The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-08-02
COMMUNICATED.
For the Pioneer.


TO THE EDITOR OF THE PIONEER;
The Winnebago payment has just come
off, at which there was a general pOWOw
among the great men of the nation. A
grand council was held prior to the pay
kOn, One Eyed DacOrah and the Prophet
made speeches TO their new father lthe
Governor
Little Hill led off in long speech, having
first promised that his father (the Governor)
would be tired of bearing him before he got
through. After calling attention to many
matters Of importance which he desired
should be looked into, be particularly re-
quested that the Forty Thousand Dollars,
which was appropriated to remove them to
this country and to pay their debts, should
be looked after. He said that {" all he knew
of it was, that his people had been removed /;
hut their debts were not paid, although they
(the Indiansl had signed the paper for the
money" He wound up 10y saying that " the
Winnebagoes had been said to he very
case, for had they been so, they would have
killed their present father (Gen. Fletcher)
long ago. He hoped that so soon as their
present payment was oyer they would have
the pleasure of taking their present agent
| by the hand and bidding him farewell for
! ever. He desired above all things that IL
new agent should be sent them"
Winneshik followed, recounting in sly
but forciblc manner indian poverty, their
wrongs and grievances. He said sthe great
father sent them much provisions but he did
not know what becomes of them. This he
did know; that they were hungry, very hum
cry and had it not been for the Long Claws,
Ohe traders.) they certainly would have
starved last winter" He summed up his
complaints by demanding redress for the
past aud indemnity for the future.
| Waukon's speech was principally COM
plants of their new home. He said sour
father (the Governor) has seen our country,
he kno,cs achat 1t is. The brush is SO thick
we cannot get into it and if we could, the
ground is so soft we could not stand upon
it. There is no game in our country, it is
J fit for nothing but frogs, reptiles and mus
quitoes.
"Father, am an old man, too old to
hunt; but sometimes amuse myself by fish
ing. | hope you will allow me to go to the
Mississippi and fish during the summer.'
One Eyed DacOrah opened his speech by
saying {" certainly the Great Spirit had for
gotten them and turned them over to their
white brethren for protection" He pointed
to Mr.. Lowry, their former agent, and said
when he was our father we had plenty to
eat, but since then their stomachs had never
been fiIed.''
The Prophet, who by the way is.a regu
lar fourth of July orator, and possessing
more of the orr gInal character of the savage
than any one among them, came with com
plants loudly vociferated and strongly press
ed against their present agent, General
Fletcher.) He said che was afraid they
could restrain their young men no longer
from doing him personal harm. He was
afraid that in spite of all they could do, some
of them would kill him. He knew it would
make great trouble with their great father
at Washington, which he wished to avoid.
He wished a new agent might he sent, so
they could avoid any unhappy collisions"
! Counselling now done, it was agreed that
the payment should he made next day.
Early next day found all hands convened and
matters going on apparently, very smoothly.
When all Of a sudden the Prophet, assun-
/ ing Ciceronian attitude, demanded another
hearing. All hands were on tip-toc-a sti-
fled how-hOw-how went round among the
Indians. The lockers on looked at each
other with suspicious glances, rs much as to
say | would rather he little farther off at
present. The Prophet said, I" he had an
other claim to make he demanded that
eacn fauef Sboutu De maze 10 pay yearly
three, four or five thousand dollars for the
timber they used, the ground they occupied
and other privileges enjoyed among the
Winnebago nation" He said, }" unless this
was attended to they acoutd hear bad ne,Vs. %
Here, the agent Gen. Fletcher) interposed
and told The Prophet, sunless he took that
threat back he would box up their money
and not pay them one cent until he heard
! from the great father, The Pronhet rp
piled by saying, "h he had spoken,' and
walked off &c as large as life and twice as
NATURAL" The agent then demanded that
the other chiefs should take back the bad
news" threat. They said they did not au-
thorize the Prophet to make it. So ended
the matter i'm smoke; and the payment was
! then made, the Indians receiving $l8 per
capita.
Our readers will bear in mind that the
Winncbagoes always make loud complaints
against their Agent for the time being; and
especially if the Agent is thorough, efficient
officer.