Year: 1860




During the past week the entire commu- |
nifty has, we think, been needlessly alarmed
by the reports which have been brought in |
of the massacre at Williams Station. (See |
report of news in other column.) We can
not see the sense or propriety of men who
should act as if they were men, and living |
in communities like Virginia and Carson
City, which contain large populations and
are safe rom any Indian depredations, run
ming around and soaring every female in the
country, and By their acts justly entitle
themselves to the right to wear petticoats
the balance of their days.


We admit that three men have been killed
at Williams Station, and when the authors
of the outrage can be found hey should be
punished; and we further say, that properly
organized companies should be sent out to
ferret out the perpetrators of the deed. But
we will not admit that there is any use of
men starting out with but few boxes Of
sardines and loaf or two of bread, to fight
Indians who are very likely one hundred
miles from here at this time, and are to be
reached only by toilsome marches. Neither
are we willing to admit that excitable par
ties are justified in killing every Indian,
man, woman and child, because an outrage
has been committed probably ty some rem
egades from some of our frontier tribes.


We are led to make these suggestions from
the fact that there is disposition manifest
ed to fasten the blame of the late Indian
massacre upon the -Utahs, when most
likely they were not the real authors. We,
at the risk of appeariE.;; egotistical, will
state our reasons for advising parties to be
cautious about commencing an indiscrim-
mate onslaught upon thst tribe. We, du-
ring residence of three years on the Eas-
tern Slope, have in every instance found
that they have adhered more fully to their
/ plighted faith than their white brethren
| Two years ago, T. J. Henley, Superintend-
ent of Indian Affairs in California, at the
urgent solicitation of citizens OF Honey
Lake Valley, sent supply of Indian goods
there to enable the people of that section to
| fulfill certain promises made to that tribe.
Maj. Isaac Roop Peter Lassen (now deceas-
ed) and j. Williams, were appointed specia.
agents to distribute those goods. AT the
distribution treaty was made with then,
and it was understood that all the whites
on this side of the mountains were to be
included in the arrangement. By the terms
of this treaty there was to be mutual res
titution of property which might be stolen
by evil disposed persons of either race





communication with them, and must say
that they have kept their faith quite as well
as the wites, and in several instances have
ridden for days to give information of horses
having been stolen and brought into their
country. They have also accompanied the
whites on exhibitions against the Pitt River
Indians, manifesting much eagerness to
punish them, as they termed them Indians
who would not keep their word. On one of
these expeditions the elder of the Pah-Utah
chiefs was present in person. This is but
an outline of what they have done to keep
their promise.


On the part of the whites, the Pah-U -Utahs
assert that they have not used due diligence
in assisting them to recover stock that has
been stolen from them. Last fall some evil
disposed person stole five horses from them,
and no restitution has been made, and some
hard feeling has resulted from this neglect
of the whites to make amends for their los
ses. Again, they are very much alarmed
about the appearance of SO many white men
and cattle in the neighborhood of Pyramid
Lake, which is their favorite resort and the
spot they have always valued highly. Maj.
Dodge, the Indian Agent for Western Utah
has promised them that place for their
home and they do not want to relinquish
it; and any overt act of the whites now will
arouse retaliatory spirit which it will be
hard to allay. They will not be driven from
the Pyramid Lake country without making
a bold stand for it, and it will be well to
hold conference with the chiefs there be-
fore declaring war against them. Tney
consider that they are the aggreved party,
and if that country is awarded them and
their possession of it guaranteed, it is not
likely that they will give any trouble.