The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-01-17
An INDIAN SPEECH.

be sacred.'
An INDIAN SPEECH.
The following speech was addressed, in
Council held few days since, by One
Eyed Dakara, a Winncbago Chief, to Gov.
Ramsey:
FATHEE-You have been long time
near us. You have travelled over Our
country. 1ou arc we'll acquainted with
it and with lis. You know we have Civ
en- our Great Father, yourself, and our
agent much trouble. Can you learn
robin to swim ? can You make fish con-
tented on dry land and spare its life -
You cannot; neither can YOU make lis
contcntcd in the country we now occupy.
1t is good one, very valuable to the
white man. A part Of it covered with
tall pine trecs-all Of the balance, except
two small prairics is covered with maple,
OAK and other timber. Pure water is
found in abundance. Yet we do not like
it; we have been brought up Oil the prai-
RES, and cannot sit with happy hearts in
the shade. The two small praries are
more than two days travel apart-to 90
from one to the other we are compclied
to travel through the country Of our
white brothers, which is full of iire-wa-
ter. Neither prairie is large enough for
our entire trlbc-wc are forced to serer-
ate; this separation causes much trouble
we want to be mitcd-our tribe has
been broken TO pieces, part is on the
Missouri River; struggling parties arc to
be found from the Grow Wing River, on
the Mississippi, to the mouth of the Wis
consin, from the mouth of the Wisconsin
to its head waters. Some are on the bor-
ders Of Lake Michigan. and others arc III
the valley of Rock River, and a few arc
eating roots near the Desmoins River
We are miserable, our misery makes lis
bad and we give you trouble We now
live i'll a country through which runs the
war path Of the Sioux and Chippcwas.
They will not be at peace with each 9TH
cr-lhelr war parties cndarger the lives
of cur women and children-they make
our old men afraid. We are at peace
with all tribes and wish to remain So
But how can VIC as we are now situated?
We cannot restrain our young men; we
arc between two fires. and we call upon
you to assist lis. The game is fast going
TO the spirit land we know that we must
pant and receive our support from our
mother, the earth, or die. We want a
country covered with grass and flowers,
that we can cut open and receive its
milk to feed our women and children,
one where we can sec the sun risc-onc
that will enable us to gather the remnants
OF our people once more together, that
we may have but one car and one tongue.
South Of us you have purchased a large
country from the Sioux, much of it is
without timber, we want q small piece of
it and will give in exchange the country
we now own.
Father: our cid men say that they have
given the whites much of the country
watercd by the great river; all the coun-
try that feeds the Wisconsin and Rock
Rivers, and a large piece running from
the Mississippi to the Desmoines that
the Great Father asked for it and they
gave it. We now ask Il small favor
OltC " CiluUlC us OllCC more 10
unite around our council fres-onc that
will prevent us from. becoming strangers
to each othcrs-and one that will enable
us to live until the Great Spirit calls lis TO
the country of life. We do not ask it
for nothing, we are willing TO pay all our
Great Father may ask.
Father, you know that we arc not
happy-you know tibet we have thought
of this long ago-that we have counselled
together for many moons-and we now
show You our hearts. We have told all
to our Father. the agent, sent us last sum-
mer, he smiled upon us and warmed our
hearts, but said we must speak TO you.-t
He has brought lis to see your face; we
now give You our talk and hope that the
Great Spirit will help you hear and ena-
bic you to help us.
Father, we have done, shall VIC live
and die together, Or must we wander and
our bones be scattered among strangers?
-~--~-~~-----~~---,~.-~~-
The Lead Region is made up of 8
townships in Iowa, 10 in Illinois, and 62