Year: 1879

opinions expressed by the army officers on duty in
the department. all the wickedness of the Modoc
treachery. together with provocation and long nur
tured hatred against the government. to make it
more desperate than the course pursued by Captain
Jack or Chief Joseph.


HosTILIrIEs ANTICIPATED.


1t appears that the Indian Bureau has had reason
to anticipate hostilities for several months. The
Utes said to be a warlike tribe and General
Hatch speaks Of them the most dangerous
and villanous of all the Indians in the
West the best Of fighters and most in
genious strategsts The Interior Department
has accordingly done all it could to conciliate them
From time to time tho great reservation for the
confedersted Ute nation has been encroached
upon by advancing civilization. and the most
skilful action has been necessary to pacify
them. They have borne patiently what they
regard grievances and unfulflled promises until
it really appeared that there hope OF keeping
them from perpetrating hostile acts


STRENGTH OF THE TRIDK.


The entire tribe numbers. according to the Indian
Bureau census $500 persons. divided into the South
ern Utes Of 9o0 the Los Pnos Utes of 210O and the
Write River Utes Of 80O It is the latter who ut
the Northern agency who have gone on the warpath.
or rather who are now known to be in arms. while
the causes which have melted them to rebellion
against the government apply equally to the Utes in
the lower part of the reservation. and they too may
move against the whites in Southwestern Colorado.


PROVOKING CAUSES OF rHE OUTBREAK.


In fact the provoking causes for the outbreak all
along tho line of the reservation well defined
in the minds of the government officials here any
OF the causes alleged for war between enlightened
nations This time it is not scarcity Of provisions.
q want of clothing the payment of annuities.
nor even unkind treatment by the Indian agent.
but it Is the non-fulflment Of promises
made by the representatives of the govern
ment empowered to negotiate for the cession Of
certain portions Of their reservation and the in.
vasion of other portions by prospectors. so
that tho fear of being crowded to death
without any hope Of justice has impelled them to
take up arms in defence Of their last home. The
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs says of these Utes
that they quarrelsome. year and half ago Q
part left the reservation and went to Rawlns Station.
on the Union Pacific Railroad, pretending
they were half starved when they had abundance at
the agency. Last winter delegation Of the Los
Pinos Utes came to Washington to ask for payment
the territory cut out Of their part of the
ton Southwestern Colorado, and were impatient at
the delay. TheCommissioner explained to them that
until the great Council made the appropriation they
could not receive the sum promised by the Peace
Commission which was sent out last year and
which was composed Of ex-senator Lot NJ. Morrill,
Of Maine; W. g. Stickney. Of Washington. and Gen.
eral Edward Hatch. Congress was then in session.
but the recommendation for the payment of the sum
specified by the Commission was not appropriated.
To add to the aggravating causes q number Of spec
ulstors and prospectors who had been the north
ern part OF the reservation came hero to persuade
Congress to disregard the treaty obligations
and declare the reservation open to settle
ment. They brought with them fine specimens
Of rich gold and silver ore, and argued that the
sooner we had an Indian and the savages were
exterminated the better it would be for tho country
and frontersmen particularly. Seeing that seri-
consequences would follow an invasion OF
their domain Secretary Schurz asked Congress for
authority enter into negotiations for cesson to
United States Of all the reservation OF the Utes
that it might be thrown open to settlers and miners
and this request was also disresarded.
INTELLIGENT AND pRAvE.


OF all these facts the Utes arc not ignorant. They
are said by army officers who have been among
them recently to be the bravest Of the brave. and
that the opinion expressed by General Hatch is not
too strong They dress like white men. and although
surly by nature been tractabe and obedient up
TO the present time.


Anticipating the consequences Of advancing civil
hzation and knowing that 1t would be impossible
to quiet the Indians SO long as promises
to pay for their lands were unfulflled. the
Interior Department appealed to Congress
to allow the enlistment Of 5000 Indians
ss auxiliary to the army aud to be employed in
fighting rebellous Indians This was regarded
absolutely necessary the experiences Of the army
has been that Indians alone be matched with
Indians in frontier warfare OF this appeal Con-
gress took notice.


The record shows and the appropriation bills make
It moro plain that the opinion prevailed among the
majority that the least amount of money appro-
priatc1 was large anyhow and soldiers were paid
to fght and be killed.


GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.


Tho gravity Of the situation is fully understood
both at the War and Interior departments. The
dispatches and letters from the agency show that
they have been arming for some time purchas-
ing repeating rifles with the latest improve
ments. The country is favorable to their
method Of warfare. for which they arc fully
prepared. aud without the aid of Indian fighters
our troops will be compelled to hunt them in their
Businesses and hiding places. tho Modocs
were pursued and captured only after tho
sacrifice of many officers and men. Gen.
eral Miles. Commissioner Hayt says. at
tributes his success to the invaluable aid
of Indian fighters, whose presence inspires conf
dence in the rank and file of that portion of the
army engaged in watching treacherous savages and
he regrets exceedingly that our troops have not
such assistance against the Utes.


FEARS Fofn TYNRR PARTY.


After the of Major Thornburgh's death was
received telegram came from ex-senator Dorsey. in
Colorado, that Assistant Postmaster General Tyner
and his party in the neighborhood of the
White River Agency. and that fears were enter
tanned for their safety. This sent
to General Sheridan with instructions from the War
Department to act promptly and vigorously in strk-
ing the hostile Utcs both for the protection of Major
Thornburgh's command ana tho security of tho
lives of the settlers and persons in that locality
From the tenor OF the last telegram from Agent
Meeker, in charge OF the White River Agency. the
agency where the trouble has began. there little
to lead Commissioner Hayt TO believe that tho
agent family his assistants have boon spared
He says tho details all convince him that tho Utes
have deliberately taken up sgainst every wnito
man and woman within their roach. and the cost of
tho camps no man can now estimate