New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-08-26
SANDERS SPEAKS.

SAANOLhC LAND.
He delivers an Address on the Event
Commemorated.
When the formal dedication ceremon-
les were over, the crowd flccked to
Turner Hall Park where several speech.
es were in store for them. 70 Mai. E..
G. Sanders of the LIE Sueur Tigers had
been assigned the Grafton of the day,
and he demonstrated the appropriate
ness of the selection in an address of
some length. A portion of his remarks
were as follows: #~.
We stand to-day where 29 years ago
the benignant and enlightened civiliza-
tion of the 10Th century met and Joined
in deadly conflict with the barbarism of
an antiquated past. A crude and cruel
savagery which in no important parti-
cular differed from that possessed by
the aborigines of Europe long before
Celt or Saxon, disturbed their haunts or
modified their modes of life. Judged
by the arms they used, the food they
ate, the mechanical and artistic skill
they displayed, this primitive people
resembled and were in no respect in
ferior to the naughty and unprogressiye
American Indian.
1t Is this stereotype man upon whom
the ages have come and gone and mad e
no change; it is he who has always
challenged the right of q pale face and
enlightened people to occupy and make
for themselves homes upon this CONT
nent. 1t is he, schooled to arms in tri-
bal wars, who has ever confronted the
pioneers of our race, as they have ad-
vanced from the Atlantic toward the
Pacific in quest of homes, and these are
the settlers whose intelligence, industry
and noble daring have laid the founda-
ton Of all the states from Maine to CAL
ifornia, and made their development
and greatness possible,
And these are they whose ears have
have been familiarized with the war
whoop of this American Ishmael and
their bodies that have been made tar
gets for his missiles of death. Belong
ing to this advanced line of civilization
that has done and suffered so much in
Transforming wilderness into produc-
tive fields were the first settlers of
Southwestern Minnesota.
Efforts have been made to find suf-
icient reason for the outbreak of the
Sioux in the course the government pur-
sued toward them but no ADEQUATE
cause has been discovered. I am OF the
opinion that it was induced vastly more
from what was in themselves, than be-
cause of any act or reglect of the gov
ernment.
Even in times of profoundest peace
they cultivated love of blood and rap
Inc and hatred of the white race. All
tnat was needed for these devils of their
minds to incite them to fendish deeds
was a favorable opportunity.
When, in the summer of 1862 Abra-
ham Lincoln called for additional 6OO,-
900 volunteers for Southern armies,
they believed their time had come; for
with Minnesota's proportion of that
bodied men would be gone leaving only
the weak and helpless in their way, 1t
was at this time I think, they deter
mined on war; hoping by this means
they might regain some of the land
they had sold to the government. but
whether they succeeded or failed in that
direction by war they would crafty
their hatred and murde1ous propensity,
and enrich themselves on the plumbers
of the slain. .s1., f.>
It should be cause of just pride to
the people of this place, that with the
exceptions of Ft. Ridgely, place made
for defense and at the time of the ou IT.
break, garrisoned by U. S. troops, New
Ulm was the first place in Southwest
ern Minnesota whore an organized ef-
fort was made to stop the fleeing refu-
gees and punish their pursuers. On
learning of the murderous attack of
their red neighbors, instead of joining
the frightened multitude in their effort
to go beyond danger, they Immediately
armed themselves and chose officers to
command them. They acted none too
soon, for hardly was their hasty organ
ization completed, before q hundred of
their foes appeared and made an attack
Happily for the people and the events
of the day, about that time unlocked for,
a small body of men, led by Capt.
Boardman put in their appearance and
at once entered into the fight. Joining
in q charge with the New Ulm company
commanded by Capt. Nix, the Indians
were put TO fight. This finished the
struggles Of the day, but not the vigi-
lance of those who won the fight. With
guards well advanced and all the re-
serve force ready to support them, they
anxiously passed the time until help
reached them. Fortunately this was
near at hand.
Of the particular men and the distin-
guished parts they bore, whether dead
or alive, will not speak lest through
the frailty Of memory and lack Of
authentic knowledge many might be
overlooked, in every respect as worthy
as those mentioned. ! will only observe
that the unanimous choice Of Judge
Fandrau as commander was fully just
/ 49, Il i. /