The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-10

From the Mankato Record, March, IS.
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From the Mankato Record March, 2s.
A visit to the Indian prison, at the pres
emit time, is not withoufinterest.g Enter
the prison at any hour of the day, and you
will find the inmates huddled together in
groups of eight or ten, some reading or
studying books, writing on states or paper,
or perusing, probably for the hundreth
time, letter from some relative or friend
at Fort Smelling. A continual buz or hum
greets your ears in all parts of the prison,
and visitors attract very little or no atten-
ton, the prisoners seldom raising their
eyes from their states, which seemingly en-
gross their undivided attention. Day af-
ter day is spent in the same manner, and
as an evidence of the beneficial results, we
are informed that Indians who could, on
the first Of January, scarcely repeat their
letters, now write tolerably good hand.
Occasionally one more advanced may be
seen instructing new beginners in their
letters or tracing few words on the slate
as copy, but generally they study and
learn without assistance. I ' -
The books used are school books, tracts.
or other religious works, all printed in the
Dakota language, and their compositions
and letters are all written in the same
tongue.
Many have daguerreotypes of their
friends and relatives at Fort Smelling, and
on recent visit of the Rev. Mr.. Riggs,
he brought and distributed among them
about fifty pictures. MFR. R. also brought
them about three hundred letters, and on
his return, took back not less than five
hundred All the letters have to be read
by Major Brown before they are sent or re-
ceived, and are brief generally stating
that the writer is well cared for and well
fed, is in good health, has been baptized
and has joined the church, says all his
prayers three times day, and that sacra-
ment was administered to him, on Sunday
last, by Rev. Mr.. Riggs, which ceremony,
we understand, was performed by that
gentleman, at the time stated. Nearly or
quite all have been baptised by some one
of the ministers, and it is not unlikely
that some are so liberal in their religious
views as to have been baptized into the
faith OF at least several different denomin-
atoms.
We learn that Mr.. Riggs, on his return
to Fort Smelling, was commissioned by
about twenty or thirty of the prisoners to
take their medicine bags and war spears,
now with their families or friends at the
Fort, and destroy or dispose of them as
he may see proper. There is nothing
which an Indian prizes SO highly as he
does these articles, and the above indicates
that their resolve for change of life is
honest and sincere, at least for the present.
Very few of the prisoners are sick, and
and no deaths have occurred for several
months They are generally fat and rug
ged looking, and considering their close
confinement, apparently contented and
happy.
The imprisonment of these captives has
demonstrated that Indian civilization is not
an impossibility, but whether the reforma-
ton is more than temporary and would
continue beyond the period of their close
confinement, or whether the same results
could be accomplished under different cir
cumstances, are matters Of great doubt.