St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1858-12-09
Indians.


In our last issue, we underestimate the
number of Indian hunters in our vicinity,
because it is a subject SO apt to induce
evaporation that VIC could not rely implic-
lily on the reports brought in.
We are now convinced there are from
two to three hundred men, with full
complement of women and children, or
squaws and pappooses. They are Sioux !;
and occupy several different encampments
West and Southwest Of us, the nearest
seven miles back. Reliable, cautious men
think they have killed full one thousand
head Of deer, beside goodly number Of
bears and other game.
Our citizens are very much dissatisfied
with these Excursions Of our savage neigh
bors; and claim that the United Suites
Authorities should prevent these 1orays,
and that if they do not, the inhabitants
should organize and drive the hunters
back into their own territory.
If our deer were protected from these
savage foes it appears as il, in few years,
they would be surprisingly abundant !;
and it is not only wild animals that the
Indians claim as their prey. In every
neighborhood where they come, cattle are
driven off, vacant houses robbed and provis-
ions stolen;whlle the settlers are kept on the
perpetual alert to watch their property
and resist the most importunatc and per-
severing system Of beggary.
1t produces strange effect upon ones
preconceived ideas of these "sons Of the
Forest" to see ten or dozen Of them
crowding into a cabin, scowling and threat
ening, or whining and shifting, to obtain
a small supply of beans, potatoes, wheat,
corn, pork, old clothes, or any other sup
ply which would be sought Or excepted by
the most AFFECT pauper in an Eastern city.
They remind US more of the descriptions
writer's give Of the Lazaroni of Italy, than
the Indian of romance, with whom VIC be-
came acquainted in early life.
They are simply set Of lazy, impudent
beggggars, affecting to despise the arts Of
civilized life while most anxious to avail
themselves Of the proceeds Of these arts,
provided they can do so by begging or
stealing, which they regard as honorable,
while working is quite beneath their Dig
nifty.
This is the common feeling here; and
while we cannot help sharing it, would
counsel torbearance, on the part Of tnc
white settlers. It is wiser and better to
suffer loss, than to have any serious per-
sonal difficulty with the Red men. Their
incursions into our territory should be laid
before the Indian Department, and let the
matter be dealt With by the regular, con-
stituted authorities. It may be that the
Indians and whites have different under
standings of the treaty by which they
sold these lands; and it may be that the
has not been fully paid to
them. As the whites are the stronger
and wiser party they should not be
readily provoked.
In the worst view Of the case, these In
dian marauders are not so bad as the
thousands of loafers and paupcrs Of civil
zed life, who live upon the industry Of
others
But talk about the severity Of our eli
mate! Here are these Indian children
running barefoot and almost naked over
The snow, and the thermometer below zero;
while they sleep under the shelter Of
little bramble, some withercd leaves and
! few deer skins. 'Drcssing up warm is
all freak Of old Madame Fash
on
One class of her retainers go about with
their clothes carefully held off from their
persons two OF three feet by steel hoops,
another go without the clothes, and q
third swathc themselves in manner that
would astonish bear or buffalo; while
each one fancies he Or she has the most
encascment imaginable.