WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1855
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by acts of direct aggression upon the Indians or by his own incau- tion, alluring them to a violation of the security of the whites. They have tempted the cupidity of the Indians. If a lawless fellow happens to prove vagrant to his band, and throws off all the rules and restrictions imposed by the chiefs on their war- riors, and chooses to involve his nation in difficulty by taking the life of a white man, if he can do so, as he supposes, with impunity, his action is charged to his tribe; but they should not be held responsible. Sir, we have seen thrilling accounts of san- guinary massacres which alarm us at the first blush; and, if we are to believe the paragraphs disseminated through the medium of the press, we should suppose, in reality, that the Indian was as barbarous as he had ever been, and that all the assaults or massacres, as they are termed, are unprovoked and wantonly ~flicted on the defenseless white man. As an instance of this, let me mention the massacre at Fort Laramie, and from that instance you can pretty accurately deduce the true condition of other acts of a similar character. What were the circumstances in connection with that case? During the last summer some bands of the Sioux nation of Indians were encamped within six miles of Fort Laramie. They were in amity with the United States, and on terms of friend- ship and good feeling with the officers and men of the neigh- boring fort. A man from a neighboring tribe, whose relatives had, a year before, been slaughtered by the troops at Fort Lara- mie, happened to be among these bands of Sioux. Some Mormon emigrants passed by the camp of Indians, and a cow escaped from them, made toward the village, and the Mormons pursued her, but unsuccessfully. The Indian to whom I have referred, by way of revenge for the loss of his relative, slaughtered the animal. Complaint was made at Fort Laramie. The chiefs in- stantly said that they would see that reparation was made for the injury which had been done. Was this satisfactory to the commanding officer? No, sir; but he detailed a brevet lieuten- ant, with a company, for the purpose of arresting the Indian. The company arrived at the encampment of the Indians with two pieces of artillery. Demand was made of the chiefs, but this Indian said to them, "I have taken a lodge here; I am willing to die; you have nothing to do with this matter; you have no concern with it; the responsibility is not upon your people, but it is upon me alone." So soon as this reply was given to the lieutenant he fired, and crippled one of the principal chiefs, and
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