The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-03-08
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Excerpts Taken From st. Paul Papers
of Feb. 18th, 1855

Hon. lgnatluS Donnelly SpeeCi
| in congress 10 behalf of the lndlar
was an eloquent plea even for thai
great orator. He said in part: M
sadder or more gloomy page pre-
sents itself in all our annals thar
the treatment of the Indian by oul
government. Instead of regarding
the Indians as savages helpless as
brutes and improvident as children
to be cared for and protected as
the courts of law protects idiots and
minors, our great nation has des-
cended from the eminence of Chris
| tianity and civilization, and has en-
tered into a struggle to drive the
best possible bargain with the saw
age for his lands.
1.-THE sight has been a sad one.
On one side one of the great powers
of the globe, of unequalled wisdom,
segacity and power, and on the
other parcel of untutored sayages,
scarce comprehending the transac-
ton in which they are engaged, I'M
able to read or sign the treaty
they make, and living, while they
negotiate, upon the bounty of the
very government which processes
to meet them on the terms of equal
ity. It is needy barbarism, pinched
by a thousand wants, competing
with an affiuent and all powerful
government.
One of the Red Lake Chippewa
chiefs of Minnesota said but two
years since, when solicited to part
with the lands of his tribe: When
we sell our lands we dig our graves.
'tHere is the number of survivors
of some of the tribes with whom the
government has made such treaties:
The Potta watomies of Huron num-
Der As members; the MunseeS OF
Kansas number A MEMBERS the
Stock bridges Of Kansas number IL
members. The amount per capita
paid to the first mentioned tribe is
So SO per annum, the second 50, and
the third 81 so yearly. This amount
is given to civilize the Indians, and
then people are shocked to hear
that he spends this miserable pit
lance in depravity and remains as
savage forever. 4"
The Sixth regiment arrived at
New Orleans Feb. 10th, where they
are at presentstationed doing guard
service.
The movement inaugurateo IN
New York for the popular celebra-
ton of our overwhelming victory,
on March 4, should meet with
hearty commentator throughout
the country. Since it was COM
menced Wilmington has been added
to the list of captures, and before
the day arrives we shall quite like
ly rejoice over the fall OF Mobile
and possibly the abandonment OF
Petersburg and Richmond. A pub
lie meeting will be held Monday
evening at the court house to make
all the necessary arrangements for
what will probably be the grandest
celebration ever witnessed in this
city. We owe it to our brave de-
tenders. Songs in their praise
should be heard in every hamlet
from Maine to California.
The rebel confederacy is rapidly
crumbling under the feet of Sher-
man S victorious column. Branch
vile, Columbia, Charlestown, Will
mington, have all fallen in rapid
succession, without a battle, at the
mere blast of the trumpet that her
aided his approach. the bloodless
trumpet OF the mastery strategy in
which the highest skill is backed
up by consciousness of irresisti,
BILE force.
| With the fall of these places the
military power of the rebellion is
now confined to a precarious foot
ing in the interior of North Caro-
lima and small part of southern
Virginia, and even this miserable
i fragment of the gigantic empire 0