The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-02

On page 90, Mr.. Neil notices, In very com
plimentary language, our Dakotah Grammar
and Dictionary as Z" the combined work OF
members Of the Dakotah fresbytery, and edit
ed by Rev. y. X. Riggs, u iacquiparle. II Ia
perhaps q good rule that one should not ex'
pect others TO acknowledge his claims TO any
greater extent than be assumes them ior him
self. | am not therefore intending to object to
Mr.. Neill's use Of the word ",ditfd' IN this
connection for II 10 the word myself chose
10 use even contrary TO the judgement OF
Prof. Turner aud others ] was perfectly con
sciOus then, and am no less now, that neither
sditsd nor compiled expressed the whole OF the
fact of my connection with that WORK but
was DESTROYS OF using a word which would
give even more credit to every one connected
with securing the grand result, than they would
have claimed for themselves Bnt my use OF
tho word edited is explained somewhat 10 the
preface Of the work This explanation, II IL
hardly necessary to say, Ia no, carried into Mr.
Neill's history.
And again
wish to refer 10 another Illustration. II the
reader will turn to page 81 Of ths Introduction,
he will ilDd the writer speaking " Rev. u. u.
Pond, a. zone Of tho best Dakota scholars.
n that had stood alone, no one could have
taken exception to H. but on page $40 We lind
him again speaking Of Mr.. Pond, as ore Of the
best speakers OF their language This looks
a little inyidi0us; for only afew lines above the
author had occasion TO speak of his brother,
Rev. y. W. Pond, who isreRarded ~ an equally
good Dakota scholar; and that no had done No
without any note or glOriiic alton. This also,
might perhaps, have been overlooked. albeit II
strikes u that the second mention Of the same
thing IL gratuItous. hut on page $50 we find
the language; The treaty was iDterpretatsd to
them by Rev. q. II. Pond, u s.-aticnisT dniser.
Sall ~ Enn led In ha Ina nazff . Ter
Of the Dakota tongue Of any who are Lot ma
uves.' cannot help saying that this looks
very much like toadyism. II IA not by any
means " universally conceded by the Dakotas,
who are tho only proper judges. Bntfit were,
! put II to the common sense Of every one,
whether Il Ii proper for Mr.. Neil to insert this
personal eulogy for the third time, In a book
which he wishes us to accept "a an nnpreJu
diced history Of Minnesota. | do not pretend
10 be above the common inhrmitos OF human
ty. Hut ! have sch0oed yself TO bear things
Of this kind unoompIalnlngiy ] mention this
rom no desire To crafty personal pique, but
such really valuable work as Mr.. Neiii's may
not 20 down to posterity with such blemi.hes
upon II.
The blcmishes which are thus going down
To pos.crity may Do thus recnpitua,ed;
!. Mr. NELL rejects the Dakota alpha
bet Of Mr.. RIaas, substituting that Of Mr..
PosD in the or,hograpby Of hia Dakota
words
2. While giving Mr.. RIoas the whole
amount OF credit which he has publicly
claimed for himself ia the compilation of the
Lexicon which bears his name he did not
award him AZ much credit rs Mr.. RIGGs
privately thinks himself entitled to.
3. Mr.. MILL speaks Of Mr.. u. II. posp
IA the most correct speaker Of the Dakota
tongue Of any who are not natives" at which
the author Of the Dictionary takes offence
"a IA personal slight lcyeilej at his own pre-.
tensions.
Now when after nil this Mr. RrGGs de-
scfibes Mr.. NEiiJ as constitutonally un.
fitted for writing cotemporaneous history,
his likes and dis likes being too strong" il
might have struck some people that the
criticism would have had more force II il
had looked l,ss like an attemp, at redress
for the private grievances OF the critic.
This review exposes the character and
dnimm OF the assaults which have been
made from various quarters upon Mr.,
NruLs history, from the stand point of n
persona, pique. We by no means regard
the work in question us without serious de
fects OF style aud treatment, tried by the
standard of GiBpoS or M,cAuLAy. But
that is not the standard by which to mea
SURF lts merits.
II aims to be no more than u historical
narrative. II is rather chronicle than u his
tory tina, is 10 say 1t aims rather to supply
the materials for u history than TO resolve
them into harmonious design or east them
into phjloSophic mould. Those people
who find iauit with the texture OF Mr.
NknLs work ~ /" history seem to have
very little idea of what the word means A
history then above all a contcmporaucous
history. against which the ceusures or neg
,ectcd aspisanis for fame are principally d.
rectcd, IL impossible in the circumstances
under which Mr.. NriL wrotc-iro the
STANDPOINT Of the prescut, The sole office
left Ia the historian OF passing events, ia 10
compile and uarratc. And IN nothing Is
the good scu'c and judgment of Mr. NuLL
better displayed than in his conformity TO
this rule.
oMeisi Vote 10 tiiinois.