The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-06-16


the eliedged fraud upon the Sioux Indians, and will
We are grati6ed to know that the investigation Of
this matter will be had here where al the facts may
be reached and all the attendant circumstances may
be understood-and it is also gratifying to know that
tho head Of the Indian Department in this Territory.
the person occupying the position now, which Gov.
Ramsey occupied at the time the fraud is said to
have been committed is the person designated by the
Department to conduct this investigation, not only
because we believe he will be guided strictly by
sense Of justice toward all interested, t because his
position affords opportunity Of looking at the facts
from the same point Gov. Ramsey viewed them, and
because his knowledge Of the Indian character and
the wants and interests Of this Territory will enable
him to appreciate the sacrifice made by the traders
for the purpose 81 Securing The Contamination Of
those treaties which involved the very existence Of
this Territory.
Although very much regret that this investiga-
ton has become necessary to the refutaton Of the
vest SANDERS which ever promulgated against
men enjoying the confidence Of the people Of the
Territory and Of the General Government, circulated
for the purpose Of destroying the political influence
Of the Hon. II. H. Sibey with the incoming admin
istraon and thereby securing the advancement of the
personal interests Of the authors Of those SANDERS
Yet Of the individuals interested in the appro-
pratons made by the Sioux treaties for the payment
Of the old debts Of the Indians 10 the traders, we
know that the Investigation will clearly prove the
people Of this Territory and to the world that the
J ho,f th
made sacrifice of large sum of their own money
10 the final ratification Of these treaties and we
feel proud TO reflect that contributed our proper
ton for the attainment Of an object SO important to
the interests of the Territory.
Without reverting to any expenditure made BY the
traders out Of the Territory, let suppose for one mo-
tina, they had made no sacrifice for The attain
ment of the sanction by the Indians Of the amend
ments made by the u. s. Senate to the treaties
Every person acquainted with the subject knows that
without heary expenditure of money and the greatest
exerons the part Of the traders and mixed boods
the assent to the amendments would MT have been
obtained from the Indians, and every one ought to be
did not appropriate for that purpose and the
department at Washington expressly notified the SUI
perintendent here, incur any expense even for
the assemblage OF the Indians. To the traders and
mixed bloods them is the Territory indebted for the
sanction Of the Indians to the amendments made by
the Senate, which sanction involved the success of
the entire treaties.
Now let us for one moment look al the probable
consequences that would have resulted from failure
TO secure the sanction of the Indians to the amend
ments Of the Senate. AT tina. time large population
had already occupied the country ceded by the treaty,
Many had invested their all in the improvement, OF
land which they believed they had night to occupy
and improve. Would those occupants Of that Ia nd
have removed peaccablY from their improvement s
Ii they had refused to would the Indians
have quietly permitted the settlement and occupancy
of their lands by persons whom they knew were most
anxious to drive them from their Gvori,e locations 3!
To these questions we emphatically answer, No! The
settlers would have persisted in the occupancy Of a
country m ich The Iadiqns had 10 USE and the Indians
would have endeavored by the means in their POWER 10
annoy the settlements Mutual dislike would have
ensued, and this moment instead Of the friendly
feelings which exist between the whites and Indians
of the Territory, there would Ike raging in all its hor-
ror bloody between them; many families
would have been killed and scaped, aud the blood
and treasure of our country would be in course Of
expenditure in an unius,iabIe war with the Sioux
The defeat Of the Indians, and the pcaceaJle occu-
pancy Of the country would have been the final result
we know, because the weakness of the Indians could
withstand the strength of our Government but
the business Of this Territory would have been par
ayzed and It's prosperity retarded beyond all calcula-
ton. Instead Of the prosperous commerce Of the
Territory that exists, cur steamers which are
now engaged in the carrying trade Of the Mississippi
and Minnesota, freigbted with hardy immigrants aud
their supplies, seeking peaceful home on the uxu-
rent and heathul soil of our Territory would have
been eig GIFTED only with troops and munitions of
forwarded by the General Government for the pupose
Of Furnishing the Indians for attempting to protect
tteneltes from the upjustifabe aggressions of the
whites.
This may all appear improbable to many, brit
from knowledge Of the feelings of the VIII
and Of the Indians at The time, we feel confident that
the failure of the treaties would have resulted in
war with the Sioux. The laboss and expenditures
Of the traders secured to the Territory all the benefits
which may result from the nogoaton and ratification
Of the Sioux treaties for which those who contributed
most largely were most literally denounced as "Mn-
nesota Galphins," "NIen who defrauded the IN
dians,' &c, Sc, embracing all the Billings gate
which fsh-rnarket education could suggest to
minds devoid of every feature of honesty or proby,
and governed entirely by selfish and personal motives.
ii is useless for men assert that this is matter
with which have nothing to do--that it is an in
vestigation instituted by democratic administration,
into frauds alledged to have been committed ty plag
officials under u,ag administration. l: never was
so understood-was intended to be so under
stood. The whole intended TO he understood as
fraud perpe,rated on the Indians by Mr.. sibey,
and others, his particular personal and political
friends, and that they had bribed Gov. Ramsey to
assist in the consumma.ion Of that fraud. The re-
cord shows that to have been the charge submitted
II Al r