The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-04-21
THE AnusEn sEnMAN-Mow pIOUs
A0ENTA NERVE HIM.

During his recent speech on the Trans
fer Of the Indian Bureau, Congressman
Cook read the following communication
FROM tho Chippewa Indians, who now oc.
cupy the "Whitc Earth" reservation. 1t
Is the production Of 'IIole-in-the.Day,"
and Is addressed TO the honorable Con-
gross of the United States Of America
We, the undersigned. chiefs Of the
Chippewa Indians, at White Earth reser-
walton, would respectfully represent to
your honorable body that we are all
greatly dissatisfied with the course p,ir-
sued by the present agent Of the White
Earth reservation, and desire the manage.
ment Of this agency transferred to the
Roman Catholic church.
We make the request at the earnest en-
treaties Of our respective bands, who
unite with US In this petition.
The reasons upon which our request Is
| based are as follows:
| First Our present agent has uniform
| ~ used the most unjust discrimination In
distributing our annuities and supplies,
and has failed to pay over to US large
| sums Of money that are rightfnlly our
due.
Second. We have never been consult
l ed by him as TO the manner In which the
money left In his hands to be expended
for our benefit should be laid out, and
our rights have been violated In thus de.
barring us from having any voice In such
matters.
. Third. Our people are suffering most
severely and are In a great danger OF los
, ing their lives by freezing.as the clothing
which should have been distributed
among them has not been issued only In
exceptional cases.
Fourth. We have in many instances
performed labor for the agency for which
we were to have been paid In supplies
and the supplies were issued; but instead
Of their being considered by the agent as
payment for labor, they stand charged t.
each individual Indian who drew them
IS the books of the agent will show to
day:
and have greater confidence In that de.
nomination than any other. and believe
that our rights will be more respected
management than they would under the
management OF any other sect or denOm'
ination.
We would further show to your honor
able body that we have been heretofore
greatly imposed upon in the matter OF
papers purpOrting to be an expression OF
our feelings. such papers having fictitious
signatures attached thereto; but In this
instance our wishes are correctly ex
pressed and our signatures are genuine
and true. and we perfectly understand
what we are doing.
This Is an outrage. The accusation Il
made against the Indian agents and TIN
whole bureau, Of excluding them from al
care and protection, and especially o
withdrawing them from their own rclg
ious teachers and placing them unde
teachers Of an entirely different faith.
lie says again:
We do not see why they should steal
from us and use us as they have herctofor,
daily done. They are surely not so in
structed to do by Gods Holy book, henc,
our decision Is to leave them and flock 4
the true followers of Christ, who are til
Catholics, rs they have never been know
to steal anything. We humbly beseec
our Great Father to remove our official
and replace them by true Roman Cath'
lies.
So outrageous was the conduct OF the.
agents, protesting the Protestant faitl
that they actually drove them to the car
and custody OF the Catholic priests an
the Catholic church for protection.