The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-09-26

for an enormous profit; The Indian is tempt
ed olentimes to buy these articles from
their gaudy appearance. After he ha
parted with his last dollar in money t.
the whiskey seller or licensed trader, il
payment Of old debls for whiskey or 70
some of the above mentioned articles, (au
the Indian is always largely indebted Il
these dealers,) he then takes the artice
he las purchased of the licensed trader II
the whiskey shop, and sells them for
much less price than be gave, aud take
his pay in whiSkey, at ten or even twenty
times the actual cost to the settler. Il il
no uncommon thing for an Indian after ht
has parted with all his money and many
other necessary articles, 10 barter away
gun, horse, and even his blanket for few
bottles of whiskey, We were credibIy
Informed that these whiskey shops not IN
frequently have large piles Of blankets and
large stacks of guns that have been taken
from the poor natives for little whiskey.
Thus we see that the policy Of govern
ment, aud the benevolent efforts of those
who are honestly Iaboring among them
for their good, are almost wholly defeated
by the avurice Of those lawless men.
On Sixth day Of the week and the first Of
Tenth month, agreeabIy to previous ar
rangement we met about thirty of their
chiefs and princ pal men in council at the
agents house Oar object in calling them
together, was explained by David Lowry,
the sub.agert; and then our certificates
from our friends, and The letters and talk
from theSecretary OF War addressed 10 the
Indians, were severally read and explain
ed 10 them. We then felt constrained to
make a few remarks, and 10 extend such
advice as seemed proper; after which,
Little Hill, one OF The chiefs replied that
what he had heard was very good, and
they had heard number of talks from
their great father, the President and he
had promised 10 he Up them, and now
1t was TOO late. He supposed he had tried
but could not, that he had such great mat.
tiers to attend to that he could not see to
their small concerns aud now it was 100
late TO help them.
We then told them we did not believe
it was too late for them 10 refrain from
drinking whiskey. We told them that
much that they complained Of we believed
10 be true, and thar the white man had
wronged them, but that we wished them
to understand that they yet had good
friends among the whites, who were griev.
ed with the conduct of bad white men to.
wards them we hoped they would not be
discouraged, but try TO do better themselves,
and that we and our brothers at home
were disposed 10 do all in our power TO
help them. And after making on our
parL some other remarks relative 10 their
condition, they expressed their satisfaction.
Little Hill spoke TO some of the elder
chiefs,& US we understood, requested them
to reply to US as he was young, and want,
ed some Of his elder friends to make
speech. They severally said, they were
well pleased with our teIk but had moth
Ing further to say. Lutte Hilthen rose Il
shook hands with US, and then commenced
speaking with us through the interpreter,
young Lowry. Referring 10 their former
previous TO their intercourse with |
he whites, he said, "The Great Spirit had
made US all, but he had made us different.
Some men he made white, some he made
ed,and placed them al distance one from
he other. They, the red men, lived hap.
~, and ne supposed the white man lived
lappy too. They then had no sickness
'or deaths amongst them, except from old
ge; all their people lived to be old and
But when the white men
anne among them, they became sick, and
led young. The white man brought
fe-water amongst them; they supposed
he white man got the whiskev from the
ad Spirit, for surely they never got it
'om the good Spirit They began to sell
TO the Ind ans, aud then their miseries
ommenced ; and they had become reduc.
and could not refrain from drinking,
} long as The white man sold i, TO them,
I'D now they despaired of ever being any
slter, and the ouIy way for them 10 be Y
ade better was 10 keep the whiskey a, n
ay. The white man did not know wha. y
was to go hungry and cold; but the t
DOR Indian did, he believed that we piied
ZEN and talked TO them for their Good, n
"a ne thanked US for it, and said he would (
Il it to his people, aud hoped they would Fl
ma our alk, 10 which they a II aSsea!ed.
e then said, brothers have nothing G
ore to say, and shaking hands with US u
gain, sat down. n
After gathering the foregoing facts and a
respecting the Winnebagoes, v
G took leave of our friend Lowry and e.
mly, as well as the other white nhab
lnls connected with them al the es,ob o,
'hmen', and returned to Dubuque, on the 4,
Jsslssippi We then took seam boat ~
'wn the river about two hundred miles III
Burlington thence we took stage and 81
lvate conveyance by way OF Mount Plea y;
Mt and Salem, Iowa, u the Sac and b,