The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-01-07

Tar worse Consequences than any possible event.
be feared, by letting them have small strip, on
that river II affirm 10 the governmental the.
best protection thatcan possibly be civ en- to the
frontier people, from the Indian depredattuns,
is to let the agency, schoOl-houses. BLACKSMITH
shops, farms, missions and traders, be front on
the mississippi river, and the Indians back.
Thus the agent will be within reach of the set
Elements. and can keep the Indians back. With
out this Indians will roam about at will; and it
is not so much the fault of the Indian, because
they are invited over to the white settlements
to trade.
The land they have got is only fit for Indians
except perhaps u strip Oh the Mississippi river
and some prairics. The land they give the
government is by far the most valuable to the
white man. The Grow river country abounds
in wild rice in great abundance, and beautifully
supplied with game. They therefore cannot say
hereafter. that the government has not given
them 4 country of their Orn choice For the
reason that this administration has done what
the last tried TO do. but failed, you may perhaps
hear a few of these persons complain that the
WinnebagOeS are being brought too near them.
This is q shameless excuse. when one year ago
the same men asked ii to be done. Therefore.
should the government refuse TO confirm the
exchange, here say, the Winnebagocs are dis
integratcd forever. and must become shortly
mere wandering trespassers. without hope for
all future time. They feel that the government
solemniy promised il 10 them in the treaty of
1876. and if any ciriiised nation OF the world
held such u pledge by treaty from US. VIC would
not degrade ourselves before the world so much
rs to permit it to be instituted that we refused
to comply with it.-fhcse Indians know their
rights. cat they dare not tell them ike great
nations with whom we have treaty relations
would do.
take great pleasure in referring you to the
able report of agent Fletcher on various sub
jects connected with his agency: and | take
great pleasure in saying of him that he is pre-
em;neutly fitted for his station-honest faithful
and Of strict integrity; and let me say, that al
honest man, as Indian agent. is the only safe
guard to these children of nature. The Winnie
bagoes say of Gen. Fletcher, well, we are
glad he is back to us; he will scold us sometimes
but he tcW not Steai.'
My recommendation are found in the first
part of this report briefly stated. if srnng out
this report it will not be read and perhaps ought
not.
have the honor to say that agents Herman
and Murphy are both honest faithful and capa-
hlc. Agent Murphy has by far the most oncr-
Gus duties to perfOm of any agent under my
superintency.
The facts proven in the investigation Of alieg-
ed frauds against ext;oy Ramsey justify me-. in
this report, in saying that although the trca-
ties OF 1851 declared that SZ7500O tor the Sis
sctOns and Wahpa-tOan Sioux, and 1920, 900 for
Mcdawa Kautoan and Wapacooty Sioux should
be paid to the chiet> as they in open council
should request" and the chiefs of these bands
did in open coucil request, again and again of
Gov. Ramsey that the said money should be
paid to them in their own hands yet it uas not
50 paid, but mostly paid to their traders against
their protests and circumstances made kiown
in every way an Indian can make anything
known to government agents. Therefore. it is
not remarkable TO hear deep and bitter muir
mnr!ng by them against the treatment they
think they have received; and | shall feel it my
duty. at some future time. to ask You IL let a
rery fer Of these chiefs Come to see the presi-
dent on this matter.
! can only carry out the treaty, and remove
them to their new homes. where they are going
with deep seated conviction that they have
been deeply wronged.
! am, with high regard Your obedient servant
W. 4. GORMAN
Gov. and Sup Indian Affairs.
Z COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Washington City. d. &.