AFFAIRS on
the plains to-day. Two hundred years OF aSSO-
CATION with the Indian confirms us in the fact
that he is our enemy, and after the waste oil
millions of dollars and an expenditure of hui
man life that can not be named without
amazement and indignation, he is to-day driv-
ing his iron pointed arrows into the hearts OF
the settlers or dealing death with the white
man = gun through the ranks OF the soldiers.
By such process of encouragement as would
7. and has disgu sted baroariaDs, the government
has brought upon itself the dishonOr of anoth-
er war and the indiscriminate slaughter OF
pioneers whom it induced, by fair promises,
10 settle in the west. The result OF all this can
be foretold without prophetic vision, and the
old scenes enacted over and over again. ana
repeated TO some extent yearly, are 10 De le-
hearsed again and again, until the indignation
of the people of the country Is klndled. And
il would be kindled speedily II the real sltua-
ton of affairs were understood by the masses.
Evidently the Indian policy of the gov
eminent is a failure, and as a consequence
the Indians have always been IN state OF
unrest, and inclined to go on the war path.
But in the present instance the war is not so
much the result of a policy as of the knavery of
few Indian agents of the stealing and swind-
ling radical type. These radical rascals
commenced the game. of cheating the In
di ans as soon as they got possession of their
goods, and continued it so long that at
last the savages revolted, and are
now seeking revenge in true savage style.
This war furnishes reason why the radical
party SHOULD be exiled from power. 1t has
robbed the government, it has robbed the
negro, and it has robbed the Indian. 1t is
the national thief party, and every consider
alton of public interests demands its over
throw.