The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-05
annuiaes he had not roceived) he would then
receive his portios Of the goods " to be then

00nu1tao8 no had NOT rocoaved) no would tnen
receive his portioe Of the goods |" to be then
Distributed. ''
, Thus we zee TINT from tho time Gen. Atkin-
son ascended the Missouri until Maj. Latta's in.
terview with Big Head, In May, 1862, the gov.
erpment sought peace with the hostile Sioux
of the Upper Missouri" by negotiations, at
an aggregate expense, including tho military
expeditions of Gen. Atkinson and Harvey, vary
ing but little from million of dollars, and In
1862 Major Latta tells us that those of tho Sioux
bands on the Missouri opposed to the gov
eminent, were more hostile than ever before )"
and yet the government has appropriated &c.
600 to cover the expenses of negotiating .
treaty with these same Indians, by which, In
all probability provisions will be made for the
payment of another million; and what VIII be
the result7 These Indians killed white
men, destroyed their property, and interrupted
the navigation of the Missouri Gen. Akin
son paid them for it. They wanted further
compensation, and killed more whites, and
were again paid for their labor. But tn $50 oc-
casional payments did not meet their wants,
and they increased their efforts, which resulted
In the treaties of Forts Pierre and Laramie, un-
der each of which they were to receive large
annuol payments. But even the large amounts
they received under these treaties they found
insufficient to meet their wants, and their hos
tility to the government and depredations upon
the whites continued, under the impression
that the government was powerless to punish
them, and could only secure their friendship or
at least cessation of hostiliies. by payments at
stated periods, of sums equal TO meet all the
necessities and many of the Injuries of Indian
life. . ..l . st-t
In 1868 Gen. sibley encountered these In.
dams, and after effectually routing them with
greatlo In persens and property, although their
numbers were treble the number of the troops,
and forced them to seek safety by crossing the
Missouri. where the troops owing to combina.
ion of unforeseen circumstances. were unable to
follow them. In addition to the destruction of
many of their lodges, their supply of pro
visions, cooking utensils, clothing, &C., &c
over one hundred wagons and carts, which in
their flight they were compelled to abandon on
this side the Missouri River, were broken to
pieces by the troops, thereby iepriving the
Indians of the facilities of transportation in
their hunting excursions.
This was the first encounter of those Indians
with white troops. They were STACKED far In
the interior of their own country, where they
believed our troops could not reach. They
wero compelled to retreat by force inferior In
cS>aun 10 hal nd NJ CNQ n
regarded ss inferior in bravery sud the strategy.
of warfare. 50 entirely different was the result
of the encounter from what they anticipated,
that it was with much difficulty they could
realize that they had been unsuccessful.
In 1864 Gen. Sully encountered these same
"hostile Sioux of the Upper Missouri, y In all
their force, and In that portion of their coun-
try most difficult to penetrate with troops.
They were again routed with great loss. They
were compelled to abandon oil their lodges and
other property, and they returned to the Mis-
souri, convinced that new era had dswned
upon them that they could no longer triie
with the government; that q cessation of hes
tiities had ceased to be q merchantable COM
modify, for which they could obtain such terms
as their modesty would permit them to demand.
They saw that peace would becnf3-ced If neces
sary, and that to save themselves from further
punishment they must solic;t peaceful relations
and maintaih them. Yet Mr.. Burieigh charac-
terizes the military policy as failure, and
would return to policy which long series of
years of Indian intercourse has prored to be
failure, and has entailed upon the country the
loss of many lives and much property. $3.50
The policy adopted by Gen. Pope for the
control and government of the Indian tribes,
embodles the true system for obtaining and
preserving peaceful relations with them, and
eventually elevating them far above their pre-
sent condition He places them under military
control, where they properly belong; he estab-
fishes military posts in the heart of the Indian
country, where he Is prepared to protect the
friendly and punish the hostile Indians; he
prohibits all improper persons from visiting
them, aud assumes thorough control of the
trade with them, by which he prevents their
receiving evil counsels for selfish purposes, and
can Withhold from the evil disposed among them
the munitions of war, and all articles for their
convenience or comfort, while uninterrupted
trade is allowed the friendly and obedent.
There are In every band of the "Sioux of
the Upper Missouri" portion who have never
entered into hostilities against the whites, and
who have ever desired to be on terms of peace
with the Government. They deserve to be re-
warded. Does Mr.. Burleigh propose to treat
with that class of Indians Does he propose
to regard their previous conduct with favor and
offer them remuneration for their fidelity7
Not bit of 1t. They are cast aside and disre-
garded in his programme. They are not even
mentioned in connection with the appropria-
ton. 1t has been their misfortune If they have
persevered in we'll doing, and he wants no in
tercourse with them. 1t is the "hostile Sioux
those who have never entertained q friendly
sentiment, nor performed friendly act for
white man those whose scalping knives are
stained with the white mans blood, and whose
lodges contain goods plundered from the white
man, that are the objects of his solicitude, and
he has an appropriation of $4,000 to enable