The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-10-21
No More Nonsense.
correspondence of the Inter- Ocean.

CHICAGO, Oct. 81 have read the Inter-
Ocean tor years, and am satisfied that it is
one of the best papers that is published. l
heartily indorse your attitude in reference to
political matters of this nation. | agree that
all the savages of Mississippi should be pun
ished severely for their wanton and diabolical
persecution and murderings. But, sir, l
papers, has most decidedly a bad influence in
palliating the crimes of the aboriginal sava-
ses. 1t has come to such a pass that it is
dangerous to the reputation of a military
man to mete out just punishment to the
sneaking red devils, who commit the most
shocking of crimes.
There have been a few instances where the
military have dealt out justice, but when they
came to read the newspapers they discovered
that they had ]perpetrated a crime that civili-
zation shuddered at. They were denounced
as brutal" "Paaan fiends;' they had
"massacred helpless men and women" twas
a disgrace to the country" and the Lord
only knows low much of this poppy-cock
about the helpless red man was written.
Now, sir, l have spent a good many years
OH the frontier, viz: Utah, Idaho, Montana
and Wyoming, but more particularly l speak
of Montana, and as a private citizen, and with
the considerable experience among the
"Snakes," Bannacks, Crows, Flatheads,
DldCkICcG, dilu several OIueT SllldIl DdiluS, L
have personal knowledge of their doings.
The stories that are started as soon as there is
an outbreak, that "they were forced to fight
Or ~stasve," and all such stuff, is n.nsense.
The Indians of Montana are allowed to go
and come whenever and wherever they choose
to. They are not and cannot be kept on the
agencies with the handful of men in that
country. They have the same grounds to
hunt and fish over, to a large extent, as ever
before, and besides the government is sending
millions of dollars worth of clothing and
food, besides furnishing improved firearms,
to enable them the more easily to catch the
game. Men are hired at the agencies at from
$40 to $125 per month as servants and teach
ers to this miserable race of beings. the per-
petuation of which is not and never can be a
benefit to civilization. They are a most
treacherous and brutal race of murderous
vagabonds. There is not a month in the year
but they are perpetrating some outrage upon
humanity.
And the worst feature of the whole thing
is, the Indian is protected better than the
white man is from assault. Let a band Of
young bucks" leave the agency, make d
rapid ride of forty or fifty miles, come upon a
lone ranchman or two and their families like
a thunderbolt : the men are Drained upon the
spot, the women are worse than murdered
and finally their throars cut from ear to ear
The Scalping knife has lone Its WOrk-thet rO
ply is carried high upon a pole. The houses
are burned, the cattle shot down in the yard
And finally, if nc pursuit is made, no ont
knows from what family these fends arr
from. "The agent" if he gets any clew, i
not anxious to publish it, because it might
affect his situation. But if the indian arr
known and a BAND of citizens undertake tt
mete out the richly-deserved punishment. tn
United States Marshal is Immediately notified
the military are notified, and preparations a
once made to keep the ruffians of from tn
sacred grounds reserved tor the poor Indians
Did anyone ever hear of the government
furnishing one of these red devils in MOntan
from the agency, for the many hundred O
most sickening and atrociOus crimes whic
they have perpetrated? Take the massacr
in Minnesota in 1852, the murder of Genera
Candy, and down to the killing of Majo
Thornburg, and behold the catalogue of mos
wanton and fiendish crimes, perpetrated fo
| the most part when the government has nc
only been feeding but protecting them ]
| their rights. And compare it with the hl
: name treatment which they have enjoyed fo
: the last twenty-five years. 1t will not b
s surprising if we hear in a day or two that tn
Utes have not only murdered their agent an
e his innocent family, but have also annihilate
v the little band of brave men who were doiT
their duty, and who we're not to blamef for I'll
commencement of hostilities. .Es aat n
Suppose Colonel Merritt follows them !