The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-15
Was il Another Breach of Faith,

was IL Another breach oil fath
While the desperate race Of tho Chcycnnes
for life still continues over the frozen hum
mocks OF Nebraska, the question arises.
Has the HAYES Administration again broken
faith with these Indians, as with them and
others so many times before?
II we look back to the scene OF Chaudron
Creek, where, ON snowy day In late October,
40 men and 100 women and children Of Dull
KNIFE's band, famishod and half frozon sur
rendered without resistance TO Capt. JoHN-
SONS 100 men OF the Third Cavalry and -
Sioux warriors, we find little mention of terms
or Of promises or limitations. But II was re-
ported at that time that the Indians, bccom-
ing alarmed at some hint, refused to go,
and. scattering over the prairie, began dig
ging rifle pits with their hunting knives"
Thoy evidently also found some reason TO
be treasured, for, soon dropping this intent,
they went pcaccably to Camp Robinson.
We're these Indians given 10 understand
that they would not be forced back TO their
hated reservation in the Indian Territory
with it's malarious climate and uncomfortable
memories ? Or, II nothing WAS limited on
that score, were they led 10 believe that they
surrendered as enemies In the field, and
would be treated as conquered warriors, not
Us fugitivcs from civil Justice?
II these promises or either Of them were
made, they have both already been broken
by tho HAYES Administration. Mr.. CARL
SCHUBz in his annual report announced that,
In the interest Of general discipline these
Cheyennes were to be taken back 70 the
Indian Territory, latter having given the
civil authorities of Kansas an opportunity
10 identify those who committed murders
and other crimes while passing through that
State, so that they may be dealt with ac
cording to law" Is it any wonder that the
Cheyennes determined TO fight for their
lives when they learned that attacks first
made on them were to be treated as war, but
their counter attacks ON others rs murders
II may be said that the orders from Wash
ington TO take back these Cheyenncs-or the
remnants after the Kansas pickings for
hanging show that no contrary promises
on hopes had been given them. They show
nothing OF the sort When the Nez PercG
chief, JOSEPH, surrendered, it was expressly
agreed, on the final battlefield. that he and
his band should be sent back over the
mountains to tho Lapwai reservation.
Nevertheless, HAYEss Cabinet ordered them
instead TO Leavenworth for permanent de-
tontion. Chief JOSEPH reproached his cap
tors with bad faith; even HOWARD pro-
tested to HAYES, but in vain. In his official
report Of this agreement at the surrender,
Gen. MILES speaks as follows on this subject
"rso informed them. and also sent to the
parties that out. and those who had escaped
that they would be taken to Tongue River for time
anil sent the mountains a. the weather
permitted by subsequent orders they have been re-
moved to Fort Lincoln and Lea,euworih."
Now II HAYES and his crew could thus
grossly, deliberately, and shamcfully break
explicit faith with people Of whom their own
conquoror declares, in the report just re-
ferred to, "thcy have been friends Of the
white race from the time their country was
first explored, and, in their skilful cam
paign, have spared hundreds Of lives and
thousands OF dollars worth of property they
might have destroyed, and they have, in my
opinion been grossly wronged" why should
we imagine that they would hesitate to do
the same by these Cheyenncs, whose career
is standing condemnation of HAYES In
dian administration, and whom, according
ly, CARL ScHURZ beratcs in his annual re-
port as "mlschlcyous, bad" men?
The chances are that many more viola
tions Of faith toward these wretchcd fug-
lives nave Dten committed liluu ndNc Dttl
discovered Who can say, for example,
that they were not promised free permits
sion TO leave Fort Reno reservation II they
did not like 1t ? In the speech made at Sid
ney, Nebraska, by LITTLE CHIEF, who, with
his band OF Northern Cheycnnes, was on the
way TO this reservation when DULL KNIFE
broke away, he said; I'VE were told first
that we were going to a good country; now
we hear different; but wo understood when
we got 10 Indian Territory If we couldn't
got along with the Southern Cheyennes, We
could go back 10 our own country" So
very likely, Dull KNIFE and his band were
told What We have seen, at all events, is a
continuing breach Of faith on the part Of
HAYEs's Administration, for more than q
year. In the failure to furnish the rations
promised on removal. Should 1t turn out
that the Fort Robinson massacre was the
fruit Of a broken promise, it would only be
Onp more added IA tho rOst