Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-09-22


not expect to survive many moons
Before set out on my journey t.
the land OF my fathers have de
termined to give my motives and rea,
ons for my former hostilities to the
Whites, and to vindicate my characte,
from Misrepresentation.
am now an obscure member of n
nation that formerly honored and re.
spected my opinions. The pathway
to glory is rough, and many gloomy
hours may obscure it. May the Great
Spirit shed light on yours, and that
you may never experience the humil.
ity that the power of the American
government has reduced me to, .-is
the wish of him who, in his native
forests, was once as proud and bold
as yourself.
On my next and last visit to our
Spanish father Cat St. LOUISE / dis
covered on landing that all was not
right. Every countenance seemed
sad and gloomy. inquired the cause
and was informed that the Americans
We're coming to take possession of
their town and country, and that we
We're to lose our Spanish father. This
news made me and my band exceed
ingly sad, because we had always
heard bad accounts of the Americans
from the Indians. who had lived near
them. We were very sorry to lose
our Spanish father, who had always
treated us with great friendship.
i had not yet discovered one good
trait in the character of he Ameri-
cans who had come to the country.
They made fair promises, but never
fulfilled them, while the British made
but few, and we could always rely
implicitly on their word.
can not describe their meeting
and parting SO as to be understood
by the whites, as it appears that
their feelings are acted upon by GER
tain rules laid down by their preach
ers, while ours are governed by the
monitor within us.
Why did the Great Spirit ever send
the whites to Rock Island to drive us
from our home and introduce among
us poisonous liquors, disease and
death? They should have remained
in the land the Great Spirit allotted
them.
The Americans fought we'll and
drove us back with considerable loss.
l was greatly surprised at this, as
had been told that the Americans
would not fight.
The British had taken many pris-
oners and the Indians We're killing
them. l immediately put a stop to
it, as never thought it brave but
base and cowardly to kill an 'unarmed
and helpless foe.
explained to my people the man
ner in which the British and Ameri-
cans fought. Instead of stealing up
ON each other and taking every adj
vantage to kill the enemy and save
their own people as we do, which,
with us is considered good policy in
war chief, they march out in open
daylight and fight regardless of the
number of warriors they may lose.
After the battle is over they retire
| to feast and drink wine as If nothing
had happened After which they make
statement in writing of what they
have done, each party claiming the
victory, and neither giving an ac-
count of half the number that have
been killed ON their side. They all
fought like braves, but would not do
to lead party with us. Our maxim
is: Kill the enemy and save our
own men," Those chiefs will do to
paddle canoe but not to steer it.
The Americans can shoot better than
the British. but their soldiers We're
not so we'll clothed, nor SO well pro-
vided for.
/ II
1t is not customary for us to say
much about our women, as they gen
orally perform their part cheerfully
and never interfere with business be-
longing to the men.
This is the only wife ever had
or ever will have. She is a good
woman, and teaches my boys to be
brave.
l distinctly saw two little white
boys concealingN themselves in the
underbrush, thought of my own
children, and passed on without not
icing them.
II l next found a box full of small
bottles and packages, which appear
ed to be bad medicine also, such as
the medicine men kill the white peo
pie with when they are sick. This
threw into the river.
What do you know of the man
ners, the laws, and the customs o
the white people. They might buy
our bodies for dissection, and We
would touch the goose quill to con
firm it and not know what we wer'
doing. This was the case with MI
and my people in touching the goose
quill the first time.
| We can only judge of what i.
proper and right by your STANDARD