The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-10-24
From the Christian Advocate and Journ,
Indian AmelioratiOn.


The fact that the North American Indians are
destined 10 externinavon, seems 10 be the result
to which all minds are forced We'll will it be
for our Federal Government, if conviction t'
which It's treatment of the Indians may have CON
tributed, should not b. construed into a sufficient
reason for Fastening on it, .inal realization.
Ixo great questions naturally arise IN the mind
of the Christian. the statesman, and the philan-
thropist, in relation TO the present condition, and
the ,t.qre prospects, Of our native lndiln tribes.
The first, what is the of their rapid decline:
and the second, what means, ifany, can be adopt
ed t. arrest 1t! Whether, God, IN IN his Inscruta
BILE providence, may have determined the final
annlhilation of the American Indians u race OF
men we do not undertake to say. If the fact
were settled, it would by no means excuse the
fastening of such doom upon the part of our
government, or the neglect of Christians aud phi
lanthropistS III the of means to retard it, and
to endeavor TO ameIiorate the condition Of once
noble, but now degraded and devoted people.
Sure ne are that God of infinite Justice has
not decreed that our Indian brethren shall only
be utterly neglected, but also be hunted down.
despolied of their possessions and their rights as
men, and out.awed, by those who surround them,
and happen to be the stronger party. God DOOM
ed his ancient people to punishment, but he did
not consequently approve OF the couduct Of those
who were the instruments Of inictng that pun
ishment. Though he may haye doomed the In
diaus to extinction, he will hold US to a lust ac-
couniabiiIty Tor all the wrongs we lnhct upon
them, and the seltishness and cruelty which are
the d rect instruments of accomplishing that end.
We, however, do not conce,le that there is any
such inyiucible necessity of the anticipated fate
of the red man as is supposed. We believe at
least that may be greatly mitigated and long post
poned, and that il is the duty of the government,
and OF the church, TO use all such means as will
have tendency 10 accomplish SO benevolent and
desirable an object. We must saw, and we say
with deep regret, that the policy Of the govern
ment with the Indians has not been characterized
by those humane and Christian considerations
which the civilized world mas had reason to ex-
pect of the American Government, and which
can no more be abandoned by Governments than
by individuals, without ncurring the dlspIeasure
Of the righteous Sovereign of the world.
Justice would require of the government, when
ii had taken possession Of their hunting-grounds
and in the form Of reserves, allowed them such
an amount Of territory as they might be presumed
10 need for purposes Of cultivation that they should
have heen protected from the ravages of specnla
tors and sWindlcrs, and, under the instructions of
missionaries and teachers, afforded by the Chris
tlan herHy Of the Churches, become gradually
civilized ard ChristianiZed, and have remained
10y the graves cf their fathers until they should
become capable of citizenship, and should be ele-
waited to the dignity of men. The policy of re-
m0riHg them to the uncultivated wllls of the
West--conceived under the administration OF Mr..
Monroe and adopted aud carried out under tha,
of General Jachson--is steadily going on, and the
''poor Indian only finds a resting place for the
sole Of his foot for brief period. He no sooner
takes possession of his new home than up comes
the tide OF white emigration, and dashes against
him It's terrible and hated waves until he is com.
PEELED to leave his wigwam and his imperfectIv
cultivated plot of ground, and take his Journey
again towards the setting sun, with but little hope
OF finding permanent home anywhere short Of
the dismal gulf Of annhiation, Now the pro-
cess of pushing of the Indians, has commenced
upon the shores of the Pacific and the poor crea-
tnres left with the forlorn hope of brief
pause among the SHOWS and Businesses Of the
Rocky Mountains preparatory 10 the final winding
up Of their history.
BY the polteness of the Hon Charles Durkee,
Member of Congress from WISCONSIN, We have
been furnished with copy Of the speech of Hon.
III. IT, Sibley, of Minnesota. on the Territories
and our Indian relations, delivered in the House
Of Representatives, August ,. 1880. We have
read tins sensible speech with great pleasure
We truly gratified that ''lhe House has
taken the time 10 listen 10, at least, one speech
during us protrac,ed session, which is of IA uuiy
national ch4ra ter, aud every way worthy Of u
of "a portion OF the American peo-
pie. We do not mean to insinuate that there has
been but one speech deserving TO be considered
in such a light; but do mean to be understood
as intImating that such speeches have been quite
too ''few and far between
The representative from Minnesota, declares il
gs.p ,t,. ,t,. IL
who have been removed to the west Of the Mis-
sssippi, there are very few who entertain kind
feelings towards this Government The reason
for this state of things, he says SIS to be found in
the defective manner ia which treaties are neso-
tiated with them, III the unfitness of the individ-
uals too often selected commissioners, aud the
little regard manifested by the agents of the Gov
IN carrying out the s,puations Of solemn
treaties after they made This statement is
Illuminating to any American citizen who has a
proper Of wint belongs to a natons faith
and honor, but we have little doubt but that it is
iearfuiiy true
According to this gentleman, under the process
OF governmental action, there 'are concentrated
upon our western border, hordes Of savages, w no
are all more or less iinbued with feelings OF dis
trust and hatred towards the whites, which are
only kept from manifes,ing themselves bv fear
. u
this same cause does the gentleman attribute sal
the Indian wars which the Government has had
in hand, or 'are likely to occur hereafter
To the unjust and oppressive policy of the Gov
ernment Mr. Slbley attributes, in great measure,
the constant diminution of the numbers of the
Indians, and their more complete degradation. In
the language Of 81 former eminent member of this
House, he says: 'The Indian is called by the
endearing name of brother; and he il told that
we are religiously bound by the most sacred in
functions TO do unto others as We wish that others
may do unto Us; at the same time we exclude
him frou any participation in the benefit of our
social and civil institutions. We treat the whole
race as if they were not the descendants of Adam,
and thus we battle and tantalize The Christian
who abors for their moral and religious instruc-
ton; and hence the deluded hopes Of many wise
and pious clergymen, whose efforts in their behalf
however unavailing, reflect upon them the high
est honor The Indian, at loss to reconcile the
friendly professions Of the Chri stan, who labors
Tor has moral and religious improvement, with the
cruel treatment inflicted upon him by the Govern
menf. doubts the sincerity of the Christian, his
jeaiouses and suspicious are excited, and the
most bitter enmity to the whites rpnkles in his
BOSOM
Thus, Mr.. Sibley maintain ins, and rendered near
iy powerless the efforts Of the missionaries who
labor in the Northwest, while he bears a most
frank and honorable Testimony TO the zeal and
cons,ancy with which they have labored' He
fur her SIR .h,