The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-05
COMM UNIcATIONs
For the Union
wINNEBAaoEs.

Another citizen has just fallen victim to the ever
bloodshedding Winnebago. Mr.. Boardman, lv-
ing few miles south of the neutral country, had an
alteration with some of the Indians during the at
ternoon Of last Thursday The Indians left and al
night he retired to rest, as he supposed IN safety
During the night, some one knocked at his door; ne
got up, and as he opened it, he was shot dead BY
Winnebago. An express was sent up to den. ).
K. Fletcher Indian agent, who Immediately gave
information to Captain Sumner, commandment al
Fort Atkinson, Of the fact Of the murder, and also
informed him that the citizens for miles around in
the settlement were armng, determined to take the
law into their own hands. This .vigilant officer,
fearing that the justly offended citizens might IN the
excitement Of the moment, acting without authority,
take unwarrantabe to revenge the death oil
their neighbor, lost not moment for, within an
hour after he received the information although late
in the evening he out detachment Of his COM
paaY, under Lieutenant Pleasanton, with orders to
travel at speed all night and to arrest the murderer or
n6urdlrersl possible, and also to take all Indians
he might find south Of their own lands, and bring
them to the fort.
Whether Lieutenant Pleasanton will arrive in
TINA TO prevent further bloodahed, remains to be
sssn. Not year passes without the blood OF some
Of sopr citizens Is shed by the Winnebagoes; and
murder is now 30 common among them, that when
you hear that one has been committed by Winnie
hAgo, il ID heard as mere matter Of course, being
nofhing mors than was expected.
FROM one OF the mOSt NUMEROUS, OTuVt, anu war
Ike tribes in the Northwest, they have dwindled
down to mere handful Of treacherous, drunken
vsesbonds who neither regard their treaty stipua-
tops; the lights of the whites, even the common
rights Of sAknd among themselves; and all this is
TO b anfihuped 10 the unfortunate positions they
have been pfdced in for the last fifteen or twenty
yearsslways upon the borders of the whites, their
country small, and one or more sides completely
studded with whiskey-shops. They now have no
war-paths hunting trails are hardly known among
them; but the whiskey-trailsare straight, numerous,
and well beaten, and every one made white with the
bleached and bleaching bones of the victims OF in
temperance. Thus, in few years. the white man
will reap rich harvest from the soil MANFRED by
the red mans blood !.
Several attempts have been made TO induce these
Indians to sell, that the government could place
them in more retired country, where the influence
Of the whiskey-barrel could not reach them, and
where the humane efforts of the Indian department
could be carried into successful operations but they
steadily refuse SELL not because they do not know
that they arc going to Decentralization they are well
aware OF that fact-bu because the whskey sellers
wand il 10 entwined around them, and, whenever a
commissioner is sent, brought into such active USE
that they are not le free 10 act for themselves The
chiefs have often requested to 60 to Washington,
where they could think, speak, and act without be.
ing Influenced by those who are destroying them
and their people without mercy; and it is to be
hoped that the honorable commissioner Of Indian
affairs will take the matter under consideration be-
fore is too late for unless something is DONE an
| other Black Hawk war is inevitable. We are so
far from the seat Of government that our situation
cannot be known by the War Department. for, if il
was, this extensive frontier, surrounded by savages
would not have been lefl with only ono company oil
Dragons to defend ii. This company, under the
command Of Capt. Summer, has been on active du-
~, winter and summer, for the last four yeara, al
most without interruption II has been sent to the
Big Salt Lake of the North, in the 48th degree OF
north latitude to the southern part Of Iowa Terrific
ry and from Lake Winnebago to the Missouri riv-
or, and is now le to guard and protect the citizens
of both Wisconsin and Iowa Territories, with only
one officer and its commandant, Capt. Summer, Calls
are made upon him amost every day; and he, or the
officer under him, is out with part of the compa-
ny after Indians most of the time.
Probably one. half of the Winnebagoes are now
east Of the Mississippi river, and about one-fourth
south Of their own country maraudng in the settle
ments Of the whites; although is but about twenty
days since Capt. s. brought them from the south
into their own country. The Winnebagoes have an
active, efficient, and in;e gent agent, Gen. Fletcher
who has done and s doing all in his power to keeI
peace and quiet in the country in concert with Capt
s.; but surrounded, they are, with unprincpled
groe selling fends it is impossible for them to pro
tect either the whites or Indians. hope that thu
general government will turn its attention in this di
recon soon; for il it does not it is to be feared that
if much longer delayed, il will cost milionsof dol
lars and some blood to aliay the fast-swelng tide
| riot, robbery, and murder.
Yours, &c, PEACE.
| PRAIRIE DU CHEN,
Wisconsin Territory, Nov 16, 1s45.
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