New-York daily tribune., 1866-02-22
TqsE INDIANS OF TIE NORTH'
WEST.
Th. Expeditions of Gen.. Pope and sulIy.


and many false statements made in regard to Indian
affairs in the Northwest or il is better known, the
Upper Missouri Country that few facts which cannot
be d!sputed. coming from persons who had the very
best means of Judging may be OF interest TO those who
do not believe in the doctrine upheld by some that total
exterminaton Of the Indians is the only means by
hcb we can have peace in Indian country. There
are good Indians and bad ones good nggers and bad
ones good white men and some very bad ones.
! These lines are written by one who has interest
whatever with the Indians in pecuniary point OF
viewi whose daily bread does not depend the Indians
or the amount of anuuities Congress in its wisdom may
deem fit TO appropriate for their benefit.
Ii is generally very well known now how the terrible
Minnesota massacres Of ls62 brought about how
tie Ssntee Sioux we're driven from tract OF land to
another tract still further west till at last II was the IN
tention to drive them back, west of the State ne TO
the bleak open prairie, where the soil is OF snsn
that nothing will ever grow and where the In
daus would have to starye be entirely dependent on
I the Government for their support.
These Santee Sioux were not like the prairie Sioux,
accustomed 10 hunt the buffalo but lived near the tim
ber hunted small game trapped fshed, and cultivated
the soil TO some extent.
As the white settlements near ther villages on tho
Mississippi River increased the eovetous eyes of specu
ators desired their rich lands Some Of the chiefs were
induced to sign treaties giving up their lands when
treaties they could not undertand, for they could not
speak English much less read It, and thus were al tac
mercy OF these speeulators and their interpreters.
Often has this been tie We frequently hear Of
delegation of such tribe of Indians visiting their
great Father at Washngton. making sucl treaty by
which they moved from their lands, and the Govern
ment gave them so much year, would educate and
I /, of,lf Rut boVg
often have we seen this latter part Of the treaty accom-
pishedf In some respects we treat the Indians as
foreign power We take the poor fools to Washington
treat them with the greatest respect 10 make an i'm
preston on them and then send them home loaded with
presents, after making treaty with tnem. in a Ian
guaee they dout understand through irresponsible
Interpreter who may be interested in not interpreting
the truth.
This is all wrong The wild, uncivilzed Indian Ia
but child compared with an educated white man. and
our Government should treat them children, protect
encourage and improve them. and when they are bad
punish them
There are cases where Indians who have tins sigaed
treaties have not been that they had signed away
their own right and title and that OF their people to
their lands till the demand came from the Government,
backed by military force calling on them to comply
with their treaty, to from their pleasant homes.
their birthplace the land Of their forcfathers and go
ont into the bleak. open prairie there to seek new
home
Is II TO DO wondered at that Indians treated in tls
way during the long Winter months while they were
suffering from hunger their children dying from tarTa
ton should prowl around the white settlements on the
lands which were theirs short time ago. and steal from
those who 10 them appeared TO have plenty chicken.
a pig, or an oIi What negro. or even white man.
would not under the crcumstances do the same,
and it is thus that Of Indian commenced
True. in all treaties made with Indians Government,
allow them certain sums Of money yearly. a recon.
pense for the lands taken from them. but how much Of
this appropriation ever reaches the Indiani If you
wish 10 know spend few years at an Indian Agency.
The Minnesota Sioux starved. driven to desperation
al last broke ont in open rebellion and committed afro
cities disgusting and shocking to read Of. They
did what was feared by they would do years be-
fore ard what any barbarous uncivilized viii do
when they do revol-ike the Sepoys in India the ne
groes in Jamaica or the rioters in most civilized
cities.
The evil done; il necessary 10 check II and
punish the aggressors Troops promptly raised in
Minnesota and put into the field under Gen. Sibley
Some Of the Indians caught and execucd others
caught were (pehaps it would have been better had
all caught been executed, not punishment bat az
an example and future preventive.
No Of preends 10 excuse these Indians for
their outrageous conduct Does any one pretend to
cusc the white men who. from their love Of money.
drove these unciyilzed. bsrbarous people TO dcsper
atonf
The country west OF Minnesota beyond the Missouri
River far west the yellow Stone River known as
Dakota Territory is also Inhabited almost entirely by
Sioux Indians belonging to the tribe the Sanee
or Minnesota Sioux but very different In their habits.
They live the open prairie in the hills west Of the
Missouri they have had large droyes Of horses sub
sist principally by bunting the buffalo. Immense herds
Of these animals roam over this extensive country
there being settlements travellers TO disturb them
in their undsputed right 10 the land These Sioux
bold, free Of men, who. until lately seldom or
never the whites, except few traders who were
mostly habreeds. who had penetrated tic country 10
trade with these Indians They considered themselves
superior 10 any white man, and would they allow
70 enter their country without their permission. They
arc divided into several large bands such as the North
YanktOnsis" Lower Yanktonais,' Cut Heads.
Uukpapas." "Backieet Sioux" and Others These
bands are aso subdyided into villages or camps Each
subband has It's chief and principal men, or as they call
them soldiers. There is also head chief OF the band
while IN camp together The chiefs manage 10 keep
some control and order. but out of their camp the liz
dian knows no law and acts as be feels disposed.
upto ls62 these Sioux lived comparatively in State
oi peace with the whites. No white visited their
country Tor he had no necessity 20 go there conse
qnenuy the Indians having no Inducements TO punder
and murder they behaved themselves No boats ut
those conveying goods for the American Fur Company
ssoended the river above Fort Randall and they had 10
pay toll In the shape OF tobacco ammunition or pro
vision 10 compensate as the Indian claimed for the
wood these boats consumed from Mer lands But abOut
this time the gold in Idaho began 70 attract attention
miners attempted to navigate the Missouri River with
their fat boats but they attacked by the Indians
| driven back very many OF them killed The Santce