The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-17
..ta % aEs 81 ggIFE u
Letter from Hon. Ignatius Don
nelly on the Chippewa
Estimates.
Estimates.
WASHINGTON, May 80, 1864.

man of the Committee of Ways and Means OF
the House in reference to the Chippewa treaty
of March. 1868 As l am aware it is not youl
purpose to do injustice to any one, l would ask
that YOU would be good enough to give place
in your paper to this statement.
You fall into an inaccuracy in calling thai
letter secret circular" 1t was printed fol
circulation among the people of the State.
was aware that the man who exposes fraud anG
corruption must be prepared for the persistent
and malignant opposition of those he thwart
of their expected prey, and desired to lay al
Neither was my action precipitate. My sens;
of duty compelled me to resist the consumma
ton of SO great fraud, but at the same time
deliberately weighed all the consequences tC
myself and accepted them.
have saved the people of the United States
the expenditure of $4,000. I am satisfied
have done right. The Secretary of the Interi
or upon the receipt of copy of that Letter
withdrew his communication to the Commit
tee of Ways and Means, and personally thank
ed me for the services had rendered the De
partment.
You raise the question of topography. Ir
what you say as to the character of the coun
try you may probably be right. But the ques
ton takes a wider range.
You do not seem to be aware that an expires.
law of Congress was passed subsequent to the
making of the treaty in question, expressly
STIMULATING that the expenditures under il
should not exceed $1,000 This was done to
limit expenditure and prevent fraud. The APP
preparation asked for by the Agent Morrill, Of
$3.50, $50 is over and above and beyond the
amount fixed by statute; it is not only without
justification in law, but it is claimed as a era,
tuity IN the face of a direct stdtutatory prohibi
ton. When any set of men, for any purpose,
ask to dip their hands into the treasury and
draw out $780, 80 in contraventiOn of the law.
do you not deem it the duty of every honest
man to prevent them? If such an appropria-
ton is necessary. let a law be asked for amend
ing the present law-let the subject be discuss
ed in Congress, let the light shine through it.
and let all the reasons be given in its favor.
before dollar is granted.
Your article seems to infer that the estimates
of Agent Morrill, are not extravagant This of
course is question of individual judgment.
and the people of the State must be the final
arbiters of the question. To them 1 can safely
commit it.
would ask our tarmers-as they are better
acquainted with such subiects-whether they
know of any 500 acres of farm land in Mime
sota not close to any great city. worth ST., 200?
| would further ask them whether they would
be willing to pay $4,000 to have 800 acres OF
their own land cleared, grubbcd and broken?
would further ask them whether they think
it right to tax them to help pay $3.50, $50 for
the removal of 20O0 Chippewa Indians from
one swamp to another. for their support fol-
six months and for grubbing breaking and
clearing 800 acres of land for them. In other
words, whether it is right in this hour of ma.
tional peril and extremity, to pitch $3.50. $50,
not asked for By 0ay eristinG la1c, intO-to use
your own language-''a country of woods and
swamps and lakes, where it is impossible to
ride five miles in any direction without coming
to an impossible bog or lake"
The sum is large one. One half larger,
believe, than the total annual cost of oar whole
state government. Surely the man who ar
rests such an appropriation and saves such an
amount to the nation deserves something be-
sides sneers. 1t is enough to encounter the
hostility of the men who have had the spoil
plucked out of their jaws, without provoking
the SCOTS of honest men.
Another word as to the true value of the
work estimated upon. l have just received a
letter from one OF the leading citizens of our
State-a man of probity and honor and prac-
teal business man-whose name will be forth.
coming II necessary. He says:
From my knowledge of the basis from
which these estimates are made, I would agree
to all that is proposed TO be done for one hall
the sum asked for do not want to be under.
stood as seeking cOntract-I do not ask no,
expect one-for | have plenty Of business o.
my own to attend tO,-but as tax payer, hay.
ing an interest in these things, want to see
them done for the least possible price, Appro
pirate half the sum called for and will guar.
autce the performance of the work.
Take therefore even this estimate, and it will
be perceived that my course has saved the Gov
eminent $4,000.
But. as have said, this appropriation is moi
required by law, nor is it now necessary.
You allegc in YOUR editorial that was mis-
taken il supposing the Chippewas possessed
ponies: and yuu say that their means of trans
portation are confined to canoe-travel and foot
7 n fAa% III e
ter Surely it is not more expensive to trave
il canoe than with pony. Surely no sens
Bic man would suppose that TO transport 2, 00(
zen. women and children, one hundred and
fifty miles, in canoes and on foot would cos,
the Government $50 900; when by your own
showing it is impossible TO transport them on
wagons, and they have to more themselves. II
Is a little too muck of good thing to require
and Indian to walk and paddle one hundred
ana nifty miles through the wilderness and
Then charge The Government 80 for transport.
ing him,
Nor can sec the prop.iety of expending
Sl3,O00 IN constructing wagon road in the
midst of an impossible wilderness of swamps
for the accommodation Of those who travel in
canoes!
Already hundreds of thousands of dollars
have been thrown away in such wild schemes.
A distinguished ecclesiastic of our State
writes me, under date of the 18th instant as
follows:
II visited last year the Chippewa Reserva-
ton in North Minnesota, and noticed large
tracts of land that had been cleared for the In
dams, at vast cost to the government, over
grown with heavy brushwood, not one acre O
which had ever been planted by the Indians
The most the Indians do is to cultivate, imme
diately around their wigwams, few square
yards, which they can protect with their guns
saw costly mills rotting down, and roads be
coming impossible from neglect and disuse
while the moral condition of the Indians OF
the Reservations is quite too loathsome tt
think Of"
And into this cess-pool of corruption and in
iquity sorely taxed people are asked to throw
another $150,000.
thank you for the closing lines of your ar
ticle. You ask me to persevere in uprootins
this matter. shall do so. have faith to be
lleye that the people will strengthen the hand
OF the man who seeks to serve them. II Got
spares my life shall rip open this whole In
dian system and let the light of day into it
oark places. The evils can be remedied
cannot De to the interest of the white man t
Perpetually degrade and brutalize and impov
grisn tnis wretched race dependent upon him
II Wouid be more merciful to let loose fire ant
SWORD at once and sweep them from exist
ence. IL Is not the fault of the American PEG
PIE, 1or they are ehristianized and humane
Is not she fault of the Government. for it an
nuaiiy wastes its millions upon the Indians
but 1t is the fruit of the system which leaves a,
Ignorant, savage and helpless race at the merc
OF few able and irresponsible men. Tha