Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-06-26
Another and a WAR Messagc---SibIey's
E sioux Scarei

the supreme felicity OF sending In another,
and this time it was very ierocious message,
breathing war and rumors of war. aud asking
authority to call out volunteers, and for an
appropriation of $4,000 to pay them
And what do the people think, all this
was for2 Why. the Yank,on Sioux Indians
have been playing the mischief over in Dako-
ia territory, fifty miles or more beyond the
limits of the State of Minnesota burning,
at Medary, which is the proposed territorial
capital, a large amount Of property belonging
to the Dakota Land Oompany--the same
company whose agents last fall made such
strenuous exertions, by skiIlfully cast votes
with pen and ink on paper, to elect Mister
SBLEy to the Govcrnorship in return for
which aid, we suppose, the forgery Governor
thinks that now is q capital opportunity to
help them in return, while at the same time
he can display himself! TO write messages
is his vocation and he is thankful for any
circumstance which affords him pretext for
one.
The message was referred to joint COM
lnittee of both houses, to consider the mo-
mentous exigency!
Now, we would enforce upon this commit
| tee the fact, which they may not be aware
of, that this is warm weather. Some people
go so far as to term it hot-decidedly hst
The advisability of keeping cool, therefore,
is wisdom that is transparent to all capable
, of evolving an idea of any kind in that labor
atory of thought, the brain. Keep cool, phys
ically and mentally; this then is the grand
watchword of the times. Don't even get
excited about Indian wars and rumors there
of!
1t spossible we may have this Fall little
immigration provided always we don't spoil
it all by ridiculous and unfounded Indian
war; We tried that experiment year ago !;
and have paid pretty dearly for shouldering
the burden of the Spirit Lake affray, the
onus of which properly belonged to Iowa to
hear. but the fools were not all dead in Min
nesota at that time, and with an editor to
back them up in their tom-foolery whom the
fool-killer had accidentally spared on going
bis annual rounds, quite panic of Indian
| war was got up which eHectually scared away
immigration as though an angel of wrath
| stood at our doors, with flaming sword, as
| OF old at the gates Of Paradise, warning IN
! truders not to enter
Our advice to the committee having this
subject in charge is, to examine It vel. and
carefully. The whole story rests apon the
| variations of one man. Let him verify his
! statements under oath---et the committee
have him discriminate between what he him.
self saw and knows, and what he only heard
| Our impression is, that in this affair the
Yanktons are only asserting their possessory
rights over that part of the country; which
every record among white men, and every ira
dition amongst Indians, will sustain as just
ani well founded.
True, the Treaty made at Traverse des
Sioux, with the Sisseton and Wakpayton
Sioux, makes the Big Sioux River the west
ern boundary Of the purchase. But having
been the Secretary of the Treaty Commits
sion, we kagom that it was understood by the
Commissioners, and by ali hands there on the
occasion of making the treaty, that the i'm
mediate valley of the Big Sioux, on both side;
thereof, and eastward as far as the head
springs OF the Redwood river, belonged in
fact to the Yankion Siou1. AS, however, the
Sisseton and Wakpayton boundary line on
the west was underlined, and as these Indians
| were accustomed to range even as far as the
Big Sioux, is was deemed best TO embody in
the treaty, quit claim from them OF whatever
interest that might have in the country clear
up to the Big Sioux River.
Still the intention and supposition Of the
Treaty Commissioners at the time was, that
the United States should subsequently satisf5
the Yanktons and by treaty, likewise extin'
guish their title to the eastern slope of the
Valley OF the Big Sioux River.
Let it be understood also that the Yank
tons have never ceased claiming that this
was TIER country, and that they, and not the
Sissetons and Wakpaytons, should be pait
for it
That the Yanktons should, therefore, bt
Jealous Of the encroachments of white set
tiers upon tile disputed lands is most natu
raj, and is not only Indian-like but white
man-Gke No person will willingly give hi
rival the advantage of the nine points of thu
law. which are said to be involved in the fac
of being in possession Of piece of land
The Indians have not read Blackstone, bu
they are good natural lawyers for all that, a
he acttiic;s,9 of tteirs proves.