The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-05
The Execution OF the Condemned
Indiana

INDIANS, who have been condemned by the
military commission instituted by General
SBLEY
The meeting was called to order by P.
p. FURBER, ESQ. \
VIM II. MOBILES, Esq, was elected Pres
ident, and J. @. A. WARD, Secretary.
The President briefly stated the objects
of the meeting, when, on motion of J. P.
K1DDER, Esq, Committee was appointed,
consisting of J. P. KIDDER, NORRIS LAM
PREY, GEo. A NoURsE, B. F. HoYr, and
T. NJ. METoALF, to report resolutions ex-
pressive Of the sentiments of the meeting.
Gro. "A NouRsE, Esq presented the
following memorial to the President, which
was adopted by the Committee, and after
addresses by several gentlemen, was also
adopted by the meeting. oi,' q"? 81 ~ ..l<
W The memorial is as follows: q 9['...I ii.,4l
To the President Of the yaatsd States BIZ s9t'@ ~
e We, the citizens Of Saint Paul, in the State Of
Minnesota respectfully represent that we have
lie press, reports of an intention on the part of
the United States Government, to dismiss with
out punishment, the Sioux warriors captured by
our soldiers and further, to allow the several
tribes of Indians lately, located upon reserya-
tons within this State, to remain upon the re-
SerVatiOnS. VI mid avn lew. lpDa -in t4a iJs
, Against any such policy, we respectfuily, but
firmly protest. The history OF this continent
presents no event that can compare. with the
late Sioux outbreak in wantOn, unproyOlled,
and fendish cruelty All that we have read Of
Indian warfare in the early history of this coun-
try. is tame in contrast with the atrocities of
this late massacre. Without warning, in cold
blood, beginning with the murder OF their best
friends, the whole body of the annuity Sioux,
commenced a deliberate scheme TO eSternIinate
every white person upon the land once Occu-
pied by them, and by them hong since sold to
the United States. In carrying out this bloody
scheme they have spared neither age nor sex,
only reserving for the qualification OF their bru-
tai llsts, the few white women whom the rifle,
the tomahawk,, and the scalping knife spared.
Nor did their tiendish barbarities cease with
death, as the mutiated corpses Of their vic
Tins GisembOWelled cut limb from limb, or
chopped into fragments, will testify. These
cruelties, too, were in many cases preceded by
q pretence of friendship; and, i'll many instan-
ces, the victims of these more than murderers,
were shot down in cold blood, as soon as their
backs were turned litter cordial shaking Of the
hand, and loud professions of friendship on the
part OF the murGerorS. s ..,,7,- ID, ,ysu 10
We ask that the same Judgment should be
passed and executed upon these deliberate muI-
derers, these raYishers, these mutiators Of their
murdered VICTIMS that would be passed upon
white men guilty Of the same offence. Thc
blood OF hundreds of our murdered and man
gled fellow-citizens cries from the ground
for Vengeance. Vengeance is mine, | viii
repay saith the Lord,' and the authorizes Of
the United States are, we believe, the chosen
instruments to execute that vengeance. Let
them not neglect their plain duty. .7rE
IN Nor do we ask alone for vengeance. We de
mand security for the future There can be
no safety for us Or for our families, unless ga
example shall be made of those who have COM
mitted the horrible murders and barbarities we
have recited. Let iG be once understood that
these Indians can commit such crimes, and be-
pardoned upon surrentefing themselves, and
mans dwelling, knife for every white mans
heart upon our frontier Z. - ggd oW II l3.
Nor will even the most rigorous punishment
give perfect,security against these Indians. SO
long as any of them are left among, or in the
vicinity of our border settlements. The In
dams nature can no more be trusted than the
VOLTS. Tame him, cultivate him, strive to
Christianize him as you will, and the sight of
blood will in an instant call out the savage,
woiilsh, deviish instincts of the race. 1t is no
torious that among the earliest and most muir
derous OF the Sioux, in perpetrating their late
massacre, were many of the civilized Indians"
sd called, with hair cut short, wearing white
mems clothes, and dwelling in brick houses,
built for them by the government.
These facts are well known to our border set
tiers, and appreciated by them as they cannot
be by those who live in the midst of pOpulOus
communities, far away from the savage foe.
These facts have made the question simply
whether the Indians or the white race shall
possess Minnesota. What immigrant will bring
his family to land where the savages are in
such close proximity, that he is liable any day
to be shot by an ambushcd foe in his own door
yard, or on his return home from his days la
Dor to find his family outraged and murdered ?
Minnesota is the best farming State in the
Union by its natural advantages OF soil, climate
and position. 1t is capable Of sustaining q
purely agricultural population of millions, and
in addition possesses great facilities for manu-
featuring. Shall we who have made our homes
here under the promised protection of the Ma
tional Government, who hive paid that Gov
eminent the required price for the land on
which we have made our homes, be driven into
exile by the savages from whom Government
bought the soil of almost the whole State and
against whom that Government is bound to
protect us! i
, We respectfully ask, we demand that the
captive Indians now in the hands of our mill
tary forces, proved before military commits
sion to be guilty of murder and even worse
crimes, shall receive the punishment due those
crimes. This too not merely as matter OF ven
geance, but as much more a matter of future
security for our border settlers. 5I Han ei4t
g We ask further that these sayages proved to
be treacherous, unreliable, and dangerous be-
yond example, may be removed from close
proximity to our settlements to such distance,
and such isolation as shall make the people of
this State safe from their future attacks. % =
We hope that men whose friends and rela-
lions have been foully murdered by these In
dian devils, will not be compelled to take ven
geance into their own hands, as they assuredly
will if Government shall fail in its duty to the
matter. g., -..s..r 7.ary ,lrfi--.-.f ri ce.. .5f
A motion was adopted, instructing the
Secretary to forward the proceedings of
the meeting to Hon. II. M. RICE, to be
by him laid before the President. IVA
On motion of J. P. K1DDER, Esq, the
following resolution was unanimously
adopted: oaoaaq5T ~aa,, - .9q 5.If n
a Rcsolced,I That the citizens of the different
parts of the State be requested to act with us on
this subject, and forward their proceedings to
the Presideut Of the United States as early as
- fe4