The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-08-22

manifested by the agents of the govern
ment, in carrying out the stIpulttlons Of
solemn treaties after they are made. No
man, sir, should be appointed to the re-
sponsible office of commissioner IN the
part of-the government, TO nv.otiute
with the Indians for the purchase u thcly
lands, unless he be of nigh charac,er.
and possessed Of a practical knswicdg
of the peculiar characteristics of that
race. If the act OF making a treaty Is
not to be looked upon as mere Dlocke-
ny or a, farce, every stipulation coatained
in it, and every pledge made by the au-
thorized agent Of the government, should
be as scrupulously fulfilled as if.tbo ne
COLLATION. had been entered into WIKI .,
sovereign and independent natiof Nay,
sir, the very fact that the weaker party
are powerless to redress theis griey-
ances, and are entirely dependeat upon
the sense of justice of the oihor party,
appeals strongly 20 this government to
avoid even the appearance of i desire
to shrink from the per:ormanco 81 rs
obligations, voluntarily incurred re
gret to say that such magnaulmity "a
this is too seldom displayed. On me
contrary, when commissioners arc ap-
pointed who do not reside on HE from
tier, and who haye little or No synpa-
thy with the Indians, they do %, hest
tate to overcome the natur8 repu1-
nance of the sayages 10 part yi,A their
lands, by making promises which thay
know will never be performed, bt vhicli
the poor victims believe TO be made II
good faith. The commissioner. having
accomplished their object by obtaining
the signature Of the chiefs, Plune them
selves upon having made a favorable
treaty, leaving the miserable sasages ty
find out in due time that they have becD
betrayed and deceived. Th:s first
breach of faith. is, of course, charges
upon the government itself. There
then arises another just cause CC COM
plant. The treaty stipulations, albeit
they have been duly sanctioned nv the
Senate, are not fulfilled Twill venture
the assertion, that not one in ten If the
treaties made will be found to have been
carried out in good faith Iftncp were,
sir, your streets would not be thr0nred
every year with delegations fro distant
bands, to seek justice at the hands, Of
their Great Father Yea. o:d men
making weary and toilsome pigrlteagas
of thousands Of miles, to supplicato that
their righteous claims may not be longer
diSregarded. "
"When commissioners are appointed
who do not reside on the froiticr ard
have little or no sympathy witt 1lc In
dams" Here is the true secret of the
bad and inefficient policy of tn govern
ment in relation to the Indian tribes --
Strangers to thern-persons from distant
states of the Union-who pertaps never
saw an Indian, and who know nothing
of Indian character, or of lnd,an wants.
are sent among them to "deal wisely
with them," instead of appoint men
on the spot who know somethips of the
locality, of their duties, and OF the per
sons with whom they have to dcag Men
who reside among or near tn I0Gians,
should be appointed to treat W. tneal.
From the manner in which the Govern
ment has treated the territorics for sew
eral years-indeed since We have had
territorial governments-it would seem
that the people in them, tn white "a
well as the red skins, were all cousid-
cred savages. Rarely has a man bceL
found among them fit to hold office, b1t
strangers having no sympathy nd, inter
est In common with them, havq been
sent to govern them without theEr con
sent. The custom was, perhaps, weIi
enough in the early age of tn Repub-
lie, when all the talent was in the Old
states, but it is totally inappicahle 10
the present day (; the shrewdest. most
enterprising and efficient men We have
nowadays, are in the new state and
territories.
On the subject of bestowing u,ou the
Indian civil privileges and educating
his children, MIR. S. says:
Sir, give to the wandering saIaee a
home secured to him by law. and YOU
will have done much to redeem him
You thereby begin the process Of dena-
tionalization. and the end will be ms IL
corporation into the American family.
Meanwhile bestow upon him civil priv
ieges, withholding political rights, untd
he is sufficiently advanced to appsecIlts
their enjoyment. Establish manual-
labor schools for the education Of has
children IN the useful arts, and in tho
English language. and afford him at the
same time the blessings of religious IN
struction. Insist that all the children.
as they arrive at a suitable age, shall
attend these schools, and let t6em be
kept as much as possible from the de
moralIzing influences with which theP
are now surrounded. The annuities %"
the different bands will, of courst. con
tinue to be divided as they nov arc. ps4.
capita, and each individual vha is the
head OF family, will thus receive the
means to aid him in his endcators 10
meliorate his condition. Adont these
inclpient measures, and thus prepare
the way for the reception of the Indian
as an equal into your communitv. You
will thereby relieve him from tn lucuhu.