Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-01-03
TEaE TELLER
LEWISTON. NORTH IDAHO.
c>o------
FRIDAY ..........JaNTARY Sd 1870
Approaching a Conflict.

iGi"siou tHcTcbU. duu tue iVtttuue Oh
some Of the representatives of the gov
ernment towards the settlers of that sec
ton seems to threaten to use ths power
of the government to prevent that peo-
pie from defending themselves in the
only possible way they have against the
certainty of Indian murders and ra-
pine the ensuing Spring and Summer.
From the facts elected in the conduct
Of Moses and his allies, and from our
stand point We cannot perceive how
that people in view of their own salty,
and the protection Of what little prop
erty they possess, could have done less
than they have in proceeding to capture
and de'ain Moses, aud they would have
done still more to a'lay coming strife
and bloodshed, had they, so SON as he
was captured. hung him as promptly as
did Col. WRIGHT the captives ia the
Spokane country, which ended the IA
nous Yakima war in 1856. If our
military commanders of the present day
were made of as true stern stuff as was
Col, Wright, and were not hampered
BY a sickly sentimental government at
Washington towards Indians, the set
tiers Of Yakima valley and vicinity
would have no need of leaving their
firesides and making Winter campaign
against treacherous Indian chiefs. We
don't expect to see the u. s. troops
turned loose against the settlers at the
behest of the late edict of the Attorney
General. It is only little clustering
and threatening, in hopes Of frighten.
ing timid men, and gaining time for the
indians to better prepare themselves to
wage more protracted warfare, and
give the government opportunity toshow
the weakness of its forces to subdue
hostilities than they exhibited in 1877
and 1878. But the settlers who have
their own lives and their all at stake,
are tired Of tfese. farcical movements
against hostile Indians. They propose
to enter the field themselves, and if pos
sible strike the savage foe when and
where he will feel the blow The Ore
gon and Washington volunteers with
the few u. s. troops under Col. Wright
completely subdued tho hostiles Of this
eastern country in 1866 and taught
them lesson, that they remembered
81 years and made it safe for any I'm
armed man to roam all over this eastern
country at will although no consider.
able number of white settlers occupied
the country till 1862. The summa.
rs hanging Of few of the leading evil
spirits Of the tribes and the destruction
Of their ponies, under command Of
Wright struck terror all through the
tribes. The Indians felt that whites
and the government troops were pow
or that could not be trifled With. Gen.
Miles Is right when he says that the
Indians must feel the power of tho gov
crnmcnt to subdue, that The attempt ia
overwhelm him with civilization before
he Is taught BY example that murder Of
our citizens will be visited with certain
death, Is vain and useless. Every from
tiersman Of experience among them
well knows that the Indian must fear
you before he will either respect OF
love you, and all teachings Of the whole
Indian bureau for 20 years past has ooi
changed the nature of the Indian in
this respect, and the efforts Of the 20
years to come, made by all christendon,
on the present plan of civilization Of
the Indians will find him as race pos
sessed of the same characteristics
Why then should not the government
learn its lessons from the frontiersman
aud change its policy instead Of threat
ening the frontier settler with punish.
ment if he follows the dictates Of his
experience and judgment in the treat.
ment Of the Indian to avert nm Indian
war add the murder of the defcnseless!
As said before we do not believe that
any settler will be arrested and pun.
ished under the order given BY the At
torney General. But in case such an
act of injustice should take place il
will create conflict between frontier
settlers and the government that will
require nore than the present force