The Press., 1889-01-10

ARY 10, 1889.
 Rev. c. C. Painter, in Ct Harrington Aass, Courier
 HOW WE PUNISH OUR ALLIES.
 A STATEMENT OF FACTS IN REGARD TO THE sIssEToN AND wAHPEToN SCOUTS AND l SOLDIERS
 As agent at Washington of the Indian Rights Association, was called upon last winter by Gabriel Renville, chief of the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of the Sioux Indians, with his interpreter, s. J. Brown, half breed of the same tribe, who asked my assistance in an effort they were mak- ing to secure relief for themselves and people. Repville is 8 fine specimen of 'sthe noble red man ;' stately, dignihed, reticent, intelligent, straightforward and manly in his bearing, impressing those with whom he meets as possessing great into action if his good sesse and perfect mastery of himself consented. During the winter I had many interviews with him, and was impressed always and in- creasingly so by the quiet dignity and greatness of the man. He told the story of his great wrongs with an unrufiied, dis. passionate calmness which almost appear ed to be indifference, but there were now then flashes of lightning in his eye which revealed reserves of strength and feeling which were under the control of master mind and will.
 The story he told me in part, the truth of which learned, more fully, from pub- lie documents, it is the object of this paper to tell to the American people who are ig- norant of it's shameful details, hoping that sense of shame and justice will be kin. dled which will secure prompt and ample amends for the wrongs he and his people have suffered. By the 2d article of the treaty of Ira verse-de- Sioux, of July 23d, 1851, (see U. s. Stat, vol. 10, page 949,) the Sisseton and Wahpeton Sioux Indians sold to the certain sum of money, and by the pro- visions of an amendment adopted by the senate, the United States became obligated to pay for the lands secured, to these In- dians, annually the sum of $73, 500 for the period of fifty years, commencing July l, 1852.
 In 1862, after ten installments had been paid to said Indians, who were living on a valuable reservation they had retained in Northern Minnesota for themselves. cer- tain other Indians, the Medawakanton and Wahpakoota bands, who were sep arate ub-division of the Sioux nation, living on reservation of their own, un- der distinct treaties which entitle them to certain annuities in which those other bands had no interest, organized an out break against, and massacre of the whites living near the reservation belong ing to the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands. A few of the young mon of these last named bands broke away from the control of their chief and joined the hostiles, but the bands, as such, were loyal to the gov ernment; few also of the hostile bands the whites, while the bands as such were hostile. A very large number of the Sis I Isetons and Wahpetons, led by their chiefs and headmen, and aided by few friendly Indians from the other bands, joined the army sent to put down the hostiles, and did invaluable service as scouts and sol diers against their own people. Chief Renville was himself most active and eff cient, and Interpreter Brown has never taken natural step since he took nota- ble ride of forty hours without getting out of his saddle, carrying a message to Gsn- eral Sibley, giving him information which enabled him to head of the hostiles. The services rendered by these men, at the peril of their lives, were recognized by the army as of the utmost value, and subjected them to contempt and the hostile treat ment of the other bands against whom they fought. There were also number of these Indians in the union armies at that time fighting to put down the rebel 4 lion in the south.
 By act of congress, February 18th, 1863, in which the outraged feelings of the coun- try, as also it's undiscriminating wrath found expression, all treaties with these four bands, friendly and hostile alike, were abrogated, their lands in Minnesota, and their funds confscated, and they were driven out homeless and penniless.
 In the winter of 1867, General Sibley having convinced the government that a great wrong had been done, delegation was brought on to Washington for the :. purpose of making new treaty. The delegates were qnartered in some old army barracks on the Potomac flats and kept there some four months, during which time one of the chiefs was kidnapped, and not until some six weeks had passed, when the government offered reward of $1OO, was his dead body found, suspended, evi. dently, after life was extinct, under the bluffs on the Virginia side of the river. After long and wearisome delay, and af. ter such an experience as this, treaty was signed by them, concluded February 1867. The preamble to this treaty recites the good services of these Sisseton and Wahpeton bands, who, to the number oi some l, 500 persons, mot only preserved : their obligations to the government of the United States during and since the Mede. wakantons and other bands of Sioux, in 1862, but freely perilled their lives during that outbreak to rescue the residents on the Sioux reservation, and to obtain pos session of white women and children made Icaptives by hostile bands" and also, on Ithe second "whereas, 2 that. congress. on confiscating the Sioux annuities and reser. vations, made no provision for the sup. port of these, the friendly portion of the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands, and it is believed that they have been suffered to remain homeless wanderers, frequently subjected to intense suffering from want of subsistence, and clothing to protec, them from the rigors of high northern latitude, although at all times prompt ir rendering service when called upon to re- pei hostile raids and to punish depreda
 tions committed by hostile bands of In
 dians upon the persons and property ol whites" and then goes on, after securing e-o,,, &l,ono (orkiclo 1A a olafOA of continued