Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-05-25
OF INTEREST TO WASHINGTON.
General Hazard Stevens Life Of His Father
Which Will Be Published in Boston.
Boston Transcript. May jth.

Boston Transcript, May 5th.
"The Life of General Isaac l. Stew
ens." by his son, General Hazard
Stevens, In two octave volumes with
illustrations and maps, is going
through the press Of Houghton, Mifilin
& Co., and will be out in the course of
May. A native of Andover, Mass,
General Stevens career is one that re.
fleets the highest honor upon his ma
tive State, and is we'll worthy of per-
pertuation, not only for what he
achieved. but for its example of lofty
ideals and entire devotion to duty and
patriotism. His life shows man OF
remarkable ability, energy and force,
graduating at the head of his class
West Point, over II. w. Hal
leck and other rivals; a natural leader
OF men; impressing all with whom he
came in contact, and nothing but his
death at the battle Of Chantilly, where
he hurled back Stonewall Jackson's
flank attack upon Pope's line of re-
treat, thus saving the country from
great disaster, prevented his reaching
the highest eminence.
We doubt if the whole history Of the
country affords a parallel to services
of the amount and value, achieved in
such brief period, as those of General
Stevens in the Pacific Northwest in
the four years-lS53 to 1857. They
were in three separate fields, or spheres
of action.
l. He conducted the survey of the
northern route for a Pacific railroad,
exploring at the head of eleven officers
of the army, a corps OF scientific men
and 25O soldiers and civilian employ
ees, the wilderness from st. Paul to
Puget Sound, for 1000 miles in length
and $50 in breadth, and demonstrat.
ing the superiority of the route, de-
spite the opposition and disparagemeni
of the then Secretary Of War, Jeffer-
son Davis. General Stevens reports
form three large volumes, containing
over 1900 pages.
2. As Superintendent of Indian Al
fairs for Washington Territory and
commissioner to make treaties, he
held councils with over 80, 900 Indians,
comprising all the tribes, from the
Blackfeet on the upper Missouri to the
Pacific, in the region now occupied by
the State of Washington, parts Of Ore.
gon, Idaho and Montana, extinguished
the Indian title to hundred and fifty
million acres of land, made peace
among hereditary enemies over an
area larger than New England and the
States, and instituted over thousands
pi savages bepefcent policy of in
struction and civilization.
8. By calling out volunteers and
waging an aggressive war against the
savage foe, when all was gloom and
terror, and the settlers were not only
forsaken but vilifled by the military
authority whose duty it was to protect
them, he saved the settlements of his
territory from extinction and the
progress of the Northwest from being
set back for years.
Herbert Welsh OF the Indian Rights
Association, after reading the chapters
of the life of General Isaac /. Stevens,
which treat of his Indian policy, coun-
ellis and treatment OF the Indians
writes as follows:
"The story OF General Stevens
work as q commissioner to the various
Indian tribes OF what is now WASH
ington and Idaho, is most interesting,
and should be read not only by all stu
dents of the Indian question, but by
all who wish to know how effective
may be the application Of common
sense and respect to the rights of 9TH
ers in averting bloodshed between a
strong nation, and weak, uncivilized
tribes. 1t was always General Stew
EMS desire to lead the Indian to q
higher and better life. He recognized
q common humanity, and in imagina-
ton put himself in their place in deal
ing with them. The treaties executed
through his fundamentally were wise,
humane and far reaching in their ef'
fects. He invariably insisted that the
Indians should thoroughly understand
all the provisions of an agreement and
not sign until they were satisfied as to
its fairness. He never resorted to
threats or force in order to accomplish