The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-17

Skilled to perfection in the peculiar craft
pertaining to his, calling, and bis powers of
endurance being almost incredible when
aroused he becomes the, most dangerous
of foes. -. IL, ...', I'D - oI-t....4
When difficulties land misunderstand-
ings arise between civilized nations, they
may be amicably adjusted by negotiation,
Quoted on scientific principles, but never
losing sight of the great principles of hu-
mainly. But not so with race of sava-
ages. Diplomacy is something unknown
to them. f.a .G3.r as- .
When they feel that they have been
wronged, they proceed (actuated solely
by the desire for revenge) to wreak their
vengeance upon defenceless, helpless wo-
men and children. Such being the state
of things, how important it is that the
government should see that the stipula-
ton Of the treaties now existing with
those tribes who yet remain friendly should
be strictly and faithfully complied with.
Since open hostilities have been commence
ed by one tribe, it will not require much
to induce other tribes to follow their ex-
ample. .. ... t.... ..... ,...
Another point which is very essential
one, is the employment of competent in
terpreters who have a thorough
knowledge of the two languages. 1t is my
opinion that more than one-half of the mis-
understandings which have arisen between
the Indians and the government may be
traced to the fact that the interpreter did
not understand himself what had been said
to him. AS general thing half-breeds
are employed to interpret. ... ..
White men who are capable of inter-
preting cannot afford to accept the posi-
ton of government interpreter, because
the salary is SO small that they can make
more other ways. To explain what I
mean more fully, we will examine the Ian
guages. Ten thousand words will PRADA
bly, more than cover the number of words
in the Sioux language, while our language
is said to contain over forty thousand
words. Now, the half-breed, of course, is
raised among the Indians, and acquires his
mother tongue perfectly; as he grows up
he becomes associated with the people Of
the frontier, and from them acquires his
knowledg of English, which is not such
English as is spoken among the elite. The
person who has acquired his education,
and has graduated from our high schools,
speaks different language, you might say,
from the backwoodsman, who probably
never saw the inside of school-house.
The excess of thirty thousand words in
our language over that of the Indian rem
ders it very easy to say things which can
not be literally interpreted into the Indian
tongue. In such cases you can only con-
vey the idea; that is, if the interpreter has
intelligence enough to catch the idea him
self. Now, our officials are generally in
telligent and educated men. In councils
with the Indians they use the English Ian
guage in its purity, to which the ear ofthe
poor half-breed is entirely unaccustomed.
He hears big sounding words; they are all
Greek to him, and, under such circumstan-
ces, to convey the proper idea isnext to an
Under such circumstances
treaties are formed, and, when signed by
all parties, the Indian is half the time as
ignorant of the contents of the document
as a native of Africa. On the other hand,
1 have known instances where white men,
who were wholly unfit for the Office, have
received and held the responsible position
of interpreter for the government; men
whose knowledge of the Indian tongue
scarcely enabled them to carry on simple
everyday conversation. They were favor
ties of those in authority, and therefore re-
ceived the appointment, the question of
competency never being taken into consid
Grafton. Under such circumstances it is
the easiest thing in the world for serious
misunderstanding to arise between the In
dams and the government.
Now, in regard to the Sioux, they knew
that the Federal government had been
carrying on an expensive war for long
time; they believed that almost all our
able-bodied men had gone South to take
part in the war. The customary time ar
rived for the payment Of their moneys
and distribution of goods, and the Indians
were assembled to receive them; but the
money did not arrive.
They were put off with promises that,
by such and such time, they should have
their money, but were as often disap-
pointed.
Two months after the customary time
for making payments had passed, when
their agent volunteered to go into the SER
vice of his country, and taking almost every
able-bodied man on the reservation with
him, he left his post to be gone nobody
knew how long. The Indians finding that
their agent had thus left them without
giving them any satisfactory explanations,
were at once impressed with the idea that
the federal government had ceased to ex-
list, and that their money had been ex-
pended for the purpose of carrying on the
war, and that they were left to take care
of themselves as best they could.
Just at this time four young men started
out on a war party against the Chippewas,
but being unable to find any, and procur-
ing some liquor, they murdered some
whites near Acton. They came home on
the morning Of the 18th of August, and
told what they had DONE A council was
Immediately held, and it was decided that,
taking all things into consideration, the
best thing that could be done under the
circumstances was to declare war against
the whites, and that the first blow should
be struck the next morning. This propo-
sit;on came from Little Grow. According
ly, on Monday morning, the 18th of Aug
ust, 1862, about two hundred and fifty or
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