St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-02-26
:t,. FROM ALEXANDRIA.
What may he thought Of the chippewas.
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ALEXANDRIA, DOUGLAS COUNTY, MIN.,
| W. =: February i4th, 1868.
EDITOR DExeeRA1.-Iti is gratifying to kno,
during.these times Of Indian excitement, tina
you keep your readers posted, in ,elation to tn
matter, and also that You take the right view
of the subject. While all Minnesota, with fe,
exceptions, are Of one mind in reference TO tn
Sioux Indians, it is to be- lamented that such
dist motion is made in favor Of the Chippewas
which the circumstances Of the case do no
Justify. BY the same mail that brought m,
| your paper Of the 5th inst, in which there arr
two editorial articles in relation to the Chippe
was, received my copy Of the Monroe Sentt
mel, Of February 4th, 1853, published At Mon.
roe. Wis containing communication copied
from the New York Times. dated St. Paul, Jan
goth, 1868, over the initials of g F., s. IT,
giving an account Of some "Hosti1e Move
ments among the Indians" :',.'.
- The writer names several circumstances
which had not heard of, nor seen in print be-
fore. If the statements are true-and We have
no reason to doubt them-it would be we'll 10
make them widely known. Some of the in
stances relate to this section of country, and
thinking perhaps you may not have seen the
article, will forward you the paper at the
same time that l mail this letter. The. writer
in the article above named says: 81 feel it to
be sacred duty imposed upon me to give the
widest circulation in my power to MI the facts
connected with the Indian depredations in this
State, as they may occur.'
As remarked above ga distinction is made
in favor Of the Chippewas which the circum
stances Of the case do not justify" have al-
ways been among the number Of those who
believed that Mr.. Andrew Austin, and Mr.
Benjamin Lewis were murdered by the Chippe-
was, not by the Sioux, as many. perhaps most
persons, believe was the ease; but until read
the article in the Monroe Sentinel, never read
an account nor heard any one say that they
knew Mr.. Lewis was murdered. According
to the statement given by "F. S. IT," Big
Dog, Chippewa Chief, acknowledges that Mr..
Lewis was killed by the Chippewas, and gives
the names of the murderers. But suppose it
should be proved that the Chippewaa have not
committed depredations- Thing utterly in,po'-
si6le to be proved-stillit it is unwise to show SO
much tenderness to them; and 50 far from be-
ing humane it is just the reverse it is mani
Testing want Of humanity to the whites to
favor the Indians, and it is considered by the
Indians as cowardice on the part Of, the whites.
The same course has been pursued toward
The Indians, - has been pursued toward the
Southern rebels. and their meaner allies, the
Northern traitors, and with what might be ex-
pected, the same result. We are pursuing the
same course toward the Chippewas that We are
accusing the eastern "Humsnitarians'' of pur.
,uing toward the Sioux. When will we learn
% be consistent, and bestow sympathy and hu.
nanity on proper objects! Before the Sioux
broke out last summer, the people had no warn
ng of their intention, 50 hit they could take
measures to prevent aggressions. But to pre-
pare against general outbreakr Of the Chip |
,ewas, We have had ample time, and certainly |!
,ave had many, very many, indications that
heir intentions aye hostile; as fully so as the |
',oux have proved themselves to be: Time
lone ae@ll determine ,chat the ch;ppsras sozl do,
'or WHAT THEY INTEND DOING. l. -.
Truly your friend, II .'~ +
- - JACOB LY BRANn.
X We will nuhlish th;s article or At leasf