New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-04


all historical details. Is to show that the real
difficulties in the way OF the pioneers or 'he
Mississippi Valley were contrived in Europe
This inner aspect Of the long struggle Is not al
nrst sight as interesting as the more obvious
features Of Indian wars and massacres, the ruoe
freedom Of the border the experiments in self
government and the sylvan wanderings OF the
hunter in his buckskin trappngs. When we re-
member how few Of the adventures or those
DAYS died In their beds. are apt 70 lay the
blame largely on the red Indian. But the
Indian hardly ever went TO war unless tempted
by the white man. II the colonsts had had
him TO deal with alone they would probably
have been at peace often when they were really
at war There were. in fact five parties to the
struggle-the colonists. the Indians ana 'he
governments OF Spain. France and England.
The colonists OF every nationality found In the
end that their interests were practically identi-
cal. This is shown by the fact that the kngllsh
rebels on the Atlantic coast had the aid when
ever II could be given of the French In the
West and the Spanish in the South. But II
different with the governments. France
and Spain. as political powers. wished to humble
England. but they did not wish to strengthen
the United Colonies, not even after helping
them to become the United States. Mr.. Win
French people and to the Spanish people. but
not 10 France and Spain He quotes. with APP
prevail. Taleyrands remark that the Ameri-
cans were too alert in politics to he grateful for
help rendered with a selfish purpose The
French statesmen. particularly Nergennes. ex-
pected the United Colonies 10 avenge the loss
Of Canada This done. nothing was further
from the mind of Vergennes than TO allow the
Americans to possess the Mississippi country.
1t was England. bound by her own charters TO
the colonies. in sentiment II not In Law. and
anxious 10 the United States quarrel with
their allies. that favored the colonies most in
the treaty OF peace
To the Western ADVENTURE the Revolution
only episode In a prolonged struggle.
He made much complaint about the matter. but
he probably had no expectation at any time
that the European prime ministers. who were
annoyed by his enterprise. would forego the
use Of Indian warriors. II from $500 to
$1,000 to place a European soldier on American
soil while II cost almost nothing to set parties
Of Indian braves in motion. The Indians grew
wiser time went on. They required some
thing more than promises But they never
quired any supplies beyond firearms and am
munition. though they could devour the white
mans rations when they had the opportunity
Mr. Winsor records the expense Of one Of the
British expeditions from Detroit against George
Rogers Clark after that famous frontier COM
mander had established himself on the Ohio
River. II cost 100000 to At OFT a party Of
six hundred white men. There band Of
Indians under command Of Logan. the chief
whose speech has always been favorite with
American schooboy orators Practically none
Of the money was used for the Indians. as was
shown In the sequel. They expected presents in
advance. and when they did not receive these
they came and went along the line Of march as
they chose. They slaughtered the cattle in
tended for the little army. and finally refused
to carry out the real purpose OF the expedition
namely. to attack the military post at the Falls
Of the Ohio The raid ended In the barbarous
destruction Of a few scattered settlements A
small part Of the 100000 expended upon them
would have made them efficient allies The
more cunning British Spanish and French com
manders in the Western country understood
better what to do Through them the ministries
Of the Powers interested learned how little It
cost to stir the savages up to ravage the scat
tered settlements. and how much more terrify-
ing this murderous warfare was than the more
decisive strokes given by body OF regular
troops
But the point TO be observed is that when
bands Of Wild marauders went out from a coun-
ell at Detroit. when the Shawnees crept
steathily against log fortress in Ken
lucky. when the Cherokees attacked the set
Elements them In the South they were
carrying out the policy Of men beyond the ocean
These men trying 70 resist or control n
natural movement Of humanity In q world
where nature still supreme In the same
way that they would have guided an artificial
bcfu
posed that they could stop the people who
poured through the mountain passes from the
East in growing numbers year by year II
would be interesting 10 compute how many SOL
diers it would have taken 10 perform this task
Probably the combined armies Of the three
European Powers would have failed in the at
tempt. and the cost would have driven the
Powers into a financial collapse As to the OK
pense the statesmen Of the old World had
ample experience, which was confirmed by the
results of the Revolutionary War 1t was no
wonder that they turned to the Indians But
only the British plead a strategic justihca-
ton. II they could diminish the insurgent
armies in the East. they might cherish the hope
Of putting down the rebellion. They were fight
ing for country already populous with men
who had lately been British subjects France
had no such justification after she gave up
Canada and Spain never had any excuse Those
two nations were trying TO keep their hold on
lands which they had prospect Of occupy
ing with a settled population. 70 monopolize
great river system on which their trade the
merest trife compared with It's immediate pos
sibilities, and to repress nation which they
had helped TO create. But they did not under
stand the Indian after all. When they urged
the savage TO fight for his native land. they
fancied that they were appealing to sentiments
which he would understand in the same way
that the European peasant understood them.
But the Indian cared nothing for the land
cept It afforded him game. The spot where
he born was Indifferent TO him. He
a stranger TO patriotism unless II took the form
L. -.