The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-09-19

it being considered disgraceful both by
men and women for the man to be seen at
work. Much of their line is spent in rid.
ing, Of which they are exceedingly fond.
They likewise spend portion oft in ball
playing and other sports, and a coosidera-
Bile time sspent in lounging about in idle
ness. The women are generally indus
trious, performing the greater part OF the
manual labor both in the camp and on The
land. They look detected, and appear
more like slaves than otherwise. Many
of the women and children receive very
severe treatment from the men in their
drunken revels; from which cause some
olthem are manned.
The Winnebagoe have but one school,
and that is supported by the general gov
ernment, and is under The immediate su
perinendence of the sub agent There
have been, the past year, about ninety
children at The school, some of whom have
made pretty good proficiency in learning.
The school was vacated while we were
there We were informed that there was
much difficulty in getting a portion of the
children to attend constantly, in conse-
quence OF an undue influence exercised
over them by interested men. This
school may be considered as rather an
interesting institution and, from what we
could gather from the teachers, the child
rem are as susceptible of Instruction as the
whites. They are taught in The English
language altogether
This tribe is governed by chiefs, who
sometimes receive The Office by hereditary
descent; and at others by choice of the
people; aud sometimes they are appoint
ed by The agent oflhe general government.
They have some vague notions oflhe De-
ily, or Great Spirit, as he is more gener-
ally called by them. They also believe
in state of future rewards and punish
ments, and talk about bad spirit. Very
few if any have embraced christianity.
The Winebagoes this year raised about
$500 bushels of Indian corn, besides a
pretty large supply of potatoes and other
vegetables, on grounds prepared by the
agent OF the government near his location,
by the band called the School band The !
annuity paid to this tribe amounts to near
ly ninety thousand dollars in money, goods !
and appropriations TO! different purposes.
Previously TO their receiving it, the sub
agent collects the whole tribe and pays |
over TO The head of each family the amount |
due them. Notwithstanding The large
sum which they receive, they are still in a
depora6Ie and suifelin condition, and fast
wasting away. Much of their misery
may be tlaced 10 the treatment of some
white people toward them. But leaving
the past, and looking only to the present
conduct Of the white man, it is evident thai
unless something more efectual is done to
break up the corrupt ard iniqnitous traffic
IN whiskey, as well Us the fraudulent trade
carried on among the Indians by some Of
those persons licensed by the government,
the Winnebagoes will in a few years be
numbered with the tribes that are not
We were crediby Informed, that in def,
ance of the present rigid laws, immedi-
ateIy after the payment OF 1871, there was
sold to this tribe two hundred barrels OF
whskey and at the time of our being
here IN 1912, The whiSkey sellers had in-
creased in number one third. These
vhiskey dealers and licensed traders find
4 strong iDducement to follow up the poor
Indian, from the fact that he receives so
arge payment at one time.
10 be continued