The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-12-13
The sioux Indians.

Peters Courier. We are happy to lear
that the Siouxs have fuiind, in their ne,
agent an officer who understands the wa
to manag' their business, and who shows
disposition to do his duty thoroughly. W,
think, however, that the editor of the Cour
ier might as well have left off that allusiol
to a 8 hostile mission even under any eli:
culnstances that have transpircd or wer
likely to, in the Iudisn country
The Sioux Indians are again iii our streets
and neighbOrhCod; their annuities received
thep make like ''qurter horses,' for theiI
haunts i'll more favored days, They have
spent part of the past summer among us
and with many temptations to trespass up
on tbs gardens and fields Of our farmers, We
have heard Of but very few complaints. Al
this season. they cannet, even, if they would
be very troublesome; crops are harvested
cattle are housed, ana they can only make
war upon tie dcniZenS Of the forest.
We are happy to learn that tie new agent
Major Flandrau, enjoys their confidence and
the reputation Of popular man. Tie late
payment was made und3r state Of feeling
which called for the incest management at
the hands OF the dsbursing officer, and it
affords us pleas ure to record that Major
Flandrau plO ed entirely superior to the cir
cumstanccs. A year ago, representation was
made to the Department, that, thenceiortll,
they desired their annuities paid scmi-ann,l-
ally instead of annually, as thereto The
change was accordingly ordered and under it
Major Murphy, the late agent, ard DR.. Hen-
hcc fI,o inf fol ~, e.,
and merchondise upon the ground early the
past summer. But in consequence OF the
noncompliance of the Indians with the re-
questions Of the superintendents. to deliver
up a certain number Of warriors who had
Just returned from the war path with nrn,-
Der of Chippewa scalps, the payment was
suspended AMI the Doct left Subsequently
the Indians complicd-tclivere to the COM
mandns officer at Fort Rilgley those who
were engaged in the late Chippewa war, but
the Supei intendent departed and it needed
new order to enable tie agent to make the
payment.
Thus matters rested. and thus did Agent
Flandrau find them upon his acceptance of
the Office of Indian agent. The Indians
claiming full compliance with the requisi-
ton of the superintendent, appeared highly
inccnsed that the Government had not per-
formed its part. They delivered up their
warriors to the Justice of the Lon-knives for
participation in an act by them considered
eninently .iu:t and indeed their only real
source of glory, and in return. were kept
months awaiting their Just dues. And the
crisis was yet in distance. In October last
Agent Flandrau appeared among them Then
they claimed not only the deferred sen,-an-
nual payment, but also the one just then ma
ture He had only the funds &C., then their
semi-annual due. Here matters eliminated;
the Indians with good show of justice claim
ing the complete iulfillment of their ohliea-
tons and demanding the two semi-ahnu
al payments then fully maturetl; the agent
acting under explicit directions, with limited
powers and only one lalf Of their just dues
to appease their sense of injury and their
sense of light. Happily Major Flandrau was
equal to the occasion, his influence quieted
his explanation of his posion apreased them,
and with full confidence that he would see
justice done them they re eeved their defer
red semi-annual payment, and are new our
friendly viSiters when under less prudent
management they might have hostile miss
ion