Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-12-17
rhe sloux Inalans Of mlnns.o.a.

The sioux Indians OF Minnesota.
On the 18th of this month, Friday next,
thirty nine Sioux Indians are to be hung In
Minnesota, being an installment Of the three
hundred that we're recently condemned to death
BY the judgment Of some sort OF Military Court
which assumed to try these Indians for the hor-
rible and barbarous massacres, which took place
on the frontiers of that State in the latter part
Of the last summer. It appears that President
LINCOLN, on the receipt Of the transcripts Of the
records In the cases Of the trial Of these In
dams, which we're sent forward by Gen. PoPE,
examined them, and selected from among the
number thirty-n whom be ordered to be ex-
ecuted on the 18Th Of December. 1864. The
transcripts of the records of the trials have all
been laid before Congress, and will, we presume,
be published. In the absence of these tran
scripts. the public must in some degree be ig.
norant of the nature Of the trials, and the crimes
charged against these Indians.
It ia not to be denied that the savsges who
committed the recent bsrbarities in Minnesota,
should be punished according to their deeds.
Bot Il has occurred to us that they should first
have tair and impartial trial, before the ap-
propriate and proper judicial tribunals--in the
courts of the S.ate--where all the safeguards
for liberty and life on the one hand, and the
means to vindicate the offended majesty of the
law, on the other, are supposed to reside. We
do not understand nor can we conceive how any
military tribunal ever took Jurisdiction of the
trials in these cases, nor by what process the
President brought his mind to the conclusion
that IL was competent for Military Court 10
try and condemn these denlzens of the forest to
death. The murders aud other heinous crimes
of which they were guilty, were offenses
against the laws of Minnesota, the crimes
being committed within that State, and
therefore they were amenable to the laws
of Minnesota and to no other power. Mr.. LIN
COLIN must have had some doubts resting on his
mind as to the propriety of the proceeding, and
hence his hesitation and delay. Indeed be ap-
pears to have refrained from acting in the prem.
ises, until after he had received threaten
ing letter from one Of the Senators (WnKN-
soN) and both Of the members of the House
(ALDMcH and WNDoM), from Minnesota, in
which they reminded the President Of the pOlit-
ieaI obligations he was under TO that State, and
threatened him that il he did not permit the ere.
eutiOn Of these three hundred Lndians under
(what they oall) the forms Of lstO, the people Of
Minnesota wOuld dispose Of them soithout lao!
After this appeal to the President for political
sympathy, THE claim based on party support,
and tbis threat Of mob violence on the part Of
the people Of Minnesota, Mr.s sLIseoLs acted,
and determined to have thirty-hine Of the In.
diaus hung, though it does not appear what he
will have done in relation to theremsining two
hundred and sixty-one. 4 lssg :.
The case of those Indians Is without par
allel, and no example like It can, as we believe,
be fsand in the history of any Christian nation.
An extra judicial body, wholly without lawful
meets and simultaneously condemns
Ihree hundred persons to be exeeutedl Savages
they be-guilty many or all Of them may be-
but that does not justify any such proceedingi
md the President by compromising the matter,
ioes not in the least, change the aspect of the
,ase or the merits Of the question. II is an
.wful, terrible thing, and the hanging of these
Indians, under the circumstances, ON Friday next,
,annot fail to seriously affect the character Of
he nation in the eyes Of the world and make q
lark page 10 our history. 1t can only be re.
.arded, as we look at II, ss murder and nothing
,ut murder.
But these thiriy-nine Indians will neverthe-
ESQ be hung. That matter is settled, and the
rider Of the President will be carried out by
ZEN. slBLEY on Friday next. Indeed. 1t is
cubtiul whether such men as the Senator and
to whom we have referred, and
iov. RAMsEY and others of that class, have not
o exasperated the people Of the State, that .
hey will not be satisfied unless the whole three |
uudred are executed; for the latter. In mes P
ago to the Legislature, declared that the whole '
{ the lands and annuitles Of these Indians a
must be confscsted to the State Che Indian y
,lundererH, Of course, he meant), and the whole 9
Il thesioux expelled from the State or exter. p
minated! A pretty man, 10 he not, TO be In the
Executive chair7-a pretty man 10 deal in this 9
vholessls language against the Sioux Of Min 4
Ieso,a, wish bis name attached TO the treaty Of
Mendoza with the he,d men Of the various B
IIoux bands, wherein he, on behalf Of the !
Jniied States, guaranteed them their homes IN | !
GInnesota forever, the enjoyment Of their an. h
nities, and the protection Of the Government; Z
,hich he well knows they have not had. and
hat the covenants Of that treaty have been
poksn over and over agaial He knows thas
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