Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-01-30
No. 10
EARNEST LETTER FROM A SUN
RIVER SETTLER.


Honest Truths Honestly Expressed.
.. Sun RIVER, January 20, 1878
TO the Editor of the Herald:
| see in late issue of your paper news to
the effect that the amount of money appro-
priated for the Sioux Indians is to be dmin-
ished-which is quite characteristic of our
government, as has been shown in other
treaties which have years before been broken
up on about the same amount of power
which exhibits itself now to the people of
Montana. snake it to-day, and break it to-
morrow" is the by-word of speculators who
would inaugurate an Indian war for the sole
purpose of replenishing their purses, regard
less of the lives of our people, who to them
seem to be born and placed in the world for
their sole use and benetit-to exist in worse
condition than the negroes ever did south of
Mason and Dixon's Line in state of slavery.
/ speak as one only of very many citizens of
this Territory who are thus placed in peril.
While the Government in good faith appoints
agents to distribute annuities and subsistence
to the Indians in the northern part of our Ter
ritory, with pledges to the Indians that they
will be taken care of, whereby the agent be-
comes the instrument through which peace is
negotiated; while the Government has caused
to be made surveys of land in this part of the
country, whereby immigration has promptly
responded, and to the number of nearly five
hundred souls, have settled in the counties of
Lewis and Clarke, Choteau, Meagher, and
Dawson-it does seem now as if some hellish
purpose is about to be consummated-another
Minnesota massacre, to furnish the press of
the country with news. and bring more
shame upon the nation and woe to the peo-
pie of the border. They would inform the
Government that no such Indians exist.
They would also inform the Government
upon other topics, of which they know as
little about as of this. / do know that the
Teton tribe of Indians do exist, and further
more that they can at any time furnish at
least three thousand fighting men, or an
average of three warriors to the lodge, thus
leaving at home sufficient force to support
and place in good security their families,
which duty devolves upon those that remain.
Now the sole fact of the matter is, proba-
bly,, somebody's cousin has been ousted.
Therefore it is proper that noise should be
made sufficiently loud that Congress must see
that cousin replaced.
We care not for officers under the Indian
Superintendency, nor for any others that
may be granted by our Government, but we
do care for our fresiGes and our homes.
This matter, small as it may seem, is of the
most vital importance to every citizen of
Montana 1t is plain fact, which can read
lily be seen by any close observer, that a
diminution of the appropriation to these
lower Indians will result in more serious
manner to us generally than we can easily
foresee. During the last year we have had
no trouble with these Indians. We know
nothing of what separate amounts are al
lotted to the lower tribes of Indians, neither
do we care, SO long as they are properly dis
tributed and the Indians remain on their own
soil, as they have for the past year, accord
ing to the treaty with the Government agents;
and while the settlers on the border of our
several counties can feel secure from raids
and attacks from savages, why can not those
in the interior, who dare not risk their lives
in the development of new country and
whose ambition is unworthy, allow us to re-
main in the full enjoyment of our security,
however poor we may be, and once cast an
inward thought that our lives are at stake
through any foolish step that may be. taken
toward diminishing the amount of annuities,
now given to the Sioux Indians. Rather let
them assist us in breaking up such class of
spectators as we had an example of during
our late trouble.
Not wishing to intrude longer upon your
valuable paper-and would not have
said so much, but you know the press is the
only medium through which we can make
our tribulations known, and hope the press
of Montana in general will comment upon
the matter truthfully, regarless of any polti-
cal feeling, and give their mite toward en-
deavoring to maintain peace between the
whites and Indians, and leaving US to enjoy
the blessings bestowed by q kind Providence
Il remain, 4 - ..a q
Yours truly, S.EF.
THE crazy inmates of an Eastern asylum
publish paper which, if reports are true,
we Judge to be quite respectfully edited, II