The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-11-12
The Indians.

Capt. w. g. Morris has just received a
letter from Gen. III. It. Sickles. formerly Of
Moline, and who was well known in this
vicinity. The letter is dated Camp
Cornwall, COL, Oct. 30.'-and from which
we take the following extract in relation to
the Indians of that country:
You are doubtless aware OF the present
troubles with the Indians. hera in,South-
western Colorado. While i am writing
there are about two hundred of these
noble red men of the mountain forest
within twenty miles of our camp, threat
ening to swoop down upon me for the very
enjoyable purpose of taking our scalps
Speaking OF the Indians in this portion of
Colorado. you may not be aware that the
Ute tribe is divided into three portions
the Uncompahgres. the White River and
Southern Utes. The Southern or Pagosa
Utes are my immediate eighbors, and
since the barbarous murders of one of my
fellow citizens by these red devils, which
took place about the first of this month, |
feel the insecurity Of my situation. These
divisions of the tribe do not affect their
common interests. An outrage or murder
committed by one branch is taken up by
all of the three sections of the tribe
and common cause is made. Although
3 treaty has been made and signed by
more than two thirds of the acting
members of the entire Ute tribe who
were largely controlled by their
principal chief. Ouray, who was friendly
to the whites according to tho Indian no.
ton. and that notion is If the white man
will conform to all the requirements of
Indian caprice and cupidity, then oil may
be well, otherwise Ouray was a full
fedged redskin with all their instincts
and habits Since the departure OF this
chief to the happy hunting grounds, we
have not single Big Ingin" TO wear the
| sandals of Ouray. who cemprehends the
first principles of civilization, aud our
people here on the frontier are left TO the
tender mercies of his wild successors.
The present chief on whom the wolf
skin mantle of authority has 80 lately
and stipulations made with thu Ute tribe
as wholly abrogated and broken in the
death of Ouray. Hence they assume a
very refractory attitude, aud are rapidly
| becoming unmanageable, and stand ont in
| open defiance of the government and the
entire white population OF Colorado. |
| know q large msjority of the people in
| the eastern states are constantly exolaiH-
| ing "Lo, the poor Indianr' They are
constantly crying out about the encroach-
ments aud wickedness Of the whites, etc
| But, If those same old croakers were to
como out here and live 10 close proximity
to these red imps, so that they could
| famiiarize themselves with the true char
acteristics and Instincts o! the wild and
barbarous devils, think their SYM
pathes for the mobile red men"
would be largely modified. The weak
4 H. No IN
its treatment of these murderous savages
| for the revolving soarbarism and crueties
perpetrated upon the Meeker family only
few months ago, only awakens in the
disposition of the Indian deeper spirit of
hatred and contempt for the whites. The
people of Colorado have already suffered
too much from murder and outrage at the
hands of 3he Internal Utes. and il seems
to be the settled policy of the Interior
| Department at Washington to protect the
| Indians instead of the whites. But the
time is at hand when this state of things
must cease. The Utos must go from
! Colorado.
While l am writing. al Indian runner
| has told some Of our people to leave camp.
that two hundred Indian bGcksiare within
twenty FIVE or thirty miles OF US and may
drop down on US at any time, just for a
friendly visit. you know. and the pleasant
recreation of taking Jour hair. LII IN the
event my red neighbors should take too
| much liberty with my scalp, you may
know that it is only the amusement of the
Noble Red Man" The people of
Colorado will render a good account of
these miserable savages. provided the
| government will leave them in our charge
Kind regards 10 friends at Moline. Very
respectfully yours. FL. T. SICKLEs,