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

W Whef p0xntS Woo pSaieve IN multlplicit
Of deities-that they look forward also to II
ture state and to its retributions. regret I
be Obliged to express an opinion on this sui
ject, which must conflict with such hvorabl
impressions. The belief attributed TO the east
ern tribes, OF happy hunting grounds for tn
good. and wastes devoid Of game for the had i
another sphere OF existence finds no response i
the breast OF Dakota. He SEEKS 10 propit
ate what he calls the Grat Spirit. and mu
titude Of minor spirits, especially those embed
ned in oval shaped stones, by sacrifices Of tc
bacco and other tritiing articles. not because h
hopes or cars for reward in higher state Q
being but because he deprcates the visitation
OF their anger upon earth, in the form OF diseass
accident, or death To himself or his family.
have no reason TO believe that any Dakota anon
the very many with whom have eonverscd O
the subject, was ever deferred from the con
mission Of crime by far Of punishment il
another world, nor have been able to satisf
myself that their impressions Of future stat
arr anything but shadowy. uncertain AMI IN
satisfactory.
DECAY OF THE INDIAN TRIBES.
The decay Of the Dakotas in our midst. ma,
be dated from the time Of their treaty in 1873.
by which the United States Government nc
quired their lands on the east Of the Mississippi
river. Ceasing gradually to rely upon thei
own eiIbrts for support. they looked forwar,
with more aud more anxiety 10 the pit
lance annually doled out TO them in money
goods and provisions, until they have becom
the miserable and dependant creatures frequent
ly seen about your streets The policy whicl
has been pursued, to secure the land Of the In
dian, and then TO Offer him no induccmcni {,
improve h., condition. has been the hanc OF hi
race. Recourse to liquor, and otler evil hab
its, are but the natural consequences Of thai
system which drives him from his home, inter
tcrcs with his habits Of life, and rgur,ls him u.
an outcast from the land OF his fathers, without
holding out To him any promise for the future.
INDIAN rRADERs--rBrfR RRruTED, AND rHFiI
TRUE, CHARACTER.
About two hundred years have elapsed sine,
Minnesota was first explored by white men,
Two Frenchmen, long before the visit of Father
Hennepn TO the Falls Of St Anthony, had
reached the region Of lakes lying westward from
Lake SSaYricr- -. uax lar they nenetrated 10
wards the sources Of the Mississippi, we know
no', IA wv """tna'"" we poestTS, NiauNc U,
their movements. IS very limited They wcr
indlan traders the pioneers OF that bold ant
hardy class Of men, who, despsing the comfort.
and the seluctions of civiliDd life. have
since that period, explored the re.asses Of oul
forests, and the wide cxpanse of our prairies
and gazed with rapture upon the beauty and
magnfceace Of our lakes. while they have ex.
tended the influence Of the children Of Jqphet
TAR anu 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 II, entered npon the vocation with great
Ardor, stimulated, less. By prospect OF gain
than ny the excitement 81 new scenes, and The
hope OF new discoveries. The Indian trader was
arrested by no dihcultics or dangers kdiscour-
aged by no fatigue or exposure, nom the nc
complishnent Of the OBJECT he had In view
Perhaps no body OF men have ever been NJ mis-
understood and .Inisreprsented' 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 ex'
IRENE frontier life, where law is un1elt and
unknown-but they have bcen charged with
frnnd and villainy Of every conceivable descrip
hon. The very accusations made against them
IN many cases contained their own reputation.
While nothing was NOR, certain to destroy his
hopes Of success in trade, than n state OF active
between the Indians he had dealings
with, and other bands Of savng,s, be has been a
thousand times accusd Of melting war between
them. Never hesitating Tor moment TO save