Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-03-05

he lnuS III arms against ullll' ic
Indian kills ind iscriminately. His
object is the total determination OF
his enemies. Children are victims
of his vengeance, because, if males,
they may hereafter become warriors,
OF if females they may become
mothers. Even the fetal state is
criminal in his view. II not enough
that the fetus should perish with
the murdered mother-it is torn
from her pregnant womb and ele-
waited on a stick or pole rs a trophy
of victory and an object Of horror
to the survivors Of the slain.
II the Indian takes prisoners,
mercy has but little concern in the
transaction. He spares the lives
of those who fall into his hands for
the purpose Of feasting the feelings
of lerociOuS vengeance of himself
and his comrades, 10y the torture OF
his captive; or, to Increase tho
strength Of his nation, by his adop-
ton into an Indian family; or fOT
the purpose Of gain, Ivy selling him
for am higher price than his scalp
would fetch to his Christian allies
of Canada; for be it known that
those allies were in the constant
practice Of making presents for
scalps and prisoners, as we'll as fur
nishing the means for carrying on
the Indian war which for so many
years desolated our delcnceless
frontiers. No lustrati0n can ever
wash out this national stain. The
foul blot must remain as long as the
page Of history shall convey the
record of the foul transaction to
future generations,
The author wOuld not open
wounds which have, alas already
blcd SO long, but for the purpose oI
doing justice TO tho memory of his
forefathers and relatives, many OF
whom persisted in the defense Of
their country by the hands of the
merciess Indians.
How is a war of determination
and accompanied with such acts OF
atrocouS cruelty, to be met by those
on whom IT is lnllictcdl Must it be
met by tho lenient maxims Of civil
lied warfare Z Must the Indian
captive b. spared his life? What
advantage would be gained by this
course , The young white prisoners
adopted into Indian families often
become complete Indians; but in
how few instances did ever an In
dian become civilized. send n car
tel for an exchange Of prisoners
The Indians know nothing Of this
measure of clcmency in war; the
/ bearer of the white flag, for the
purpose Of efleciing the exchange
would have exertcd his humanity
at the forfeit Of his life.
Should my countrymen be still
charged with barbarism, in the
prosecution OF the Indian war, lc
him who harbOrs this uniavOrabl'
/ impression concerning them portray
i'm imagination the horrid scenes o
slaughter winch frequently me
their view in the course OF the Ia
dian war. Let him, if he can bea
the reflection, look mt helpless in
fancy, virgin beauty and hOary aye
dishonored by the ghastly wound
of the tOmahawk and scalping knit
of the savage. Let him hear th'
shrieks Of the victims OF the Indian
torture 10y fire, and smell tho sur
rounding air rendered sickcning b.
the ellluvia of their burning llesl
and blood. Let him hear the lells
and view the hellish features OF th
surrounding circle Of savage waT
riors, rioting in all the luxurianc
! Of vengeance, while applying tn
flaming torches 10 the parche'
limbs Of the sufferers, ami then SUI
pose those murdered infants, ma
irons, virgins and victims OF lOrlur
wcte his friends and relations, th
wife, sister, child or brother; villa
would be his feelings. After
short season of grief, hc would say
81 will now think only OF revenge.
Philosophy shudders at the dc
structive aspect of war in any shape
Christianity, by teaching the relle
: ion OF the good Samaritan, alto
gether forbids it: but the Origina
settlers Of the western regions, Ink
the greater part Of the world, wer
neither philosophers nor saints
They were "men Of Ike passion
with others and therefore adOpteI
the Indian mode of warfare frOr
necessity and motive Of revenge
with the exception Of burning thei
r captivcs alive, which they neve
did. If the bodies of savage enc
mics were sometimes burned, it wa
not until after they were dead.
Let the voice of nature and tn
law of nations plead in favor of tn
veteran pioneers of the desert re
,,;oue az fbo vvocf \Ver hoo Ifthort
been a prominent trait in the mora
J system OF human nature. and vii
continue such until a radical chang
shall be effected in favor of science
morals and piety, on a genera
, scale.
In the conflicts of nations, as wei
as those OF individuals, no advanI
! ages are TO be conceded. II mere