in a
family feud, than ever existed or was spilled on the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe reservation. The Indians were pleased, the lessees were
satisfied, yet by artfully concealing the true cause of any and all
strife, a report, every word of which was as sweet as the notes of
a flute, was made to the President, recommending the removal of the
cattle. It was found that there had been a gradual encroachment on the
liberties of the tribes; that the rental received from the surplus
pasture lands had a bad tendency on the morals of the Indians,
encouraging them in idleness; and that the present system retarded
all progress in agriculture and the industrial arts. The report was
superficial, religiously concealing the truth, but dealing with broad
generalities. Had the report emanated from some philanthropical
society, it would have passed unnoticed or been commented on as an
advance in the interest of a worthy philanthropy but taken as a whole,
it was a splendid specimen of the use to which words can be put in
concealing the truth and cloaking dishonesty.

An order of removal by the President followed the report. Had we been
subjects of a despotic government and bowed our necks like serfs, the
matter would have ended in immediate compliance with the order. But we
prided ourselves on our liberties as Americans, and an appeal was to
be made to the first citizen of the land, the President of the United
States. A committee of Western men were appointed, which would be
augmented by others at the national capital, and it was proposed to
lay the bare facts in the chief executive's hands and at least ask
for a modification of the order. The latter was ignorant in its
conception, brutal and inhuman in its intent, ending in the threat
to use the military arm of the government, unless the terms and
conditions were complied with within a given space of time. The
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Cattle Company, alone, not to mention the other
members of our association equally affected, had one hundred and
twenty-five thousand head of beeves and through steers on its range,
and unless some relief was granted, a wayfaring man though a fool
could see ruin and death and desolation staring us in the face.
Fortunately Major Hunter had the firm's trail affairs so well in hand
that Edwards could close up the business, thus relieving my active
partner to serve on the committee, he and four others offering to act
in behalf of our association in calling on the Pre