The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-02

plundered and wronged on all sides. His re-
served lands rapidly became valuable by the
growth of settlements around them, and land
spectators besieged Congress with every sort
of influence to make another treaty, involving
another removal of the Indians and the expen-
diture of more money and more goods, while
the coveted lands fell to the lot of the fOrtu-
nate or skillful speculatOr. This process was
repeated at no long intervals, the Indian tribe
diminishing rapidly with each removal and be-
coming thoroughly debased, until transferred
to a region where they could not derive any
manhood, they soon fell a prey to hostile Indi-
ans or perished with disease and want.
The Indians on these reservations surround
ed by such influences and forced into assOcia-
tion with so depraved class of white men,
were completely fortified against any efforts to
civilize or Christianize them. Even in their
wild state they were not so entirely withdrawn
from any hope of civilization.
To the Indians OF the second class, viz,
those who have sold portions of their lands
bordering on the white settlements, though
they still retain their rowing habits, much the
same remarks, though in more limited de-
gree, are applicable. The yearly or semi
their presence at stated periods on the frontier
of the white settlements. Indian traders,
whisky sellers and gamblers assemble there to
meet and plunder them, and these payments
become scenes of wild debauch until the In
dian has parted both with his money and his
goods, when he is forced again to resort to the
prairies to support life. Gradually, also, the
white settlements encrOach more and more
upon his lands. He again sells, until, corrupt
ed by gambling and drinking and by contact
with depraved whites, he gradually parts with
his whole country, and is allowed small res
ervation upon which, with the assistance of
his annuities, he supports himself as he can,
becomes one of the class Of Reserve Indians, -
and goes to his end through the same course
There do not and have not lacked occasions,
time and again, when the Indian, goaded by
swindling and wrong and maddened by drink,
has broken out against the whites indiscrimi-
nately and committed those horrible outrages
at which the country has stood aghast. l think
it will be found almost without exception that
Indian wars Of late years have broken out with
the second class of annuity Indians and can be
directly traced to the conduct Of the white
men who have swindled them out of their
money and their goods.
EVIL OF THE REsERv ALTON SYSTEM.
gradually transplanted the Indian tribes to the
West, and have located them from north to
south along our western frontier, building up
by this means constantly increasing barrier
to travel and emigration westward Through
this barrier all emigrants to the new terrific
ries and to the Pacific States are compelled to
force their way, and difficulties leading to rob-
berry and violence, and ofttimes to extensive
massacres both of whites and Indians are of
not unfrequent occurrence.
IF the whites be worsted in these difficulties,
troops are immediately demanded, and thus
begins an Indian war, which the greed of con-
tractors and speculators interested in its con-
tsvwxA v,ln
siOns of the people, and influencing the press,
makes it very difficult to conduct successfully
or to bring to an end. Both in an economic
and humane view, the present Indian policy
has been woful failure. Instead of prevent
ing, it has been, beyond doubt, the source of
all the Indian wars which have occurred of
late years. So long as our present policy pre-
the Indians will be constant and sufficient
temptation to INSCRIPTIONS white men, and so
long may we expect Outrages and Indian out
breaks on the frontier. 1t is not to be denied
that the expense of this system to the United
States has greatly exceeded what would have
been necessary to keep troops enongh on the
frontier to insure peace with the Indians. 1t
is equally certain that the condition of the In
dian, So far from being improved, has been
greatly injured. He has lost all the high quail
lties OF bis native state and has simply been
reduced to the condition of an idle drunken,
gambling vagabond. The mortality among
these annuity Indians living on reservations has
greatly exceeded that among the wild tribes,
and bids fair to extinguish the whole race in a
wonderfully short period I think it will not
be disputed. by those familiar with the subject,
that our Indian policy has totally failed of any
humanizing effect over the Indian; has
worked him cruel wrong, and has entailed u
very great and useless expense upon the gov
ernment. l have passed ten years of my life
in t1,n ovrd fHnf for 70
stated are the result Of observation and expo
rience, and are. familiar to every officer OF the
army who has Served in the West.
However wise may have been the theory of
our Indian system, it can readily be substan-
tiated that, in its practical operation. it has
worked injustice and wrong to the Indian !;
has made his present state worse, morally and
physically, than it was in his native wilderness,
and has entailed heavy and useless expense
upon the government. Some change, there
FORE seems to be demanded by well-established
facts resulting from an experience of many
years.
1t will doubtless be remembered by the War
Department that shortly after my arrival in
Minnesota, in October, 1862, to assume COM
mand of this department. invited the atten-
ton Of the Secretary of War to this subject, in
relation to its application to the reserve annu-
lty Indians concerned in the outbreak IN that
State. proposed then that all the annuity
SIOUX, as well as the Winnebagoes. De collect
ed together, with or without their consent,
and removed to some point far in the rear Of
the frontier settlements; that their arms be
taken away from them: and the payment Of
money annuities be stopped that the appro:
Prlanons tor that purpose and TO pay for all
lands claimed by such Indians be devoted to
building them villages and supplying them
with food and clothing. By this means the
annuity Indians would be deprived Of any
power 70 indulge his wandering habits, or to
tation which the payment Of money to him
constantly presents to unscrupulous whites
would be taken away, and he would thus be
shielded from all the corrupt and debasing in
Auences which have surrounded him in timea
past. He would be placed under the most "a
vorable circumstances to apply to him the in
iuences Of civilization, education and Chris.
tianity with hope Of successful results, and
without the surroundings which have hitherto
made such instruction impncticable In tho