The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-12-29

servation, where they would form connecting link
between the white and the Indian that would
doubtless promote the interests Of both.
CHIPrEwAs.-Thc Lake Superior Journal pub !
lishei article which has beem copied into several
papers east, relative to the removal Of the Chippewa
Indians from the coded lands Lake Superior, and
usual with certain class OF writer's, accusing the
agents Of government with assisting the traders
to do an act Of very great injustice to those Indians
by inducing the Government to remove them to their
lands on the Mississippi. One Of the uninitated, to
read the article, would I've led TO suppose that gross
outrage had been perpetraed against those Indians
through the nstrument,y Of the agents and traders,
that the removal of the Indians from their pleas
ant locations the shore Of Lake Superior to the
% barren gion Of Sandy Lake" designed solely
TO enable certain traders reap a rich harvest from
their annuity payments.
1t has been policy of the Government, steadily
pursued since 1928, to ex,insuish the Indian title to
all lands east of the Mississippi, and TO locate the
Indians west of that river. As link in the chain Of
that policy the Government, in lSl9, extinsushed
the Indian title to large tract of mining country on
Lake Superior, and the removal Of the Indians from
the land was provided for in the treaty. The settle
mcnt of the land coded under that treaty
however did not progress very rapidly, and mining
operations did not prove lucrative those who did
locate tina: they should be Satisfied to lose parci-
patton in the annuity trade with those Indians
Hence the strong opposition to the exer,ons Of the
of ,i,a a. III
and hence the howl now at the imputed gross injus
tice Of the attempt to remove them.
Ii is facs, well established by experience that
the Indian and the white mau cannot dwell togcth-
err in unity" and in nothing has the phanthropic
justice OF our Government been more apparent than
in the removal Of Indians from land. TO which the
Indian title has been cxiingushed before they became
contaminated by intercourse with the whites on the
ceded lands. In every instance where Indians have
been permitted to remain among the white settlements,
they have become and more degraded, they
lose the respect they naturally feel for the superior
intelligence OF the wh.s, and in retaliation for the
frequent receptions practiscd upon them, commit
dePredatons which exaggerated and treasured up
by the whites, and finally feeling Of dstrust, dislike
and even ennty becomes deeply seated in the breasts
OF both, that separation alone prevent open hos
Titles between them. The history of the Winneba
goes or the Foxes, feel satisfied is satisfactory
proof OF our position on this subject
The removal of the Chippcwas, as well as all
cther Indians, from the coded land. should he effected
as early as possible 1t is demanded by the best in
'erests OF the Government, by the ultimate comfort
and prosperity Of the Indians, and by strict Justice
toward those mprovideni people, and we think that
the opposition from persons Lake Superior the
removal Of those Indians 90 calls for a strict and
thorough investigation, and the aders and abetters Of
this Infamous scheme whether they be in high places
Or low, should be brought to account and the Gov
ernment should be warned against schemes of this
kind
We are that the Indians have strong attach
ments TO old haunts and old hunting grounds, and
therefore few evil disposed indv iduals can thwart
the efforts of the Government, officers in their attempts
to remove a tribe or band Of Indians from coded
lands, but we are also aware that this attachment
grows with tine, becomes stronger as the nnov
Of the whites increase, and uit matev the right TO
occupy their villages. their camping grounds, and
even their scanty fields, becomes a subject Of
dispute, in which the Indians invariably dnd them
selves the losers.
Without the Interference Of interested individuals
Indians be removed with but little difficult, to the
places selected by Government for their homes but i,
should bc done promptly. The late removal of the
Sioux clearly demonstrates what can be done BY
prompt action, and we will ask any candid man, con-
versan with the facts, if the present prospects OF
the Sioux are not far better than il they were still
among the white settlements. When the pay
ments we're made in the vicinity of the settlements
poisonous article Of whisky formed a large item OF
trade with the annuity money, Dot the last payment
not an Indan intoxicated and it is believed
no liquor taken to the Indian reserve For this
the officers of the Indian department, in the Territory
deserve much credit.
But TO return to the subject Of the Chippewa re-
moval. The settlements on the shores of Lake ST.
pcrior arc yet sparce, and the disbursement of few
thousand dollars the Indians in the vicinity OF the
settlements compensates for the little annoyances the
whites may receive from the Indians But that coun-
try is filling up, in short time there will he room
for both the whites and the Indians. The dsbur Sc
nens will cease to be object in comparison to the
peace and quiet Of the setters-the onward progress
and permanent prosperity of the Lake Shore country
Then will these same philanthropic gentlemen call
upon the Government in simple justice the Indians
and to the country, TO them TO the region re-
served for them. Then will this same Lake SUPERIOR
Journal denounce the tardy movements of Govern.
ment accuse the agents Of joining with traders" to
njure the country and ruin the Indans and will pa
thetically call upon the Government to relieve the
Lake Shore settlements from the presence of the
Red men.
Will not the Indians have the same objections to
removing then now will not their former haupts
be as dear to them! Yes, and in addition they will
have mbibed many evil habits, drunkenness probably
the greatest. in which they will know they cannot in
dulge at their location which will form new OH
jections to their removal They have been enabled,
through the assistance of the whites, to resist the
Government successfully once they will hope to do so