St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-23

which occurred some twenty-nine
years ago to say much about them
without mourning the charge of ego
tism, which, above all things, Idesire to
avoid; but the defenders have SO
ordered, and as they Obeyed me in
times of trial and danger, | am bound
to obey them now. Such long period
has elapsed since the battles of
New Ulm were fought that
nearly a generation has arisen and
takes possession of the active field of
progress and civilization. A time suffl-
cient to have Gained down all prejudiceS
and animOSities that may have existed
between the white man and the red man
has passed, so that l think l am justi-
fed in stating my candid opinion in re-
gard to the abOrigineS of this country.
There can be no question that the In
dian was the original and rightful DOS
SCISSOR of the soil which now constitutes
the state of Minnesota, and up to very
recent period, no later than 1851, he
was in the absolute and undiSpnted Oc-
cupatiOn and control of all of Minnesota
lying west of the Mississippi river, and
a large portion of Northern Iowa. His
country was an Indian paradise.
1t contained hundreds of beautiful
and sparkling lakes Astounding in fishes.
The forests contained endless orchards
of sugar trees. Buffalo, elk, deer,
beaver and all other animals necessary
to the comfort of the Indian abOunded
throughout the land. To obtain a COM
Portable and happy existence he had
but to exercise his natural instincts.
But the aggressive march of civil
iZatiOn by a superior race was
upon him. They demanded his lands,
and feeling the necessity of yielding to
the demand, he was forced to surrender
them. Treaties were made, as is Gus
tOmaTy by the United States. one at
Mendoza and one at Traverse DIES Sioux
In the year 1851, by which he sold his
whole domain and accepted in lieu
thereof a narrow strip of country
ten miles wide, on each side of the
Minnesota river, extending from a
short distance below Fort Ridgely to
the source of that river, and agreed to
give up his previous possessions and re-
move to his new reservation within
three years from the date of the treaties.
The government promised him large
annual annuIties in money and goods,
which were to be paid semi. annually.
When he got to his new reservation
he found the country almost deSti-
tute of game and everything else that
tends to the support of the savage. 1t
is true that in those days there were no
railroads to disturb his excursions to
the west and northwest of him, and
herds of buffalo, millions in number,
RbOunded ON the Western plains.
l do not hesitate to say that no
grander race of aboriginal men ever eX-
listed on this continent than the Sioux
of the Northwest. They were magnifi-
cent hOrsemen, born hunters and war
riors from the cradle to the grave. The
Sioux were at war with all surrounding
tribes except the Winnebagoes, and
their lives, from infancy to old
age, were one continual collision
with their enemies. 1t is not for me to
criticise the government of the United
States in its observance of its treaties
with these Indians. A great deal has
been said about the impositionS that
were practiced upon them by the agents
of the government and the traders who
were licensed to live among then. but
l do not believe that oTe~hdlf that
has been said is true, or nearly true.
AS early as 1856 l had charge of these
Indians as their agent under the treaties
with the United States, and so far as
my experience goes, they received
everything that belonged to them, with
only one exception, and that was that
they were frequently delayed in
the arrival of their money ana
goods. which created dissatisfaction
and trouble among them. | do not be-
lieve that any of the difficulties arising
under the administration of the treaties
with these Indians was the grand cause
Of the outbreak in 1862. 1t was the old
story, which has been repeated from
the earliest historical times, of a superior
patton expanding itself over O country
md demanding the lands of an inferior