The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1852-08-21

Indians had commenced buying, with
their annuities, small farms with view
OF permanent settlement. Their children
We're being educated, and they surround
Ing themselves with thousand comforts
!nat were unknown to their old rowing
lie; when about two years ago an order
was issued from the Indian Department
1or The removal of their Agency from La
fointe to Sandy Lake on the Mississippi;
ana as consequence the Indians were to
follow or lose their annuities. At the
same time the Offices of Government
farmer, carpenter and blacksmith were
abolished on the Lake, and they were de-
MED the use, all at once, of the Govern
ment farming and mechanical utensils.
The Indians protested against this breach
OF good faith on the part of the Govern
ment' and petition after petition went
from the Indians and the whites along the
Lake for reconsideration of the unjust
and unwise order; but all as yet to no
purpose. The Agency was removed at
an immense and useless expense to the
Government-the Indians from the Anse
and other places would not give up their
homes and their privileges for the mere
plttance that the Government doled out
TO them in the shape of annuities, and for
two years they have received little or
nothing from the annual payments pleds-
ed to them by their Great Father o
Without entering further into the partic-
ulars of this miserable affair, we take the
liberty to say that the practice of the
Government of late toward the Indians
mas been directly opposed to its long es-
tablished policy. An awful wrong has
been committed, and the Government
should see to it, that this foul stain on
our national name be forthwith removed.
Let the Government inquire into the
cause OF this order for their removal, and
inquire who is benefited by this inius-
tice; let the acts of her Agents and her
Agents Agents be fully and thoroughly
scanned, till it is seen at whose door lies
the blame for this disgraceful proceed
ving.
Althoug h the Indians need their annu-
ltles for the purpose of buying homes
and educating their children, the great
majority of them will sooner lose them
than remove 10 the Mississippi. If the
Government wishes to exterminate them
outright, she should force them into this
removal, but if it still be her policy TO
elevate their condition, to do what will
be for their present and everlasting well
fare, this order for their removal will vet
be reconsidered, and more humane
course be adopted. Many of the Indians
-f Al
and some of them the English language.
Father Baraga, of the Catholic Mission.
has recently published grammar of the
"Otchipwe Language" work of $40
pages, which is likely to be Of service in
the study of their language. He is now
engaged at lexicon, which, like the
Grammar, will be the most extensive ever
published in the Chippewa language
The first part is now ready for the press,
and contains oil manuscript pages he
has done considerable at the second part,
and thinks he will have it ready for pub
LEGATION in year from this time.
Here is another one of the numerous
exhibitions of ignorance in regard to In
dian affairs in the West, which we daily
see manifested by Eastern editors. The
editor of the Lake Superior Journal
doubtless had mofiue in writing the
above article, and that motive was moi the
present and eventual welfare of the Indi-
ans. Those as convcrsant with such
matters as are our home readers, need
not be told what that motive was. 1t is
only necessary TO note with what stress
he dwells upon the fact, that the pay
m,ents are no longer made at La Pointe.-
"Aye, there's the rubr' But the article is
copied into the New York Tribune
from which we extract it-and other
Eastern papers of philanthrophic or re-
ligious disposition, as a glaring instance
of the brutality of the Government and
Government officers towards the Indians.
The reverse is exactly the fact. The re-
moval of the Agency and the Indians
from Lake Superior is an act strictly in
accordance with treaty stipulations, and
undoubtedly greatly for the ultimate bene-
fit Of the Chippewas. The idea that
they will be more open TO debasement by
the presence of evil influences among the
far-off wilds about the sources of the
Mississippi, than at their old homes, is
sail in your eye" The very position
of the shores Of Lake Superior, situated
so much farther east, and within the bor-
ders of a rapidly populating State, contra
diets the presumption ehectually.
WAsHINGroN, Aug. 6.
The Washington papers of this n. NJ,
publish telegraphic dispatches received
n - ~