The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-30
eMisfellanrnu5*
A VICIOUS INDIAN POLICY.
Some Plain Truths Set Forth by
Bishop Whipple.
A Long, Damning Record Of Crime and
Ffaud-TRe Results of the Custer Er-
pedition- What Has Been Done
IN Canada.

From Rle N. y Times.
To THE EDITOR OF THE New YORK
T1MEs-Sr:-I notice that you state that
Senator Window of Minnesota justifes
the violation of our treaty with the Sioux
Indians on the ground that the Indians
are dishonest, lying race, and that he
knows this fact by twenty years resi-
dence in Minnesota.
hope that the Senator has been mis-
represented. Senator Window was for
years the Chairman of the Committee on
Indian affairs. He knows the history of
our dealings with these Indians. Letme
present few facts, which l published at
the time of our Sioux massacre, and they
will show which Of the parties to the
treaties was guilty of lying and fraud. In
1858 the Sioux Indians of Minnesota sold
us 100000 acres of their reservation. The
plea for this sale was that they needed
more money to aid them in the work of
civilization. This treaty provided that
none of the proceeds of this sale should
be paid for Indian debts, unless such
debts should be recognized in an open
council. No such council was ever held.
The Indians waited for years. They
never received one penny Of this money,
except about fifteen thousand dollars
of worthless goods. All this money was
taken for claims except about eight hun
dred and sixty, eight dollars, which was
left to their credit in Washington. In
June, 1862, they came together to receive
their annual payment. The annuity
money had not come. The traders told
the Indians thatit had been stolen. They
waited two months, mad, exasperated
and hungry. They said that some of
their children had starved to death.
Then came that awful massacre in which
over eight hundred of our brave pion-
eers were murdered. No pen can de-
scribe the horrors of that desolated bor-
der. The money for the payment was
sent too late. AT the eleventh hour $685.
600 was taken from other trust funds to
supply that portion of the annuities which
had been paid out for claims against the
Indians The Winnebagoes lived near
the Sioux. They were our friends. They
refused to join in the outbreak. They
even killed the Sioux messengers who
asked it. They cut off their ears and sent
them to the whites to show their friend
ship to us and the fate of our enemies.
The Winnebagoes had goodly reserva-
ton which white men coveted. They
were removed by force, and were taken,
with the friendly Sioux, to the Missouri
river, and located at Crow creek. Over
one thousand Of these Indians died of
disease and starvation that year. During
that awful winter some Indian women
crossed from the Missouri to Faribault,
and God only knows how they lived, for
their only food was frozen roots, which
they dug on the prairie.
The Chippewas of Minnesota have al
ways been our friends. They, too, have
suffered from shameless frauds and lies.
For long years our cruel wrongs to them
made them one of the most Wretched
races on the face of the earth. Whisky
and robbery made the border pande-
monium. Surely these are not instances
of Indian lying and dishonesty. Naboth
willnever find vindication from Ahab
Senator Window, if my memory serves
me, was member of an Indian commits
sion, of which Senator Doolittle was the
chairman. They made an examination
of the causes of our late Indian wars
They published a report in 1865. 1t was
one of the saddest books l have ever
read. From the Mississippi river to Ore
gon, from Canada to the Rio Grande, it is
one long, damning record Of crime and
fraud. In 1868 another Indian commits
sion was sent out, composed of Gen. Sher-
man, Gen. Terry, Gen. Augur, Gen. Har-
ney, Gen. Sanborn, Senator Henderson
and Major Tappen. They took testimony
again. 1t was too bad to publish. am
told that when the Indian chiefs met the
commission at Medicine Lodge creek
they gave as reason for not making an
other treaty with us that "three times
men have come to us and made treaties;
they said that their great father sent
them; they were liars; we have not seen
one thing which they promised" After
long discussion the Indians said that
"they believed the men who wore our
uniform had straight tongues" They
made another treaty. One thing which
they insisted upon was that they should
have a country " hich would not be in
vaded by the whites. This pledge was
made. The country which contains the
Black Hills was guaranteed to them. No
possible plea can be made against their
title, except the plea of the footpad, who
places his pistol to your breast and says
might makes right" The expedition of
Gen. Custer was made in clear violation
of a nations faith. Gold was discovered.
At first we were ashamed to violate our
own treaty. The noble men who made
that treaty for us honestly tried 10 keep
white men out of the Indians country.
1t was impossible. Our only honorable
course was to make such amends as we
could by purchase. The Government
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