ted band of Sacs and Foxes, would again
harass and disturb the settlements upon our borders, and determined that
the murderers of the Menomenies should be surrendered or taken, the
department ordered General Atkinson, on the 7th of March last, to ascend
the Mississippi with the disposable regular troops at Jefferson
barracks, and to carry into effect the instructions issued by your
direction. Still further to strengthen the frontiers, orders were given
for the re-occupation of Chicago.

"The demand for the surrender of the Menomenie murderers was entirely
disregarded: and the British party of the Sacs and Foxes recrossed the
Mississippi, and assuming a hostile attitude, established themselves
upon Rock river. The subsequent events are well known, and the result
has already been stated in this report."

In the annual report of Maj. General Macomb to Congress, of November
1832, very much the same positions are taken in regard to the causes
which led to this contest with the Indians, that are contained in the
report from the War Department. Its leading object seems to be to place
the United States in the right--the Indians in the wrong.

It is to be regretted that the Honorable Secretary, whose opinions and
statements on all subjects connected with the Indians, carry with them
great weight, had not been more explicit, in assigning the causes which
led to the late war, with a portion of the Sacs and Foxes. It is not to
be supposed that the Secretary would designedly omit any thing, which in
his opinion, was necessary, to a fair presentation of this matter; but
as the case stands, his statement does not, it is believed, do justice
to the Indians. The Secretary says the Sacs and Foxes "have always been
discontented, keeping the frontier in alarm, and continually committing
some outrage on the persons or property of the inhabitants." Between the
treaty of peace at Portage des Sioux, in 1816, and the attack of Major
Stillman, in 1832, it is supposed that the Sacs and Foxes never killed
one American; and, their aggressions upon the persons and property of
the whites, consisted principally, in an attempt to retain possession of
their village and corn-fields, when pressed upon by the white settlers,
who, in violation of the laws of Congress and express treaty provisions,
were committing outrages upon the Indians: The report of the Secretary
further states, that the Sacs and Foxes "claimed the right of occupying
a part of the cou