Delaware Journal

From the National Journal.

Domestic.—During the last week intelligence has been received which relieves us from any apprehension that an Indian war will take place. It appears that some of the tribes, the Winnebagoes especially, have been for some time discontented and fretful; and it is probable that the outrages recently committed on the frontier would have been followed by more serious assaults on our citizens in that quarter, but for the prompt measures of defence resorted to by the civil and military officers. The alarm having spread, the governor of Illinois ordered out the state militia; and, at the same time Col. Atkinson put in motion the troops under his charge; and intelligence of these movements was, doubtless immediately conveyed to the hostile tribes. The effect was soon seen. Although, in their previous negociations with the Indians, the commissioners of the United States had been unable to bring the chiefs to a proper sense of their misconduct, and to accede to the demand that the perpetrators of the outrages should be given up, no sooner were the Indians aware of the fact that the military of the United States was directed against them, to enforce the demand of the commissioners, than they instantly brought in the individuals who had been guilty of the murders, and delivered them up to the persons authorized to receive them. The ceremonies accompanying this act of justice are described as very solemn and impressive. One of the criminals advanced, bearing a red flag, and the other a white one, accompanied by upwards of a hundred chiefs, and singing the death song, delivered themselves up to expiate their offence with their own lives, in obedience to the great precept of our religion, which inculcates—'he that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.' Every concession which was required of the Indians having been made, military operations are, of course, at an end, and tranquility is restored. We are glad that this affair has thus terminated without the shedding of blood, which must have ensued, if the Indians had persisted in their refusal to surrender the delinquents. An Indian war would excite great regret in the breast of every friend of humanity; for, although the evils to us would be confined to the injuries done to our fellow-citizens on the frontiers no one could contemplate the destruction which must be thus brought on these poor and scattered remnants of the original possessors of the soil, without an intense feeling of pity. It is a much more agreeable task to reform these miserable tribes by mildness, than by the sword; and we sincerely hope the terror which seems to have been now stricken into them by the prompt measures taken by our government to secure retribution, will have the effect of forever preventing any indications of hostility on the part of the Indian tribes hereafter.