The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-03-29
imposition on Eastern sympathy.

imposition on Eastern sympathy.
"Lo the poor abused Indian" is "the harp
of a thousand strings" upon which many a
mixed blood from the Indian frontier, has
displayed his cunning before an admiring au
dience.
Some time since our eye fell upon an en-
craving in Ballou's Pictorial, of an Ojibeway
group, almost as large, if not as natural as
life. l =
From the appended remarks, it appears
that well known, smart and passionate half
breed who a few years ago, palmed himself
off as a minister, and duped several of our
most respectable citizens, and was all things
to all men in the Indian, rather than Paulian
Specification, has strolled away to the city of
Boston, with party of Indians, and COM
menced successful career.
The party have performed well, and as
they visit the Public schools, escorted by the
';wise man of the East" Ballou tells us they
make most charming speeches, about their
desire to have Boston schools, and their
children like Boston Boys.
The first intelligence that the people of
Minnesota had of this wonderful reforma-
ton in portion of the Ojibeway nation, was
from the Boston Pictorial
We do not like to wound the sensibilities
of the Bostonians, but we must tell them
that they have been humbugged. If they
had been acquainted with the plausibilty
and smartness of the half-breed character
generally, and their adroitness in talking
about their generations, and their poor down
trodden people, they would not open their
sensibilities and their presses so often to i'm
aginary tales of woe.
1t is very easy thing for an intelligent
mixed-blood to use a little art, and obtain
certificates Of recommendation from those in
authority IN the Indian country, which upon
their face would seem to convey the impress
sion that the bearer, was a remarkably
worthy man, when no such meaning was in
tended.
If the charitable world correspondent with
the we'll informed and unprejudiced in the Vi
cinity of tie Indian country, before they re-
ceive every adventurcr who Happen to have
a certificate from government official, they
would spare themselves much subsequent
modification, and subserve tie cause of real
piii,'nthrophy.
Having known something Of this Mr.. Tan
ner for the PAST three or four years, we are
prepared to fully endorse the following
editorial article, which we find in the Pho
neer and Democrat Of yesterday:
A NoroR1ous ScAMp-PAss HIM AROUND
"A so-called reverend, named Tanner, a
half-brced Chippewa Indian, is perambula-
ting New York, Ohio, and other States, lee
turing upon the condition Of the Chippewa
Indians in Minnesota, and telling al! manner
of ridiculous and unfounded stories in refer
ence to their treatment by the Agent, the
traders, and the missionaries residing among
them. Tanner, we understand, is very abu-
sive of Major HERMAN in his discourses.
which lie usually delivers in churches, his
avowed character as an Indian missionary
enabling him to obtain the confidence of
many of the Eastern clergy, and secure for
his ISLANDERS that credit which is obtained
from their recital in an edifice which is devo-
ted to sacred purposes. Tanner is not I'M
mindful OF No. l, by any means; he secures
large donations for Gthe cause" in the East.
The romantic tales Of his life; his evident
sincerity, and plausible manner of stating his
case, seldom fail to awaken the sympathies
of his hearers, and prompts them to acts of
mistaken philanthropy.
The Rev. Tanner, we would inform our
eastern friends, bears a very bad character in
Minnesota. His reputation for truth is bad,
for honesty worse, and for RIGHTEOUSNESS still
worse. He. is regarded here as a hvpocrite
in his religious professions, and as deter
mined enemy to every measure calculated to
better the condition of the Indians. He is
now fugitive from justice from this Terri
tory, having escaped from confinement in
Fort RI ey in the fall of 1854 He was i'm
prisoned for a violation of the Indian Inter-
course law, in default of bail to the amount
of $4, OCO. AT the present time, he is in such
bad repute among the Indians, owing to his
between them and the govern
ment. and his intrigues to ALLEVIATE them from
their agent, that even if the government per-
mtted Lis return to the Chippewa country,
the Indians would not allow him to reside
among them.
Journalists who lave given credence and
publicity to Tanners statements, should, as
an act ofjustice, make the necessary correc-
ton. The Chippewa agent, Major Henri
man, possesses the confidence of the gov
eminent and the Indians, and is untiring in
his efforts to improve the social condition OF
the savages. Hl e-a 1A z'-
And still, in addition to It's, although our
notice of this unworthy creature is growing
too long, we cannot refrain from
copying the following from the Sank Rapids
Frontiermen of the goth inst "Pass him
around''' say we:
The CHIPPEWA INDIANs.-We are pretty
veil posted relative to the condition and sit
iation of these Indians, having for several
ears resided in the vicinity of the Agency
md seeing more or less of them every week
II two. Now, we understand that Rev. Mr..
Tanner, Chippewa halfbreed, is in the East
occurring in churches and elsewhere in rela-
ion, to these Indians, and that he is also
writing and publishing letters in the papers
Ipon the same subject; and that both in his
ectures and in his letters, he is represent