the farther its devotees were from the bleeding frontier, the more devoutly they believed it

This was the particular and very strong belief shared by many people in the civilized East that the Indian wars were principally the fault of white men. The governing idea was that the Comanches and other troublesome tribes would live in peace if only they were treated properly, and the farther its devotees were from the bleeding frontier, the more devoutly they believed it.

S.C. Gwynne, Empire of the Summer Moon (2011), Kindle ed. loc 4381