The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-10-03
COMM UNICATED.


SAINT PAUL, Sept. 81, 1850.
Col. GooDHuE:-l hand you the follow
ing, which you may publish, if you deem il
wUrth the labor. The writer, Benz. O'Fallon
was at the date of the letter, Indian Agent.
The arrest Of the notorious Col. Dickson,
between the rivers of 81. Peters, Snd 81.
CrOix, wheace he was taken TO ST. Louis,
was az the time considered inportant--as
he had excited n very pernlcious Influence
with the Indians, during the war of 1912,
aud was considered otherwise as an annoy
nncs To our intercourse with the upp
Mississippi Indians. The letter speaks of
70 Lord SeIkirk, the Red River couutry,
and of the inportauee of protecting iht
country, now known as the Territory oi
Minnesota; ''tbe day is not far distant W hen
we shall lnok upon that promising country
as a faYher does upon his fiekls. when they
have been ravaged by Storm" SC. Ii viii
be seen Ivy the letter, that several claimants
of Carver grant. near the Falls of 81. An
ihony, were here, snlicitous to have an in
teryiew with the Indians on the subject Of
their claims, &c. ... ,, &. K. ;.
Extract Of letter to Ninian Edwards, gov
ernor of Illinois territory and superin-
tendent of Indian affairs, dated
PRAIRIE DU CHEN, Feb. l6, 1918.
DEAR SIR,-Although | have not asyet
had any intmatio ofyour having received
my last, | resume my pen TO address you on
a subject which has given me much CON
cern.
You have, presume, heard of lord Sell
kirk having passed through that tract of In
dian country, within the limits of my super
intendence, without authority from az au.
,kn - ho VT,,;tal
sequence of which caused hun To he re-
ported 10 the commanding general at Belle
Fontaine.
On his arrival here, knowing that he must
have had much in his power, was induced
10 put TO him many questions, all Of which
he answered without hesitation, but | an,
fearful without conining himself strictly To
The truth. He told me that he had not co,ln-
selled with an Indian or Indians within our
territory. am informed by both whites
aud reds that he did--that he had invited
the different bands with whom he met To
withdraw from the Americans, desert their
native country, the sod that covers the bones
Of their fathers, and reside in his own,
where they eau listen To The words of the
BRUSH Dirkson who is at this time resid.
ing near The head waters Of the ST. Peters
w hot VI Ou SUPPOSE ~i' htS prtiI
result of the passage through my agency of
this British nnbleman? Two ent,re bands,
and part Of a third, all Sioux, have desert
ed US and joined Dickson, who has di.tri
buted to them large quantities of Indian
present>, together with flags. medals, Sc
Knowing this, what must have been MY
feelings on hearing that his lordship had
met with a favorable reception at Saint
InnIS The k:e
arraral and "generaL Scottish appearance, -
all tend to deconpose me, believing, as |
do, that he is plotting, with his friend Dick
son, our des,ructiou, sharpening the savage
scalping knife, and colonizins a tract %:
country so remote as that of the Red River,
for the purpose, no doubt, of monopolizlnc
the FUR and peItry trade of this river, the
Missouri and their waters--a trade of the
first Importance TO our western states and
territories.
courier who had arrived few days
since, confirms the belief that Dickson is
cndeavoring TO undo what have done.
make steep that hiU oUer rh,ch haze to
climb, secure to the British government
the attt ctlons of the Sioux, and subject the
north west company to his lord>hip's terms
why are you 80 tame so unsu-pectiug,
when cloud is perceptibly gathering to the
north and north west; Why do the head
of departments view with such Indifference
the lndan department, while the Missouri
and northern ludians have vet tn count
their numbers, he sedured by British and
Spanish Influence; and we have YET TO try
their strength! Be assured, sir, the day l.
not far distant " hen We shall look upon that
promising country as farmer does upnn
his firlis hen they have be+n ravaged by
a storm. Say that our government will noi
take more energetic measures in this reinntr
country, and we have only to take a retro
spectve view of what has passed. to prog
nosticate what Is TO come.
Of all the Indians in this quarter, think
the Foxes most disposed for peace, most
inclined to follow the path in which have
placed them, tn inilaIe the whites, and re-
ceive the good effects of civilization.
| have. since | last wrote you, held two
councils with the Sioux Of the plains, and
took occnsion to explain to them the object
of our benevolent government, in establish
ing United States factory at this Place
They appeared to be satisfied that il ~aS
intended solely for the good Of the red
skins.
During my tour through my agency have
discovered among the Indian traders more
of systematic vlllany than could have been
suspected. have found these men, gener-
ally speaking, Indifferent to their country's
Interests, and engrossed in their own. They
have destroyed the object for which the u.
States factory was Intended. Yes, sir, it
is a hun,iliating fact, that most of the lnd-
an traders will sacrifice their country's hon
er, its reputation, for single skim There
are certainly gentlemen among them, but
the number is extremely small.
II is not only those who are called Brit
ish or Macklnaw traders that are in the
habit of secretly annoying us, but, sir, many
OF those who enjoy the liberty ofo bless
ed country, and claim the right of Ameri-
can citizens. With us they are Americans.
among the Sacs they are British, and n
mong the Sioux they are Frenchmen.-lust
as the pulse of the savage heats ,...
Dickson, as have befoIe observed, is sit
mated near the head of St. Peters, to which
place he transports his goods frou, Selkik'-
Red River establishment, in carts made tor
the purpose. The "Trip is performed in FIVE
days--some,imes less. He is directed to
build fort OH the highest land Ietween Lac
du Trayers and Red River, WHICH be sup
poses will he the established line between
the two countries. This fort will be defend