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Coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains - encroached upon by the Whites, and wild and hostile in their character. Constantly coming in collision, and standing in the way of the approaching settlements. Their depredations upon the Stock of the Whites as affording the means of supplying the demands of hunger was natural. Retaliation by war upon the depredators was, whether just or not, in accordance with the usages of frontier life. The encroachments of the White Settlements had deprived the Indians of their hunting grounds, their grass and their fish. The Government in its benevolence had undertaken to provide for the Indians, prevent their starvation, and save the property of its Citizens from destruction. To remove the whole number of Indians, being from sixty to seventy-five thousand to the Reservations was impracticable even if they had consented to the policy. Those however in the Mountains were decidely hostile to it. Their mixing with the Whites has engendered disease among them. Ardent spirits was sold them for the base purpose of small gain. Their condition was too deplorable to admit of adequate description. To stand idly by and make no effort to avert this condition of things would in my judgment have been criminal. These scattered remnants of tribes had no one to look to for protection, to settle disputes between them and the Whites, or give them advice in cases of trouble. In many places they could live comfortably upon their natural food, if they could be restrained from stealing stock, and protected in their rights