Spread of English-Speaking Peoples 253 



are often as bad on account of so much of the truth 

 having been suppressed. One effect of this is of 

 course that the author's recitals of the many real 

 wrongs of Indian tribes utterly fail to impress us, 

 because she lays quite as much stress on those that 

 are non-existent, and on the equally numerous cases 

 where the wrong-doing was wholly the other way. 

 To get an idea of the value of the work, it is only 

 necessary to compare her statements about almost 

 any tribe with the real facts, choosing at random; 

 for instance, compare her accounts of the Sioux and 

 the plains tribes generally, with those given by Col. 

 Dodge in his two books ; or her recital of the Sandy 

 Creek massacre with the facts as stated by Mr. 

 Dunn who is apt, if anything, to lean to the In- 

 dian's side. 



These foolish sentimentalists not only write foul 

 slanders about their own countrymen, but are them- 

 selves the worst possible advisers on any point 

 touching Indian management. They would do well 

 to heed General Sheridan's bitter words, written 

 when many Easteners were clamoring against the 

 army authorities because they took partial vengeance 

 for a series of brutal outrages : "I do not know 

 how far these humanitarians should be excused on 

 account of their ignorance; but surely it is the only 

 excuse that can give a shadow of justification for 

 aiding and abetting such horrid crimes.''' 



