The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-09-20
The Black Hills.
[St. Lonis Republican ]

[St. Lonis Republican,
Gen. Clusters report, and all the other re-
reached us from the Black Hills country of
the Sioux, have created, as predicted, an
auriferous fever all over the country. Old men
and boys. the impulsive and the staid, those of
those Of the AZ jumping off" places in the
territories and the Old Eldorado of the Pacific
slope-tbousands upon thousands of all these
classes are badly bitten with the gold mania
which nothing will cure but occupation of the
ground. The Black Hills country is not alone
valuable for the gold and other wealth which
it possesses, but if we may credit the reports
of the officers who accompanied the expedition
the fertility of the soil is almost without it's
match in the country, and paradise of YER
dure unequalled perhaps anywhere. This
a few grains of salt, but it may also be taken
for granted that the government possessed q
very clear idea of the character of the country
before it exhibited the cool audacity to violate
n solemn treaty, by sending an armed explor-
ing party sufficient in numbers and formidable
enough in appointments to beat down all OPP
position. Whatever the object of that expedi
tion was, and We may reasonably conclude
that some persons of high official position had
their own motives for il, have doubt
that is was fully effected. Traditions aud
legends of iuexhaustible deposits of gold and
precious stones, in the nD+xplored Indian
country, have been in ciIculatiou for fully half
century. When st. Louis was but small
French village, the outlying western post of
the Indians themselves referred TO these hid
den treasures. Few of the first-named had any
personal knowledge of these wonderful de-
posits, of their location, but they spoke con-
fdentIy of what had been confided to them by
Indians, with whom they were on terms of
friendship. It was aD Aladdins cave of which
the Indians alone held the open sesame"
Outside of the red men, the Catholic rIissiona-
ries were perhaps the only persons who had
any knowledge of the rIue locality of the vast
mountains and valleys of wealth, which came
. 4, J, tI,aI
There was no fend between the Indians and
the pioneer priesthood, for the latter never
deceived tho aborig ines, whether they became
converts not Among those priests, most
trusted and most loved by the American Iu-
dams on the Western plains, was the late Fa-
Their De Snet, and it has been said that
man, beyond the great chiefs of certain tribes
inhabitiug the aurferous region, VAS ever
made the confidential keeper of snch important
secrets Whatever WAS known to the good old
man of gold OF vaiuabies in the far West was
kept to himself, or descended legacy of
knowledge from HIM to bis church.
This golden side-show which the government
got mp expressly for IFS entertainment, and,
may We add, profit, il now seeks to ignore
when it is participated in Ivy the people. The
government clearly violated it's compact with
the Indians for the purpose of establishing the
fact of golden deposits III a land which did not
belong TO 1t, and now that the people propose
to follow the example thus set them by going
on tho ground and digging up the gold that
the government has discovered for them, some
VI tHe otEefS ot Tue government aHecG To be
terribly exercised by the prospect of such an
inflmy. Gen. Sheridan is one of these, and is
presumably but All echo OF the president and
part of his cabinet d facr, 80 far rs Sheridan is
concerned, which will not be very likely to
enter largely into the future barring ont of the
people OF itu United States from the Black
Hills country. The only question, ~ the gov
ernruenG has very clearly shown us, is, whether
the gold is really there. Custer and others de-
clare that 1t is there in fabulous quantities, in
which, perhaps, they have gone farther THAI
was authorized ny their supeiiors in Washing
t"" What will the government d" abont it
VIII IL buy the reserve from the Indians, and
- give the people valid claim to he land, or
NH 1t permit the people to go the land
WITH "Squatters' Rights inscribed on their
banner, and let them take their own chances
in n free fight with Red Cloud and his bravesf
Happiness does not consist in the indulgence
of the senses, but in the calm of pure con-
science and without reproach. In order 60 be
happy, IL ie then necessary to have this thought
RlVynve that vfFfre rrfffa