Year: 1878

Chicago, March 30.--Advices received
yesterday respecting the massing of the
savages ''over the border" under the
leadership of Sitting Bull and Spotted
Eagle, state that the confederation of
all the Sioux and neighboring tribes,
which have been roaming north of the
line, is being confirmed by intelligence
which has gone direct to the Canadian
authorities at Ottawa, Canada. This
portentious movement on the part of
the hostile redskins is realized in its
fullest sense by the provincial governor
of the Northwest Territory, and he has
asked the Dominion government to at
once reinforce the mounted police force
at Battle Ford 1.-THE seat of government,
and to place a force of armed men in
the field, which will command the res
pect of the monster army of savages
in the vicinity of the Cypress noun
tains.


1t is well known that the Canadian
government, in its treatment of the
Indians, has thus far stationed in the
region known us the Northwest Terri
terry nominal force which numbers
only 300 mounted men. This force is
broken up into six battalions, which
are stationed at various points, short
distances north of the boundary. This
command would be almost useless
against the great army of savages, if an
actual effort were made to put down
any hostile demonstration.


The advices received are from the
most central of the Canadian post. and
state that large securing parties of the
savages are scouting the country south
of the boundary, and have gone as far
south as the Missouri river, and ap-
peared in the vicinity of Fort Peck.
The council which took place in the
camp of Sitting Bull, resulted in the
confederation, which has already been
limited at, and is intended to oppose
the buffalo law. This is the first act of
the savages in defiance of Canadian
rule, and will compel that government
to make ut least strong show of au.
thority.


1t is not believed that the mere hand
full of men will be able to cope with the
great force OF redskins, or enforce any
offensive regulations, if the Indians
have become bent on lawlessness. The
fact that the boundary line has been
ignored by these large hunting and
scouting parties, possibly means gen.
eral movement of the Indians south of
the boundary as the season advances.
They will follow the buffalo, and en-
couraged by their great numbers will
probably make a united attack upon
the white settlements on the Missouri
river.


1t is not known what additional
force of men will be sent by the Cana
dian government into the Northwest
Territory in response to the urgent de-
mand of Gov. Laird, but assurance is
given that the request will not be ig-
nored when the full facts are ascer-
tained by the authorities ut Ottawa. 1t
is suggested in the advices received that
all trouble on Canadian soil may be
averted by a prompt interposition on
the part of the proper authorities.


Thus far the Indians have been con-
trolled more through the diplomacy of
such men as Major Walsh, the COM
mandant of the main forces of the
mounted police, in whom the Sioux
have placed great reliance, and not
from any special fear of an armed body
of troops. 1t would seem that the
time is approaching when the Domin-
ion will need an army of men in the
ield to keep the sayages under control.


On the part of this government the
menace offered by the tremendous army
of hostiles to the small number of
troops quartered on the Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers cannot long be ig-
nored.


The probabilities are that it will re-
quire an army of greater magnitude
than has yet taken the field against the
savages, to prevent a general massacre
in the northern country. An Indian
war of appalling magnitude is not one
of the absolute uncertainties of the