Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-12-19
Tbe Aati- 5lauerp Buelc.
THE WAY UNCLE SAM GETS FARMS
"a .17.rut FROM INDIANS. ....
BY AMOS GILBERT.
: Continued.)


11 1t is doubtful if it could be truthiully said oil
tKeokuk, that he used art to supplant BLACK
Hawk. lie possessed projecting and executive
powers of no ordinary STAMP; to these he audeu
political tact. lie was nsinuating, and he was
ambitious. His policy kept him on the strong sloe;
and he had the address to convince the tribes that
his position was right Once they dIstrusted MN
believing him too much in the interest of the
whites. He did not vindicate his course tor
time, his popularity waued, and they chose another
leader, Whose ncom potency keokuk saw and very
quietly bided his time There are not many in
stances record of greater tact than was eVincea
nv this shrewd cheftain, when he the first to
take his successor by the hand, and though his
funIor and unuuifestly his inferior addressing him
AS father, tenderd him fealty. He subsequently
introduced him to the United States authorities. as
the one into whose hands they had committed :heir
nrk for safe keeping The tables turned and
Keokuk was renstated. 1t is believed that for
soldiership and ssatesnansaip he had no supe'
Be rior among native chieftans. His moral senti'
mcnts were of a somewhat questionable character.
He was fond of display. and inclined to disslpa'
% tiop. 1t was SUI posed he did not distribute the
81 annuities strictly righteous principles. lie
made visits to the Osages, Winnebagoes and other
tribes. always in state. He rode On fine horse
u dressed in highly ornamentcd robe carrying his
20 gun, tomahawk and pipe and attended by hal
hundred of mounted braves ...a.
saa'oaThers were other distinguished personages
among them Neopope, Black Hawks right hand
q man. aud the Prophet Wabokishuk. but they were
8 ~ merely adjuncs to the two here sketched.
q Having brought into view the authorities for this
i7 brief sketch, and the principal actors, the next
thing in order is facts in the intercourse
between the nations and the government agents.
7 Negotiations they could scarcely be called on the
part of government there power, and it not
.hd only enforced, but dictated the conditions. The
other contracting party had no alternative but
@- submission.
90 1T requires but small skill in calculation to de-
termine that 81 234 so, and $1,000 annuity, was a
palry consideraion--a mere pretense of pay for
it' that widely extended territory which at govern
7 ment rates, has brought millions OF revenue into
the treasury The stipulation that the Indians
should not sell any of their remaining lands to the
or citizens Of the United States may have been judi
70 cions but it shows who dictated the terms
Fl Hof the contract The provision for the trial
Of offenders, of either party, was altogether one
~ sided. The Indians could give evidence but had
} no voice in the decision
All subsequent treaties strictly the
model of Harrison's they simply additions
made to suit contingencies without any abate-
ment of stringency in their requisitons upon the
nations or any further guarantee OF security in
the protection of power, or property
The next treaty was made in 1915, at Portage
des Sioux. A third with Black Hawk, 1916, at
the same place. One for lands in Missouri 1924.
At Prarie des Chiens 1925, and one of peace 1882
after the Black Hawk war. as....a ..
Until the indian claim to lands was extingush-
ed, aud territorial government established tho cit.
liens and subjects of other governments settled
where they chose, with the consent Of the nations
that is the United States possessed no prohibtory
power. uSpanards had trading posts so had the
English. 1t appears that Black Hawk and his
sdhsrents, preferred the treatment they received
at the hands Of those foreigners to that of the
American traders. They brought more blankets,
guns, ammunition and tomahaw ks, and less whs-
key among them, and disposed of them on terms
more accom- modating. In consequence of this,
aud their dissatisfaction with the treaty of 1904,
in the late war with Great Britain, Black Hawk
and q minority of the two tribes espoused the
H' British cause; of conse he was deemed the ene-
my Of the United States 1t is quite reasonable to
believe that the English traders were pleased to
have him on the side of the government to which
they acknowledged allegiance; but better still it OBJ
go------is 5i5ay qeg rrf. tt. -.,. t,f
.rvsnty millions Of for soo,ooa si5