The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-11-18
ouRAY,s

OIucIS HIS own lIuSty DIdNco Couiu
conveniently leave the agency and the
hostiles easily see to it that no judg-
ment would ever be rendered by that
peace commission. Ouray may not
adopt such a course. The majority of
the whites do not think SO. But there is
no telling what he might do under GER
tain circumstances, when one consid-
ers that the testimony taken before him
thus far has been entirely in favor of
the hostiles, who suddenly become re-
markedly ignorant of the massacre and
kind to the widows and orphans. This
will doubtless be the burden of testi-
mony Of the remaining Ute wit
nesses.
On the other hand Gen. Adams has
the sworn evidence OF Mrs. Meeker,
Miss Josephine Meeker and Mrs. Price.
The two white commissioners will nat
urally be guided. by that in their find
ing Of a conclusion. But that conclu-
sion would stamp nearly all the braves
Of White river as guilty and fix the
punishment at hanging.
Now it Is a question whether Ouray
would agree to any such verdict
especially when founded upon evidence
not taken before him. If such a YER
dict stands and the sentence under it
is carried out, Ouray's followers must
be lessened considerably in number,
while the depenent widows and orphans
will increase. Ouray would naturally
therefore object to such a wholesale
proceeding against his people. Indeed,
it is not clear that the rest of his peo-
pie would sustain him in case he agreed
to such a verdict. Hence he might
find himself a chief without n nation.
Can Ouray afford to risk such a con-
%tingency? He might obtain the assis-
lance of United Stroops to sudue his
people in the event of their rebellion
against his authority. But Ouray is
shrewd enough to see that that would
never do. A nation recognizing the
Utes as such-held under subsection
by a foreign power, like the United
States, would prove a constant source of
trouble to both the chief and the for
eign power. 1t might end in either
the d%ecapitation or the deposition Of
the chief. At all events there would
be much trouble, all of which Ouray
plainly sees and which he will avoid.
He well knows, too, that lie has the
white commissioners ut his mercy, and
he is vastly different from any Indian
that ever lived if he does not take ad-
vantage of this fact. Indeed, on one or
two occasions no has made peremptory
demands of the commissioners and
they were granted.
Ouray is n man of wonderful force of
character. He controls his tribes with
an iron hand, and will endeavor to
sway the commissioners likewise. Nat
urally he will endeavor to save his peo-
Pile as much as possible and he will, OF
course, be guided by the evidence TAX
en- in his presence. He is well aware
that il the commission arrived at a
conclusion greatly against his wishes
he could connive ut their assassination
in such n name that he could never
be held guilty of their death. 1t were
an easy matter to arrange for the
o~verpowering of his select braves. The
white peace commissioners are sensible
of this fact and they are therefore un-
der more or less moral restraint.
On the other hand Ouray has a glo-
rious opportunity of redeeming his race
in a great measure. The honor of In
dians is on trial before a jury Of the
world. Ii Ouray be guided by the
testimony of the white women and
agrees with the majority of the COM
mission on the only judgment possible
under the evidence that the majority
of the White river Utes are guilty and
should be hanged, he will demonstrate
himself to be Il chief in reality and a
mar. A red man but with a white
soul. If he agree on a verdict of guilty
and assist in its execution by executing
WIG Bunny WictciiSc, anu Slll retain
his position as chief of the Ute nation.
he will possess more power than ever
over his people. They will be ruled by
abject fear, the only rule that can and
does hold Indians in check, outside of
s~elishness. Here is the opportunity
for Ouray to demonstrate his authority
before the world. Here is the oppor-
tunity to win for his people a residence
in Colorado for years to come, subject
to removal only upon their full and free
consent. Here the opportunity to
prove whether the Indian love of JUS
tice can become a factor in the deter
mination Of future misunderstand-
ings.
Ouray is one man against all these.
No allowance must be made for his be-
ing an "~untutor'd savage.n Although
~unlearned in letters he is as shrewd and
far seeing as any man on the commits
sion. He is a statesman in his own
fashion. He fully understands the sit
uation. The only question is, can he
and will he rise above selfishness and
| prejudice to do Justice by and with his
own peoplep He well knows that the
government asks simply that the same
justice which is melted out to whites
be meted unto the Utes.
We shall await with more than or
binary interest the outcome of the in