WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
That was a scene--an Indian chief willing to give up the offender if he had power, but protesting that he could not be accountable for the acts of outlaws; and we know that it is so. Suppose some persons from Baltimore County should inflict wrong on citizens of the District of Columbia, and were to kill one or two of them: would it be just in the people here to demand of the superior officer of that community restitution or surrender of the murderers? And if he should say it was not in his power to surrender them, but that he wanted peace, and would do all he could to preserve it, and they should go on and punish his people for what had been done, turn loose on the women and children wherever they might be congregated, and massacre them, what kind of justice would there be in that? Would there not be as much justice in that as to say that because an Indian chief could not surrender the lawless fellows of his band, you would murder women and children and warriors indiscriminately? Cir- cumstances of this kind lead to interminable war. I have no doubt, however, this gallant officer obeyed the orders and met the views of the Government. Here is what Colonel P. St. George Cooke says: · "There was much slaughter in the pursuit, which extended from five to eight miles, and in which Heth's company took their gallant share, but with the great disadvantage, amongst others, of being armed with dfles. Very few, if any, of the enemy should have escaped if I could have handled the reserve. "Following the reports of the several commanders, the loss of the enemy inflicted by my command was se,venty-four killed, five wounded, forty-three prisoners (women and children)." He does not say whether they were men, women, or children, that were killed; but he says so many were killed; and I see that in another place, by way of excuse, he says that the women were armed and dressed like the men, and fought with· arrows and wounded his soldiers. I presume such women were killed; but he does not say so. Now, sir, I never war with the ladies. I do not think that is gallant; and I think it is still less gallant to war on children, for some of them may become ladies after proper care. That is one instance of the species of warfare carried on with the Indians. The honorable Senator told us yesterday of the achievements of the army in Texas. I had not heard of them before. It seems some of them surprised the Indians, but those who did so were dragoons. Well, sir, I have not said a word against the dragoons. I have not said they were inefficient. I said that the troops you now propose to raise would be inefficient for this service, but I
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