St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-07-14
,rv bone'st the Thought bt4.hbnest me,

cry bone'at the Thought ST 'hbnest men
examining into their affairs know why
this reduest was denied.
"A, special commission, sent up by the
Legislature, consisting Of dov. Ramsey,
and others, succeeded in etfecting satis-
factory trt atty Of amity with the malcon-
tents, though only intpnded TO serve tens
porary purpose 81 pacihcation, which was
af,etw 'qds 'di.grHcetu'ly repudidted by the
Indian authorities.
This treaty w"s "disSratefu3ly rcpu-
dated by the Indian authorities" but
not Just by those to whom the Press
refers. After the forning Of this
treaty by Senator Ramsey aid others
q conclave of Indian officials assembled
at St, Paul, and"was engaged day aud
night almost in taking Testimony OF
witnesses against tho treaty. Poor ig-
norant half breeds were sworn, aud
their testimony warped TO Suit the de-
signs Of the schemers. Witnesses were
suborned while the sworn statements
of. pcrsonsNho helieted in the 'necessf-
ty and justice Of the treaty were not
received. 1t was by sdch means as
these, and by "lndian authorities"
such as were most interested in the
$4,000 swindle, that the treaty Of
amity" was defeated.
The unscfupulous zeal with which
these men labored for the accomplish
ment Of Their purpose, lead many to
wonder what could be their ihcitlng
motive. 1t was This: to prevent an
investi CATION which would have reveal
ed corruption enough to have fastened
upon Indian officials 'nanie of 'tndying
infamy. 1t was fearing that such an
investigation might show into whose
hands had fallen the 81 so in gold re-
tanned from the annuity money IF ev-
cry Indian, almost, Of the Mississippi
bands, at the payment Of 1862, for
the ostensible purpose of indemnifying
for dePredations committed, but which
depredations have never yet been paid,
nor the money accounted for to the IN
dams
That it might reveal the disdg*eea-
bic fact that Indian agents and their
clerks stole from the warehouses, blan-
kets and other goods belonging to the
Indians, aud sold them to the traders,
by whom they were again sold to the
Indians. And, al 0, that these agents
and their clerks subsisted and clothed
themselves and their families from the
provisions and goods of the Indians.
And, further, that persons furnishing
provisions and other articles for these
same parties, were requit'ed to sign
! vouchers whereby these purchases would
! be charged I" ~ +
That it might sho" how Sl0OO re-
ouestedby op~ot the bands to be taken
| from~~sPecial fund belonging to them
and invested In Irvine for nets, was
pocketed by the official and the Irvine
taken FROM another band.
That it might show what &C.
count was made of lumber sawed for
the 1ndiars, at their expense. for the
erection Of houses, and afterwards given
or disposed of by the Agent to the
traders.
That it might make public the fact
that an Agent of the Chippcwas, while
employed by the Government aud un=
der its pay TO attend to just such bus
ness, demanded of claimants for inden,.
nifty for depredations, a commission of
twenty-five per cent! Or, in other
words, that he demanded Share IN
these claims, before he would receive
thcm-thus, at the Same time swim
ding claimants and violating his ob-
legations to the Government.
That-it might disclose what i; gss,=
tleman, appointed by the President
himself for his honesty, saw that caus-
ed him to say, just before he resigned,
after having served month or twv.
that he could no longer retain his bo-
sition as Agent of the Chippewus un-
der such influences az he was placed,
and surrounded by suoh men, without
actively participating in their corrup-
tions.
That it might reveal in what manner
an Agent made good his boast, ute red
almost in the same breath with his oath
Of ,fEice, that "be had taken the Ascn-
cy to make money, ahd by - he
would do it,"
That it might give cluc to what
this same agent meant when he said to
one of our citizens, just after the break
inc ont Of the tfohhlos u;.l, tho Oh;,