The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-02-07
RELIGION OF THE pAKorAs.

Of deities that they look forward also TO 10
ture state and to It's retributioas regret I,
be obliged to express an opinion on this sub
lect, which must conflict with such hvorab,
impressions The belief attributed to the cas-,
ern tribes, OF happy hunting grounds for tn,
good, and wastes devoid Of game for the bad il
another sphere OF existence fnds no response il
the breast OF n Dakota lie sscks 10 propiti
ate what he calls the Grat Spirit, and mul
titude OF minor spirits, especially those embed
ned in oval shaped stones. by sacrifices Of to
bacco and other tritiing ARTICLES, not because b,
hopes or cares for q reward in higher state o
being, but because he deprcates the visitation
OF their anger upon earth, In the form OF disease
accident. OF death 10 himself " his family.
have no reason to believe that any Dakota amonl
the very many with whom have conyerscl OF
the subject, was ever deterrsd from the com
mission Of crime by fear Of punishment il
myself that their impressions OF future stat,
are anything but shadowy, uncertain and un
satisfactory.
DECAY OF Tue INDIAN rRipss.
The decay Of the Dakotas in our midst ma,
be dated from the time of their treaty in 1897
by which the United States Government az
quipd their lands on the east of the Mississippi
river. Ceasing gradually 10 rely upon theiI
own efforts for support, they looked forwart
with more and more anxiety to the pit
lance annually doled cut TO them in money
goods and provisions, until they have becom,
the miserable and dependant creatures frequent
ly seen about your streets The policy which
has been pursued. TO secure the land Of the In
dian, and then TO Offer him no n,lucement tc
improve his condition, has been the bane of his
race. Recourse To liquor, and other evil hab
its, arr but the natural Consequences of TINT
system which drives him from his home, inter
fercs with his habits Of life. and regards him US
an outcast from the land OF his fathers. without
holding out To him any promise Cor the future
INDIAN TRAD.Rs-rHErE EErurKp. AND THEN
TRUE, CHARACTER.
About two hundred years have elapsed, since
Minnesota was first explored by white men,
Two Frenchmen long bciorc .iic visit Of Fathe,
Hennepin TO the Falls Of ST. Anthony, had
reached the region Of lakes lying westward from
fake Superior How mr. vs-g rcr-ttrSs.s,si !. -
wards the sources Of the Mississippi, we know
not, rs the information we possess relative "a
their movements, is very limited They were
Indian traders the pioneers Of that bold and
hardy class Of men, who, despising the comforts
and the ssiucti0ns Of civilized lie. have
since that period, explored the recesses al our
forests, and the wide cxpanse Of our prairies,
and gased with rapture upon the beauty and
magnifceacc Of our lakes, while they have ex-
tended the influence Of the children Of Japhet,
far and wide among the tribes of the north
west.
Canada was the principal nursery OF this
class Of Adventures who, fascinated by the un-
restrained liberty Of action offered by the trade
with Indians, and by the novelty connected
with il, entered upon the vocation with great
artlor, stimulated. less, by a prospect Of gain
than by the excitement Of new scenes, and the
hope OF new discoveries. The Indian trader was
arrested by no difficulties or dangers, kdiscour.
aged by no fatigue or exposure, from the &C
complishment OF the object he had in view.
Perhaps no body OF men have ever bssn NJ ms-
understood and .misreprspnted, as those Of
which he formed component part. To them
have been ascribed not only oil the evils and
outrages that are the Accomplishments Of cx-
IRENE frontier lilc where law il unielt aud
unknown but they have becn charged with
frnnd and viainy Of every conceivable descrip-
tion. The very accusations made against them,
10 many cases eontainei their own reintat'oi''
|" h''e nothing was more certain 10 destroy h's
hopes OF success IN trade ,han sia'ed active
hcs,'i't''S between tho Indians nc had dealings
WIN and other bands o. savag's, he has been a
thousand tunes accused Of meeting war between
them. Never he~itat'ng ior moment 10 save
a, captive from violence AZ any peril 10 hls own
mr. or al any sacrhoe OF ms property he has
pen denounced "a devoid 81 all Feelings IN