The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-03-09
For the Pioneer.
The Capitalization Of the Dak0tas.

The Capitalization Of the Dakotas.
LAcQuI PARLE, !
Feb, 9th 1854. I
When Major Murphy asked my opinion in regard
to the policy % bringing down the WahpctanWans
and Sisi,onwans OF Lacqui Parc and Lake Tray.
ersse, and concentrating them at or about Redwood,
l replied, il you wish to destroy them as quickly
possible, do So" wish in this communication,
to present some resons for this opinion, and il pos
sble, TO induce the powers that be- TO alter, Or
a, least modify, their plan Of collecting these Indians
together.
Ia several letters published in the Pioneer last
spring, endeavored to show that the community
system among the Dakstas operates BADLY, and should
be broken up. But, IL / mistake not, the plan Of
concentrating them, at any given point, in large
body, 1t carried out, must necessarily tend 10 foster
and strengthen this SYSTEM and to work for the
poor Dakotas still more sad results Our experience
in the country fully satisfies that the great hope
Of this civilization rests in separating and ndivid
ualining them. large field, ploushed and fenced
Tor them IN common. will fail to present motives for
indiv dual exerton. There is in this case very
liule personal and individual responsibility ieit-
The woman may say of the little portion she plants
+" this is my patch but the cannot say OF IT,
" this is my field II is sometimes instructive to
notice how the property feeling develops ITSELF when
acting under the restraints Of the common stock
principle. Scarlet face wants TO plant larger piece,
but her garden is hemmed in all sides by others.
Rsd-oloud, concludes not TO plant this YEAR. but he
has some share in tho fence that surrounds the COM
mon field, and 1t is convenient 10 take away part
Of the rails TO burn. Round-thundtr's wife has
raised but little corn, and having eaten il all up
before their neighbours have finished, they purposly
leave the fence down, or turn their horses IN by
night, that their share of the stocks may be lost.
Ii will he a wonder il the does not suffer. -
Hs-bg fire desires to plant potatoes, but f he does
so, they will all I've stolen by those who have planted
nothing but corn. So it goes The common field
begets only common responsibility, which fails to
protect it, and holds out motives to industry and
improvement. And the greater the number together
the worse it is IN this respect. How much better
would II he 10 separate them, and encourage each
one to make as large field possible, and raise a
variety of vegetables!
Another fact worthy Of consideration is, that the
land plou3hed for the Dakotas at Redwood and Vel
low Medicine, is, as am informed, all on the hsh
prairies and unless expei fence at Lacqui Par lie
bellies the counry, the upland prairie cannot be de-
pended upon for good corn crop. Ii produces the
finest potatoes in the world and her vegetables
but will not grow corn, except in wet seasons. The
bottoms and low lands make the best corn fields in
this part Of Minnesota.
But il possible still serious injury will
accrue to these Indians from being drawn together,
than that arising from The community system. Every
one. who is at all acquainted with the habits Of the
Dakotas, knows that the greater number there are
together, the more idleness, the gambling, the
more baplayns, the more dancing, the feast
ing, the more women hunting there is and consc-
quenty the less disposition there is to labor Cor their
own others benefit. This has been the down-hiil
experience Of the Mdewakantonwans for the last
sixteen years. Hence my remark, that II the desire
is TO destroy them s possible, ] knew Of no
surer way Of doing it, than by taking the Sisiton-
vans and Nahpetonwans down and placing them
large bodies about Redwood, or some other point,
instead Of blowing for, and assisting them where
they But cannot believe that % he the wish
nj nj tt.ncf
Rather do regard this plan as the manifestation Of
desire to do some great Thing for them and with
,hem-solnething unlike the gentle rain and the sun
shine, silsihy working blessings. God grant that
il may not be
There is another aspect in which this subec, may
be regarded iii is the intention, many persons
assert, 10 remove these Minnesota Dakotas, in few
years to some place without the limits of the late
purchase, 1t sriks me As than folly TO do an,
thing 10 draw these upper bands away from their
present planting places. They now nearer any
future home in the west or north Than they will be
If taken to Redwood or IellDA Medicine.
Instead Of thus would very strongly recommend
the plan of assisting these upper Indians where
they are, by helping them to larger planting grounds,
not all together bu, two or three fields in a place
thus caryin. on, the idea Of indvduazing them as
FAR practicable. la addition to this, they have a
right to expect that government will speedily furnish
them with such implements Of hu.bandry and house
building their necessities require. Al this place
tleTe oi men nave
saws, hammers, au5ers, ETC., etc, OF their own
They are now preparing to build cabins, but lack
the necessary tools. Them the School House should
I've erected at every village, and education encouraged
by every possible means. Ii any one in own
country should object to Common Schools, lest the
high Schools and Colleges should be deprived of
pupils, he might be regarded as fiji inmate for a
hnatic asylum. Every one knows that The the
common School prospers, the more material will
be in existence for the College. SOM will be here.
The more Dakota Schools are encouraged the easier
il will be TO obtain scholars for an English Boarding
School, and rice
And now, Is it so, that these Dakotas must be de
stroyed by, 1t may be, well meant but III judged,
measures! Is II SO, that our efforts, (Which hav e
been somewhat successfully educate, civiiize and
chriSanize, by iniiudualtz,ng, must be frustrated
by any plan of Capitalization concentration -
trust our government agents will give this subject
little more thought, and he willing TO be guided
by past experience. For il the past among the Da-
kota has taught any single lesson it is, SEPARATE,
iNDIyIDUALIZE, AND SAVE SOME, CONCENTKATE
AND DESTROY.
Yours truly,
PIGGC