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 in 
 
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 tiHw 
 
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T.4-O r PI.( Wftumtetl Man,) 
 
 A friendly Sioux Indian, chiefly instrumental in b 
 *hite settlers in safety to camp during the Indian W 
 
AND HIS FRIENDS, 
 
 OR THE 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 CLAXTON, REMSEN & HAFFELFINGER. 
 
 1869. 
 
JNDIAN 
 
 In the recesses of the western wood, 
 Into its very heart, by all forgot 
 Save Him who made me, would it were my lot 
 
 To bear the burden of its solitude; 
 And in some wild and unfrequented spot, 
 
 Sharing the Indian hunter s cabin rude, 
 To lead, in glad return, a willing guide, 
 His humbled spirit to the Crucified; 
 
 And in the solemn twilight hushed and dim, 
 The forest people often gathering, 
 To make the green and pillared arches ring, 
 
 Not with the war song, but the holy hymn. 
 So might I live, and leave no other trace 
 Where I had made my earthly dwelling place. 
 
 DR. WM. CROSWELLC 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGES. 
 
 1 . History of a Mission of the Protestant Episcopal Church to Santee 
 
 Sioux Indians, written by William Welsh. 
 
 2. Journal written at the Mission in Nebraska by the Rev. S. D. 
 
 Hinman, 1 to 4 g 
 
 3. Address by Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota, at the Funeral of 
 
 TAOPI, a Christian Chief of the Farmer Band of Santee Sioux 
 
 Indians, 4 g to 55 
 
 4. Letter on Indian Civilization, by Major Cullen, of Minnesota, 56 to 60 
 
 5. Letter on Indian Civilization, by Hon. H. M. Rice, of St. Paul, 
 
 Minnesota, 6j to 6 ^ 
 
 6. Letter on Indian Civilization, by Col. J. B. Brown, 64 to 72, 
 
 7. Report of a Committee of Citizens sent to Washington to confer 
 
 with President Grant and the Secretary of the Interior on 
 
 Indian Civilization, 73 to 84 
 
 8. Concluding Appeal, g 5 to g 7 
 
 9. Report of Indian Peace Commissioners appointed in 1867 under 
 
 an Act of Congress, 8 to I2 
 
 M5GGOQ9 
 
HISTORICAL SKETCH. 
 
 In publishing the following instructive, encouraging and deeply 
 interesting Journal, written by the Rev. S. D. Hinman at the San- 
 tee Indian Mission, and Bishop "Whipple s pathetic address made 
 at the funeral of Taopi, it is evidently proper that an historical 
 sketch of the Mission should accompany these papers. The prep 
 aration of such a sketch naturally devolves upon one who has the 
 official supervision of the Mission under the sanction of the Board 
 of Missions and of Bishop Clarkson, with the approval also of 
 Bishop Whipple and the Rev. S. D. Hinman. 
 
 Ignorance concerning Missions to Indians and the consequent 
 lack of faith in them render an account of the origin, progress and 
 prospects of the Church s Mission to the Sioux nation very impor 
 tant, especially at this extraordinary juncture in Indian affairs. 
 It is always instructive to trace as far as is possible the preparation 
 of God s agents who are to lay the foundation for a great Mission 
 ary work, therefore let us briefly consider the characters engaged 
 in this Mission. First, a man of purity of character, ready sym 
 pathy and fervid eloquence, was made wise in the things of this 
 world by a mercantile training, and then called of God to enter 
 the sacred ministry. The Spirit of Christ first incited him to 
 preach the Gospel to the poor slave, and then in another sphere 
 to visit the homes and workshops of mechanics, to make himself 
 thoroughly acquainted with their avocations, and then to draw them 
 to a free Church, where they were cordially welcomed and won to 
 Christ. Called to a higher sphere, he was consecrated to the Bish 
 opric nine years since, at which time the first Missionary Bishop 
 
iv 
 
 of our Church, the Patriarchal Kcmper. invoked God s blessing 
 upon him, asking for and receiving the willing pledge that he 
 would ever be the Indian s friend. It is universally known that 
 Bishop Whipple of Minnesota has more than fulfilled that pledge 
 by unflinching boldness and fearlessness in exposing the wrong 
 doer, and by the most pathetic pleadings for that poor, despised and 
 down-trodden people. Not only to congregations of his own re 
 ligious body, but to all who were willing anywhere to listen to his 
 fervid and melting appeals, from the President of the United 
 States down to the most humble listener. 
 
 In pleading with and caring for the Indian, Bishop Whipple has 
 braved the summer s heat and the winter s cold on the rivers and 
 prairies of the far West. His exposure to the biting frost and the 
 drifting snow during the last winter, to carry succor to a starving 
 tribe, almost broke him down, and has evidently shortened his no 
 ble career ; still he says that the heart-felt gratitude of starving In 
 dians more than repaid him for all His toil. 
 
 Time and again has it been vouchsafed to Bishop Whipple, as to 
 few other mortals, to enter into the deep significance of Isaiah s 
 prophecy concerning the great Bishop and Shepherd of our souls. 
 " He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied." 
 
 His deep interest in the Indian caused him to be sneered at, ridi 
 culed and persecuted, but so uncomplainingly did he bear it, that it 
 may be recorded of him, as of another Great Apostle to the Gentiles, 
 " The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and 
 afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither 
 count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course 
 with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, 
 to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God." 
 
 Second. At the same time the Holy Spirit was inciting Bishop 
 Whipple, w r hen a Deacon and a Presbyter, to preach the Gospel to 
 the poor, the same Spirit was directing a young man, then in a New 
 England school, to read about Missions to Indians, until his interest 
 
in them had so deepened as to lead him to Faribatilt in Minnesota, 
 where he hoped to teach them the revealed way of life. He found 
 Indians in that vicinity with whom he had frequent intercourse, 
 but as his time in the school was occupied in teaching white chil 
 dren, he was frustrated in his chief design, and was about to return 
 to his home sadly disappointed. 
 
 At this juncture Bishop "\Vhipple assumed the charge of the 
 Diocese of Minnesota, and by his overflowing Missionary zeal the 
 long cherished hopes of the youthful Hinman soon became a re 
 ality. He had self-denying faith, because he believed that he was 
 called of God to work among the Sioux Indians ; but he was con 
 stantly driven to the foot of the Cross by persecutions of every 
 kind, by perils of reputation and of life from "his own brethren, 
 and by exposure at times to hostile and infuriated savages, when 
 they were goaded to madness by grievous w r rongs done to their peo 
 ple. When even his Church lacked faith and all men forsook 
 him, a little band of holy women ministered to him with unwa 
 vering confidence in the Mission. His perfect knowledge of the 
 language and habits of the Indian, his holy zeal and his firm be 
 lief in the peculiar adaptation of his Church to promote the civ 
 ilization and christianization of the Indian, pre-eminently fit him 
 for the work to which he has so evidently been called of God, and 
 in which he has been so abundantly prospered. 
 
 Third. Of Bishop Clarkson, in whose jurisdiction the Mission is 
 now located and who manifests the most tender and watchful pa 
 rental care over it, and the deepest interest in its success and ex 
 tension, little need be said, as his noble record has been written in 
 the history of our Church, and his character has not yet been tra 
 duced by the deluded or sordid people who cry for the extermina 
 tion of the Indian, and strive to silence or defame the Indian s 
 friend. 
 
 The Mission of our Church to the Santee Sioux Indians was com 
 menced in October, I860, under the following circumstances. The 
 
VI 
 
 American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions had a 
 successful Mission to these Sioux Indians at the upper Agency in 
 Minnesota, but there were tweny-five hundred at the lower Agency, 
 some thirty or forty miles distant from schools or religious teachers. 
 The Government Superintendent, Major "W. J. Cullen, had par 
 tially civilized some of them by inducing them to part with their 
 scalp locks and to become self-supporting, by the erection of houses 
 and by stocking farms with money received from the sale of their 
 hunting grounds. It became apparent, that without Christian teach 
 ers, they could not bear the persecutions by uncivilized Indians and 
 rise to the higher forms of civilization ; therefore he besought Bish 
 op "Whipple to establish a Mission at Redwood. Young Mr. Hin- 
 man, then a Deacon, was consequently sent there, accompanied by 
 his wife and Miss "West, as teachers, and their labors continued for 
 two years, when the great body of uncivilized Indians, who had 
 been waiting in vain for their promised Government subsidies, find 
 ing that they had been defrauded, came, after the Indian custom, to 
 claim food from their more prosperous brethren. They had waited 
 so long and their craving for food was so intense, that like hun 
 gry wolves they devoured all animal food, and then as an army of 
 locusts they ate up every green thing, even sucking the juices from 
 the corn stalks to their very roots. Maddened by the stupendous 
 frauds that had been perpetrated upon them, and goaded on by 
 intense hunger, they, like fiends, perpetrated the fearful massacre 
 which in 1862 swept hundreds of the frontier settlers to an untimely 
 grave. This was a dark and dreary period for the Mission, many 
 believing that the Minister and his teachers had been massacred, 
 and many more affirming that the so-called Christian Indians had 
 been their betrayers and murderers. It subsequently appeared 
 however, that the Missionaries were respected and their lives saved 
 by the most hostile Indians, even when on the war path. The 
 partially christianized Indians brought high honor to their religion, 
 by being faithful allies to the whites and saving hundreds of the 
 
Vll 
 
 captives. The names of "Wabasha, Taopi and Good Thunder will 
 long live in the country s history, giving indubitable evidence of 
 what Christian teaching can do for savage man. 
 
 Out of the five thousand Sioux who were living quietly in Min 
 nesota before the frauds and delays that culminated in the massa 
 cre, some eighteen hundred, who were peacefully inclined, were 
 after that event collected at Fort Snelling, and soon they sent be 
 seeching messages to their Missionaries to come and give them 
 religious instruction once more. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Himnaii went to them and watched over their 
 temporal as well as their spiritual interests with ceaseless vigilance, 
 making arrangements with the Government and with the army 
 officers for location after location on which to establish these Indians 
 as a permanent abiding place. At one time farms were rented for 
 many of them, but insuperable difficulties were presented either 
 by white settlers, speculators in land, or by too great proximity to 
 hostile Indians, and so hope after hope dawned, but soon faded away. 
 The faithful Missionary plead for his helpless wards at the seat of 
 Government through influential friends, and then in person, aided 
 by the presence of the Indian Chiefs. This little band of Chris 
 tian Indians, headed by their Missionary, visited Philadelphia, and 
 excited so deep an interest that an Association was formed for their 
 relief, chiefly composed of members of the Society of Friends, 
 through whose agency large contributions of money were made 
 for the benefit of these loyal Santee Indians. The writer of this 
 sketch was Chairman of the Committee, and in that capacity held 
 the pleasant intercourse with Taopi that the Christian warrior re 
 membered five years afterwards, just as his life was ebbing out. 
 They visited the Elm on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Hospital, 
 and under the shadow of that descendant of the William Penn 
 Treaty Elm, Taopi learned that there were true and brave hearts that 
 would pray and watch for the opportunity of doing justice to the 
 American Indian. 
 
Vlll 
 
 In Bishop Whipple lie ever found the living illustration of the 
 truth of the assurance there given, buoying him up during his life 
 and cheering him in the hour of death, with the confident hope that 
 his wife and children and brethren would be cared for. 
 
 These Indians were at length moved to a reservation at Crow 
 Creek in Dakota, and there they gladly erected two large log 
 Churches in which their children were taught, and where they wor 
 shipped their God and Saviour. It soon became apparent, that owing 
 to drought and the barrenness of the soil and the scarcity of game, 
 they would all perish, unless Government supplies could be largely 
 furnished. They had been induced to go there by the pledge of 
 support, but as the promise was only partially fulfilled, notwith 
 standing the earnest entreaties of their Missionaries, their suffer 
 ing became intense, over three hundred starving in a few months, 
 including all their young children, so tenderly loved by the Indian. 
 
 After three years of this fearful trial and suffering they were 
 removed to their present location in Nebraska on the Missouri 
 River, at the mouth of the Niobrara, where they have remained 
 until now, deeply anxious to know their fate. Politicians and land 
 speculators have visited them from time to time, assuring them 
 that they would soon be moved again, but their Missionary in 
 spired them with hope by his work of faith in erecting a beautiful 
 and commodious Mission House, School and Chapel. This confi 
 dence, shown by a man of God in whom they trusted and who had re 
 mained with them in all their troubles, induced some of them also 
 to build and to begin the work of cultivation with such rude im 
 plements as were within their reach. 
 
 In the good providence of God the Peace Commission employed 
 the Rev. Mr. Hinman, owing to his perfect familiarity with the 
 language and the confidence of all the Indians in him, to visit some 
 of the uncivilized Tribes that were being moved into the new Ter 
 ritory which adjoins the present location of the Santees. Through 
 Mr. Hinman s influence the Peace Commission inserted in their 
 
IX 
 
 Treaty with the Sioux, a clause that will enable the Santees to re,- 
 main permanently on their present reservation, and there to acquire 
 a title to farms immediately, and to citizenship within three years. 
 This is briefly a history of the origin of the Church s Mission to 
 the Santee Sioux Indians ; dark and disastrous as it seems to have 
 been, yet now all is hopeful . 
 
 Its progress in spiritual things has been steady and satisfactory 
 beyond the highest hopes of its projectors. The most faithful 
 preaching seemed at first to have little effect, but when the Mis 
 sionary went from lodge to lodge, showing kindness to the sick and 
 troubled ones, and especially when he taught their children a better 
 way of life, the hearts of the mothers first, and next of the fathers 
 and husbands, were by such means prepared of God to receive the 
 good seed of His word . At the end of two years, eighteen adults 
 were sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in their right mind, 
 as was evidenced during the massacre, when they were so strongly 
 incited to forsake the Christian faith, and to revenge the fearful 
 wrongs to their brethren. At Fort Snelling the work of grace was 
 still more apparent, large classes were prepared for Holy Baptism, 
 and the conjuring Medicine men came and laid their charms and 
 heathen weapons at the feet of the beloved Bishop. The good 
 work went on even during the three years of fearful suffering on 
 the upper Missouri in Dakota, and in June last Bishop Clarkson 
 thus testified to the Mission as it now is : "I really think there is 
 nothing in our day on this continent more interesting to visit than 
 this Santee Indian Mission. It is impossible for a Christian man 
 to spend a single day among the monuments and the results of this 
 heroic Christian effort, without the profoundest emotions of grati 
 tude and the deepest feelings of wonder and of awe. Nearly all the 
 oldest members of Mr. Hinman s Indian congregation have been con 
 firmed and are Communicants over two hundred and fifty out of a 
 population of one thousand souls. Think of that, and contrast it 
 with the statistics of any Christian community anywhere. I entreat 
 
those who love Christ s word and who are interested in the melan 
 choly condition of this Pagan race that is passing to a heathen 
 grave within an arm s length of our boasted Christianity, not to 
 allow this Mission to be crippled for want of means. Mr. Hinman, 
 with one Indian Deacon and two or three candidates for the Min 
 istry now at his side, can very readily extend his operations almost 
 indefinitely." 
 
 This testimony is of inestimable value, because it comes from a 
 thoroughly intelligent eye-witness, who was not the founder of the 
 Mission, and whose surroundings, as Bishop of Dacotah and Ne 
 braska, were more likely to prejudice him against, than to pre 
 possess him in favor of Missions to Indians. 
 
 The "civilization and Ghristianizatioii " of any nomadic 
 Indians, under the very unfavorable circumstances in which they 
 have thus far been placed, should inspire their friends with faith 
 in a larger Divine blessing hereafter; for the work already accom 
 plished is as much a miracle of grace as was the continuous flow 
 of water from the flinty rock, by which another wandering people 
 learned to know their God and Saviour. 
 
 The American Indian is naturally reverent; he has neither the 
 ability nor the disposition to utter an oath, for there is not a word 
 in any Indian language by which even the slightest disrespect to 
 the Great Spirit can be expressed. He never invented any in 
 toxicating drink, and his women are so chaste, that in some tribes 
 certain death follows any breach of the marriage tie. "Whilst our 
 highly farored race, that claims to have a Divine revelation con 
 taining the purest moral precepts, sends to the Indian, emissaries 
 that breathe out fearful curses against their God and Saviour 
 that freely indulge in intoxicating drink, and induce the Indian to 
 partake of it, in order to cheat him out of his lands, and skins and 
 furs, and that corrupt his women under false promises, filling them 
 with most loathsome diseases. 
 
 After such an introduction to so-called Christian civilization, is 
 
it not a miracle of grace that any spiritual progress lias been made 
 with the American Indian? 
 
 The fertile soil of our vast prairies was formed or enriched by 
 the debris of devastating floods ; so the mire and dirt of immo 
 rality cast up upon our Western frontier by the great tidal wave 
 of Christian civilization, although a festeriug mass of irreligion, 
 may, by an inscrutable Providence, be used to stimulate a spiritual 
 growth. The action, first of winter s frost, and then of summer s 
 heat upon the seed-pod and its frail infolded germ, seems to be 
 needful to cover the prairie with bloom and nutritious verdure ; so 
 after their fearful wrongs and sufferings, the Sun of Righteousness 
 is even now stimulating into a spiritual bloom and growth, some 
 of the very people that seemed so likely to perish. 
 
 The accompanying address by Bishop Whipple exquisitely pic 
 tures this spiritual bloom, not only in dying Taopi, but also in the 
 Wapashaws and the Good Thunders, with other Christian war 
 riors who, in parting from their Father, received his blessing, each 
 one of them kissing his wife, and saying, "to meet you in heaven, 
 I hope." The journal of the Santee Mission testifies to the steady 
 growth of spiritual verdure ; and the following extract from a 
 recent letter written by the Rev. Mr. Hinman shows that this ver 
 dure is spreading to the regions yet beyond, and that even death 
 serves to stimulate the missionary spirit in the breasts of the 
 living. "My Catechists have done nobly, and are now much 
 interested in the Yankton Mission which the/ undertake next 
 week. Matthew died during my absence, full of faith, and for 
 days longing to go where his children had been called before. All 
 the young men here look upon him as a saint indeed. It is so 
 blessed to think of these young men, holy, earnest and truthful, 
 putting us to shame in their simplicity of faith and yet they are 
 Indians, and might have been almost fiends, but for God s mercy 
 in establishing and perpetuating this Mission. Matthew wore his 
 cross on his heart when he died, and it was a matter of doubt 
 
Xll 
 
 among the Indians whether or no it should be buried with him 
 but Christian Taopi, who prayed with him daily, said, No, when 
 a man dies his work lives, and among heathen a son inherits a 
 father s medals and charms. This Cross must bear Matthew s 
 holy life and work to a successor, who will make it a living sign 
 of salvation to our people. " 
 
 Whilst this paragraph was being penned, the heavens were 
 glowing with the exquisite Aurora of April 15th, bringing to mind 
 the beautiful imagery used by an Indian Chief in addressing his 
 great Father at Washington. 
 
 "If you will only lift up the drooping spirits of your red 
 children, by giving them succor and teaching them the better way 
 of life, their thanksgivings for you and yours will ascend to 
 heaven, just as the Aurora kindles its light on earth, and streams 
 upwards through the cold and dark night towards the home oi the 
 Great Spirit." 
 
 The PROSPECTS of this and other Missions to Indians will be 
 briefly considered under three heads. 1st. Governmental action 
 as bearing on the civilization of Indians. 2nd. Capacity of 
 American Indians for Christian civilization and their disposition 
 towards it. 3rd. The character of religious instruction best suitetl 
 to this peculiar people. 
 
 1st. Governmental action thus far, although generally well in 
 tended, has been most unfavorable to the promotion of civilization 
 among the Indians. Making treaties with tribes as independent 
 sovereignties was a most lamentable perpetuation of the error of 
 clanship that kept Scotland so long in barbarism and bathed it in 
 blood, and that has in this country been fraught with much evil. 
 The late fearful rebellion sprang from the same pernicious prin 
 ciple, so prolific of evil; and if our Indian tribes now possessed 
 the same power of combining in opposition to the general Gov 
 ernment, that so-called, sovereign States possess, our Western 
 frontier would this spring be one great charnel house, and all rail- 
 
X11L 
 
 road facilities would be indefinitely postponed. Treaties which 
 allow Indians to retain large tracts of land to provide game for 
 their support must, of necessity, be broken ; for even if our 
 Government had the disposition, it would be utterly powerless to 
 keep such treaties by checking the tide of emigration that sweeps 
 on in search of gold or other lures. Another great hindrance to 
 civilization arises from the rich political patronage afforded by the 
 large appropriations annually made to fulfil the stipulations in 
 these treaties. With the increasing cost of conducting political 
 campaigns, new treaties, removals and increased appropriations 
 become necessary to assist in defraying the expenses of the vic 
 torious party, or to reward its orators or schemers. Thus the 
 claims for party spoils by political victors render every attempt to 
 civilize the wild Indians utterly abortive. 
 
 It is alleged and believed that these Indians now receive a very 
 small proportion of the appropriations, and that the way in which 
 they get this small share, with the frequency of political changes, 
 tends rather to pauperize than to civilize and ennoble them. Many 
 politicians are no doubt fully possessed with the belief that if their 
 political party does not prevail, the country will be ruined ; there 
 fore, as the Indian has no vote, patronage must be extended to 
 others who can aid in saving the nation from impending ruin. 
 
 It is due to the dominant political party to say, that its leaders 
 now see and abhor the evils resulting from the present system, and 
 that they promptly accepted and cordially supported a proposal 
 recently made by a committee that visited Washington, because, 
 in their judgment, it gave the promise of benefiting the Indian, 
 even at the sacrifice of valuable political patronage. 
 
 A paper at the close of this publication renders further remarks 
 under this head unnecessary, as it gives interesting particulars of 
 the causes that led to recent Governmental action, that is favorable 
 to the Indian. It will be encouraging to all philanthropists to 
 learn that the present Administration has firmly resolved to 
 
xiv 
 
 exercise a paternal care over the Indian, and because of past 
 national wrongs, to give the Red-man privileges and aids in lands, 
 farming implements and temporary support, that were never 
 accorded to the white or to the black race. 
 
 2nd. The capacity of American Indians for Christian civiliza 
 tion and their present disposition towards it, is now so evident 
 on the part of many tribes, that it affords the most hopeful feature 
 of the present time. This favorable disposition is fully testified 
 to in this publication, by five witnesses who have viewed the sub 
 ject from different stand-points ; each witness being eminent in his 
 department. Two of these, Bishop Whipple and the Rev. Mr. 
 Hinman, have already been sufficiently referred to. The Hon. 
 Henry M. Rice, long a Senator from Minnesota, and the founder 
 of the city of St. Paul, resided so long with the Chippeways and 
 the Sioux, and enjoyed their confidence so fully, that to these 
 Indians he became a sort of demigod, to whom they looked in all 
 their troubles. He negociated merciful treaties with them, but as 
 human governments are much more likely to be moved by poli 
 tical than by charitable considerations, he became hopeless of 
 checking the tendency to political corruption, and the consequent 
 deterioration of the Indian ; therefore his testimony in favor of the 
 system about to be inaugurated by the present Administration 
 has high value. 
 
 Major Cullen, a large-hearted man, and an ardent sympathizer 
 with the Indian, acted as Government Superintendent in Minne 
 sota for several years ; and he has latterly been serving in the 
 same capacity in Montana, to which place he was urgently called 
 to quell Indian outbreaks. Indians look upon him as their true 
 friend. Mr. J. R. Brown lived with Indians over forty years 
 as a trader, and then a Government Agent, he speaks their 
 languages and therefore had tile closest personal contact with 
 them ; his letter is able, instructive and encouraging. He and 
 Major Cullen were removed for political considerations ; and this 
 
XV 
 
 removal caused, as is believed, the fearful massacre in Minnesota, 
 by which nearly a thousand persons were killed. 
 
 The schools and Mission to the Santee Sioux have most sat 
 isfactorily revealed the brightness and intelligence of Indian 
 children, and their remarkable interest in Christian civilization. 
 The women are also smart, industrious and hopeful, quickly 
 acquiring the art of reading and writing, and evince great apti 
 tude for handicraft. They become intelligent and firm Christians, 
 often sustaining their more desponding husbands, and are skilful 
 in teaching others in Sunday School, at Mothers Meetings, and 
 from lodge to lodge, where their Christian hymns and prayers 
 edify and draw down a blessing upon many of their sisters. 
 
 The young men are readily inspired with hope, and then they 
 become active workers and zealous Christians. One such has 
 entered the sacred ministry, whilst others as candidates or catc- 
 chists, are putting their white brethren to shame by their Christian 
 zeal and efficiency. 
 
 The following extract from a familiar letter to one of the candi 
 dates now in the Mission House, in Philadelphia, shows the firm 
 ness and faith of young men, and the ordeal through which they 
 pass. "I went to-day with friend Christian Taopi to pray with 
 Pay-pay s wife, who was very sick, and while we were there, and 
 when we were just ready to read the Bible being already open 
 Satan came also and behaved very furiously against us. War 
 Club, an old conjuror, came in and said, The time was when I 
 speedily cured the sick, and was honored, but now what do you 
 boys mean by your books what can paper do? Put up your 
 book, or better, throw it in the fire and go away, and do not think 
 yourselves men. After saying this he left the house, violently 
 shutting the door. We remembered the words of the Saviour, 
 fear not those who can kill the body, and we knelt down and 
 prayed, and though the woman seemed near death, now to-day 
 
XVI 
 
 she is better, and all our people feel that God has notably answered 
 our prayers." 
 
 A deep gloom has settled upon the old Indian -warrior and 
 hunter, rendering him almost hopeless ; and yet, when he acquires 
 confidence in the good intentions of the Government, and in the 
 sincerity of those who offer to aid him, he improves in Christian 
 civilization beyond the most sanguine expectations of his friends. 
 The confidence of the writer of this sketch strengthened when he 
 saw seven such men in Washington, resisting successfully the 
 temptations that surrounded them at the time of the recent In 
 auguration. These men are the Chiefs of the bands of the Santee 
 Sioux Indians, some of them scarred warriors, and yet 110 other 
 Christian gentlemen could have conducted themselves with greater 
 propriety. 
 
 3d. The character of religious instruction best suited to the 
 American Indian. It is apparent that the efforts thus far made to 
 extend the saving influence of the Christian religion to the Indians 
 in their nomadic condition, have generally been so unsatisfactory 
 as to dishearten most of those who have undertaken this work. 
 This should not be surprising or tend to check Christian efforts 
 when Indians become settled, and the civilizing process has com 
 menced; for God s ancient people, the children of Israel, did not 
 participate in the privileges connected with the rite of Circum 
 cision and the Passover, until their wanderings had ceased, and 
 they had reached their reservation. 
 
 Influenced by occasional intercourse with our race, the Medicine 
 man or conjuror is fast losing his hold upon this people ; but 
 whilst this is a preparation for the Gospel, yet when freed from 
 the restraining influence of superstition, the Indian will fast de 
 generate, unless the benefits of our holy religion are brought to 
 bear upon his heart and life. 
 
 The Indian is naturally reverent, tranquil rather than emotional, 
 and possessed of *a remarkable taste for music ; these character- 
 
XV11 
 
 istics indicate the kind of religions instruction and public worship 
 best suited to him. His mind is so filled with natural imagery, 
 that his religious teacher is deeply impressed with the mercy of 
 God in making His first recorded revelation to man in a primitive 
 language, which is so simple and pictorial, that a child of nature 
 can readily understand it. The heroic and loving deeds recorded 
 in the Bible impress the Indian deeply ; therefore, Bible Classes 
 and other similar modes of teaching have high value. The Indian 
 loves his children so tenderly, and has so firm a belief that after 
 death they go to the home of the blessed, that he naturally inclines 
 to a Church where the lambs are carefully folded, and the parents 
 assured, by acts as well as words, that it is not God s will that one 
 little one should perish. Unless the Church aids in teaching and 
 training his children in the ways of godliness, and shows kindness 
 to the sick, the Indian cannot look upon her as a tender mother. 
 He naturally thinks, that as the dear Saviour blessed children and 
 healed the sick when on earth, so the Church should be specially 
 careful to imitate Him in works as well as in teaching. At the 
 Santee Mission his sons are trained to lead the praises in their 
 Church, this pleases the father, and makes him hopeful that 
 his boys will have a higher aim than the chase or the war path, 
 and arrangements are made for the erection of a hospital in which 
 the sick will be cared for by trained Christian women. 
 
 A reverent public worship is evidently best suited to the Indian ; 
 he takes deep interest in a liturgical service which he can either 
 read or commit to memory ; chanting the Psalter and singing 
 solemn Hymns afford him great delight. The peculiar adaptation 
 of the order and the worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church 
 to these home heathen, has been fully demonstrated through a 
 series of years. At the Santee Mission all the public services are 
 as orderly as in any congregation of intelligent white people ; the 
 sermons and addresses are always extemporaneous, and the Gate- 
 chists are frequently employed in giving religious instruction on 
 
XVlil 
 
 these public occasions. Candidates for Holy Orders and Catechists 
 are first trained to instruct the ignorant in private, and to comfort 
 the sorrowing and the sick, and then to address small worshipping 
 assemblies, and afterwards to exercise their gifts in public. The 
 Church s system has been so thoroughly wrought out at this Mis 
 sion, that the public services and the private instruction go on 
 with perfect regularity and efficiency during the absence of the 
 ministers, though all the male helpers are Indians. Young women 
 are also trained to serve as teachers ; and mothers who have reached 
 maturity, and have earned a good degree, are trained to conduct 
 worship in the lodge, and to instruct at the large weekly Mothers 
 Meeting that has been productive of much good. 
 
 The prayers of these Christian Indians, made at the lodges and 
 in social meetings, are so appropriate, earnest, and full of faith, 
 that they forcibly bring to mind the promise made through St. 
 James, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall 
 raise him up, and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven 
 him." It has been demonstrated that the distinctive teachings of 
 the Church have high value, as thereby the Indian acquires a posi 
 tive and intelligent connection with a thoroughly organized re 
 ligious body, instead of the loose adhesion that exposes the young 
 disciple to be drawn back into heathenism. The perfect harmony 
 and cordiality that have always existed there between the Mis 
 sionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for foreign 
 Missions and those of the Episcopal Church, prove conclusively 
 that the destruction of that which is distinctive in the individual, 
 the family, or the Church, is not necessary to promote the ten- 
 derest brotherly love. This historical sketch has been extended 
 far beyond the original design of the writer, but he has been led 
 en by the new-born interest in the subject. 
 
 W. W. 
 
T 
 
 o THE FRIENDS OF THE SANTEE 
 
 DEAR BRETHREN: 
 
 I am very thankful to be able to tell you, whose 
 faith and prayers have for so long a time been our strength and 
 our success, that to-day our Mission in all its present work, and 
 with all that we propose for it, is given into the charge of the 
 Domestic Committee of the Board of Missions. The success of 
 Missions to the Indians is no longer a question, and the Church 
 acknowledges her duty to the heathen of our own land. 
 
 "We have now here, in a population of fifteen hundred souls, 
 one thousand baptized persons, three hundred and thirty-seven 
 communicants, two hundred children in our care, four young men 
 preparing for the Sacred Ministry, two candidates for Holy Orders, 
 and one native Deacon. 
 
 "We have a substantial Mission House and a beautiful Chapel, 
 the gift of a Christian child whose dying wish was "to tell the 
 heathen of Jesus love." 
 
 "We need yet more room for our schools, but most of all a hos 
 pital, where we may bring the sick and aged and the better minis 
 ter to their wants. 
 
 Above us on the Missouri river, and only separate from us by 
 
the Niobrara, is the new Indian territory, now set apart for all 
 the northern tribes. And they are even now being gathered in 
 and located on their new tracts of land. They earnestly desire to 
 have schools and Christian teachers. Their language is allied to 
 the Saiitee, and we are training young men (natives) who will be 
 sent out as evangelists to their own people. 
 
 Our Mission is now in its ninth year. It was begun and has 
 been built up in the face of great difficulties. But God has been 
 very kind to us and given us many friends. 
 
 We would not take from any other work, for everywhere suc 
 cess is calling for greater faith. But we surely owe a great duty 
 to these poor, foolish, savage Indians. All do not feel an interest 
 in them, but in every congregation there are some who do think of 
 them, and feel that we ought at least, to try to befriend them, and 
 to teach them, and if God s will to save some of them. 
 
 We ask then of all such, and of all who wish us God-speed in 
 our Mission, that they aid us by their prayers, their influence, 
 and their alms, and promise that the work shall not be neglected 
 nor given up. 
 
 I am, dear brethren, sincerely yours, 
 
 SAMUEL D. HINMAN. 
 
 All offerings should be sent to MR. WM. WELSH, Superintendent 
 of Mission, 1122 SPRUCE STREET, PHILADELPHIA, or to REV. DR. 
 Twrxo, 17 Bible House, N. Y., and they should be marked "for 
 Santee Mission." 
 
 Special offerings should be designated, "for School," "for Hos 
 pital," for L ib rary . 
 
 Missionary Boxes or Packages may be sent, freight pre-paid, to 
 Rev d S. D. HINMAN, marked, via. Chicago a-nd North- Western 
 R. R., care J. H. CHARLES, Sioux City, Iowa. 
 
 The Post Office address of the Missionary is Santee Agency, Ne 
 braska. 
 
SANTEE MISSION, 1869. 
 
 TJie First Month. 
 
 We begin to-day the new year, the ninth year of our Mission to 
 these poor Indians. And we begin again, as usual, without means 
 for carrying on our work, or pledges for our support ; but we have 
 sure confidence that our Lord will not fail those that work for 
 Him. 
 
 What years have these been ! and through what, and how great 
 perplexities and dangers has God brought us ! 
 
 We pray that we may be more thankful, and that we may grow 
 more and more into the likeness of His dear Son. We have reason 
 to be thankful, for God alone has been our shield, and He has 
 covered our head in the day of battle. We have reason to be thank 
 ful and take courage when we look at our work. 
 
 We found these people utter heathens, in garb, in foolish super 
 stition, and heathen in sin and savage cruelty. 
 
 Now how changed, in costume like whites, in habit all out 
 ward signs of heathenism gone, and best of all, very many of them 
 truly converted to the knowledge and the obedience of the love of 
 Jesus, the only Saviour. For all this we can heartily rejoice. 
 
 To-day I have sent out our annual circular appealing to the 
 friends of the Mission, and of the Indians, still to help us, and work 
 for us and them. 
 
 Our only trust is in the faith that God shall give us all in the 
 Mission of the gospel of his dear Son. 
 
 I have also had a talk with Andrew Huntka, a Christian Indian, 
 belonging to the new part of the Eeyata Band. They desire a 
 Catechist appointed to lead them in village service, and to look 
 
after those who are still careless about Christian worship. They 
 have selected a very active young man, who, after much thought 
 and counsel, has consented to give himself to the work. 
 
 To-morrow I have a meeting of all my Catechists to take counsel 
 in regard to the matter. 
 
 It is the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord, the Festival of 
 the Holy Name Jesus. "We have just had our evening prayer. Very 
 many young people were present. I tried to tell them the deep 
 significance of this blessed name, Saviour. But how weak are all 
 our words when we speak of Him ! How unfeeling and far away 
 our thoughts, when we try to comprehend and tell how much is 
 meant when we call Jesus the Saviour of mankind. 
 
 During this coming year, may God grant to all of us renewed 
 earnestness, and the eloquence of hearts burning with the love of 
 Jesus, His dear and only Son. 
 
 January 2d. 
 
 Meeting of Clergy and Catecltists according to appointment. Pres 
 ent : Missionary, Deacon Paul Mazakute (Iron Shooter), Christian 
 Taopi (Wounded), Philip Johnson, Joseph Wapashaw (Red Stand 
 ard). 
 
 We discussed, first, the new Catechist, for the Reyata Band, 
 Owancas (Scarlet all over). He was reported to be a young man 
 of good repute, never having any bad name, except at one time from 
 trouble with his wife, who is said to be a woman of very bad tem 
 per, and bad family connection. They are lawfully married. We 
 instructed Philip and Taopi to visit them at their house, and talk 
 with both of them, especially in regard to their former trouble, and 
 report at a meeting at dark this eve. 
 
 We next talked over our catechetical school, and selected new 
 young women for teachers on Sunday afternoons, and the Catechists 
 were instructed to visit and tell them of their appointments, and 
 urge them to undertake the work, and then to report at the 
 adjourned meeting. 
 
We finally discussed the suppers and dances that are being held 
 and given here this winter. They are gotten up by white men, but 
 the Avomen invited are Indian, and many of the young men are also 
 invited. These dances were formerly, when the Indians were at 
 Crow Creek in Dakota, a disgrace to humanity. 
 
 But lately they have been said to be well conducted, and we have 
 been told that we have no right to forbid the Indians to have 
 sports, and to fault them for what whites do without censure. I 
 stated the case to our meeting, and showed the danger of forbid 
 ding all sports, as we had been obliged to stop all Indian games, 
 for they either pertained to their heathen religion, or were games 
 of chance, and we had, as yet, not been able to make any substitute 
 for their dances or sacred feasts. I remembered, too, the accusa 
 tion brought against the first missionaries to the Sandwich Islands, 
 of making religion too austere. 
 
 I spoke also of the whites having their children taught how to 
 dance, as Paul had seen them at the East. I then asked if we ought 
 to forbid our communicants from attending well conducted dancing 
 parties among the whites, and suspend those from the communion 
 who disobeyed. I had fairly stated the case, and most favorably 
 for the offenders. Paul said, " As far as I am able I will oppose 
 these dances, I know enough of it." Philip said, " Last week 
 an Indian was struck by a white man at one of them, the white man 
 was jealous." Christian said, "They are bad and exert no good 
 influence." Joseph said, "Last night, New Year s, they had 
 whisky, and some were made drunk, and there was almost a gen 
 eral trouble." So the point was settled. The Church at the Yank- 
 ton Agency was also spoken of, and it was agreed that as the 
 Yanktons numbered 2500, the Church should not seat less than 
 500. 
 
 At eve we had another meeting. All present. The Catechists 
 reported all the newly appointed teachers as cheerfully assenting 
 to act. The new Catechist also consented, and his wife confessed 
 
her fault. She said their little child had been taken from them 
 because the Great Spirit knew that she was bad at heart, and not 
 fit to bring up a little one for Him. And that the attentions and 
 instructions of our Catechists during his sickness had brought her 
 back again in penitence to the Saviour. They had both taken 
 communion together at the last administration, and had made new 
 resolves and asked for new grace. 
 
 While we were met, a young Indian came to bring word that 
 one of my Choir Boys, David, was very sick, and that as his 
 mother and all his near relatives were away, he had neither care 
 nor medicine. I sent Philip and Christian down right away, and 
 promised to follow with medicine. The house was nearly a mile 
 away, in the edge of the wood. It was very dark and I lost my 
 way, but at last came upon some Indian lodges in the midst of the 
 wood, and found the way to them by the sparks from their fires. 
 A young Indian came out and kindly guided me to the right trail. 
 I found Philip and Christian already there, and David very sick, 
 with no one to care for him and no medicine. I gave him medi 
 cine, and provided to have him taken care of by the Catechists. 
 A young man, a cousin of his, who was present said, " we wish to 
 ask you to read, and sing, and pray with him, wo have books, but 
 110 candles." It was quite dark in the room (a rude log cabin), 
 so I asked Philip to pray with and for him. We all knelt, and he 
 asked in his behalf God s mercy and forgiveness. 
 
 I am always struck with the beauty and simplicity of the pray 
 ers of our Christian Indians, no vain repetitions or useless rhetoric ; 
 but simple faith and earnestness. I came home promising to see 
 him in the morning. 
 
 We greatly need a hospital ! 
 
 Arrived at home I found a poor woman who had come to us for 
 counsel and sympathy. She had been badly beaten by a cruel 
 husband, a desperate young Indian, he had beaten her because she 
 refused to go with him to the New Year s dance. She said she 
 loved him and could not leave him, she had tried to bear with him, 
 
and make him better, but now she complained bitterly of his con 
 tinued cruelty, and seemed heart-broken, and almost discouraged. 
 We have no laic here. Paul was already with her when I came 
 home, and we could only advise her not to be hasty in what she 
 determined, and that we would sec him, and call him to account. 
 
 Paul is very happy to be at work again in our catechetical school. 
 
 We have decided to have our children s festival on Epiphany. 
 
 January 3d. 
 Second Sunday after Christmas. 
 
 At Morning Service, Clergy and Choir all present, and a good 
 congregation. I preached from the Gospel for the day, on the deep 
 significance of the name Jesus, Saviour. There was an unusual 
 number of women present. I baptized a little boy of live months ; 
 ho was named Martin ; and he is the first of that name among 
 the Santces. 
 
 At two o clock we had Litany and catechetical school. A large 
 number present. The new teachers did very well. The singing 
 of the children was very spirited. After service took a walk to 
 get a change of scene and fresh air. "Went with Joseph Wapashaw 
 to the site of our new Burying-Place. A beautiful view of the 
 Mission-House and Chapel. It seemed too good to be true, that 
 we have such goodly buildings for our worship, and our far off 
 home. Evening Prayer at 6 o clock ; Paul preached a very earnest 
 sermon from Ileb. 2-3. " How shall we escape, " c. His appeal 
 to his own people, to remember all their troubles, and sickness of 
 heart, and to appreciate the advantages and blessings which the 
 gospel now brings to them, was very touching. And his allusion 
 to the gift ot the Holy Spirit, to give power to the speaker, grace 
 to the hearer, and victory to the word, the life of our holy religion, 
 without which blessed gift we speak and hear and do in vain, was 
 very appropriate and effective, for their heathen religion has been 
 one of works only. The congregation was large ; many men 
 present. 
 
8 
 
 David h better and was in his place to-night, much to my sur 
 prise, but, lie said he could not stay away. Poor people ! the 
 Church and our services here are the only bright things they see. 
 
 A man came after the service and told me that he and his wife 
 had now determined to conic to Church every Sunday, and to pre 
 pare for Confirmation and Communion. Thus, one by one we are 
 reaching this whole tribe. 
 
 January 4.th f Monday. 
 Clear and beautiful like Spring. 
 
 Went to Agency and secured lumber for finishing our Church 
 seats. A family of whites, our only neighbors off the Reservation, 
 nearer than ten miles, came to visit us. In the afternoon I took ad 
 vantage of the weather, and walked over to Paul s farm, where I 
 found him and two young Indians, very busy getting out logs for 
 his new house. He will have a beautiful place ; there are many 
 trees ; and a stream of pure water comes out of the bluff, near by, 
 and runs almost around his plateau of land, before it finds an 
 opening in the hills to let it out toward the river. 
 
 I made one call at the house of a Christian Indian, but the man 
 was away. The children were all looking forward to the festival. 
 
 The mail to-night brought us a promise of a Missionary box 
 from Reading. I am very thankful that God is putting it into the 
 hearts of Christian people to think more of these poor Indians. 
 
 This winter many are almost naked. The little children suffer 
 most of all, as oft-times the only blanket in the family has to bo 
 worn by the mother, who must go for wood and water. 
 
 January 5th, Tuesday. 
 
 This morning I went down the river, beyond the Reservation, 
 to attend to the settlement of my last year s accounts. There is a 
 small store there where the Indians trade, and where I send them 
 with their orders for charity or for work. This store wae broken 
 into on Sunday night, and nearly all the goods taken. This is the 
 third robbery within six months. At first it was thought to be 
 
9 
 
 Indians, and I had great difficulty in saving an Indian woman from 
 arrest on that account last fall. It was now ascertained that it 
 was done by vagabond whites from the Dakota side of the river. 
 
 The proprietor was very much excited about it yesterday, and 
 came up to the Agency and Mission-House. Being very nervous 
 he forgot and neglected to lock up his store. It was open all day, 
 he away, and the Indians were going and coming to trade, some of 
 them thought he had given up his business in a fit of temporary 
 insanity or disgust, as an Indian would be likely to do under the 
 same circumstances. But, though the building was visited by In 
 dians all day, he assured me that nothing, nothing at all had been 
 taken. And it is a very general observation with us that the In 
 dians here arc more reliable than the whites that stray so far from 
 civilization and a settled life. 
 
 This afternoon I have been busy with my estimates for the com 
 ing year. They appear large, but they are really very small when 
 the cost of living, and all our charities are taken into coiisidera. 
 tion. And certainly these poor people, neglected, abused and 
 robbed, are proper subjects for Christian charity; and every Ame 
 rican ought to blush with shame, if he be not willing to give them 
 every blessing that they need. 
 
 Our expenses are very great, but I have tried to show my faith 
 and sinccrcst interest in the work. To it, I and mine have given 
 all we have. 
 
 I have also been much engaged to-day in preparing for our 
 Epiphany services and rejoicings. Many have signified to me their 
 wish to come to Holy Communion. We are very careful with 
 our Indian communicants, to teach them the dignity and the 
 blessing of this communion with the Saviour, lest they should 
 come without knowledge, or with superstitious awe and faith, as 
 to a heathen rite. Wo try to teach them truth and love, not 
 mingled with fear or superstition, and to believe that very many of 
 them, will have glorious places at our Saviour s next appearing. 
 
10 
 
 We arc done with our preparation for our Epiphany, having all 
 of us worked this evening on the last things for the children s 
 tree. 
 
 May God bless them in their joy, and us in our ministries for 
 them. 
 
 January Gt7i, Epiphany. 
 
 We had service at dawn, the administration of the Holy Com 
 munion, a goodly congregation, and many of them from afar. I 
 spoke to them of the blessings that come to us through this gra 
 cious manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, and his full adoption 
 of U3 all as children of His Father, and inheritors of His glorious 
 promises, if we only have faith to lay hold of Him. And also of 
 the offerings we may all bring to the meek and lowly Jesus, more 
 prized by Him than mines of gold, or clouds of incense, or most 
 precious balm, the offering of ourselves, our souls and bodies, on 
 the altar of consecration, obedience and unfeigned love to Him who 
 is our only Saviour and our King. 
 
 Miny ca?n3 to Communion, and nearly all who were hindered at 
 Christmas came now to renew their vows and faith for the service 
 of a new season of holy joy. 
 
 After service, Mrs. Hinman, and the Catechists and I were en 
 gaged nearly all day in preparing our list of names and directing 
 last preparations for our Evening Service and Festival. We all 
 enjoyed the work most heartily. 
 
 It is a real pleasure to work for the joy of those who are so 
 friendless, and have so little ever to make them glad at heart, 
 and almost no one to care for their happiness or misery, their weal 
 or woe. How few there are in this land who know or care how 
 these children live or die, or whether or not they all grow up as 
 warring Ishmaels, and perish without knowledge of goodness or 
 of God. 
 
 This afternoon I visited a sick man some distance from the Mis 
 sion. He is a man advanced in years, who has for some time been 
 
11 
 
 receiving Christian instruction, and preparing to come to Holy 
 Communion. He had been looking forward expecting to make his 
 first communion to-day, but last night was taken suddenly and 
 seriously ill. It was a great disappointment to him, and he felt 
 very sad, but full of hope and thankfulness that God had been 
 good to him, and yet spared his life. All his family are now com 
 municants of the Church. 
 
 This eve we had our Service and festival for all the children. It 
 was a glorious sight and yet sad. The Chapel was full of young 
 faces, and all with joyous eyes. The tree filled the centre of the 
 Choir, brilliant with its lights and decorations, and gifts. Even 
 the boughs on the screen were ladcned with strange tempting fruit 
 for the little ones. The boys and girls sang their best carols, and 
 one composed, both words and music, by Gco. Dowanna (Singer) 
 their leader. We had something for every child. But it was piti 
 ful to see their poverty, many almost naked. How they live at all 
 through the winter I do not know. I was sorry I had not more 
 clothing for them. I had bought yesterday all the calico that could 
 be had here for the smallest children, and I am sure they will ap 
 preciate their new whole garments. We let them go early, and 
 yet many lingered to enjoy the beauty of the scene, and the older 
 Indians came in as happy as children to see the strange sight. 
 We are all very tired, but it has been a blessed day for us. 
 
 Just now our new Catechist elect has been here with his wife to 
 tell mo of their sincere purpose to live for Heaven. He said, 
 " God gave us a little child, and because He loved it He has taken it 
 homo. The good words of your young men who prayed with us, 
 and advised us, and finally committed our darling to the ground, 
 touched our hearts, and their earnestness made us ashamed. We 
 have prayed daily since for God s grace and help, and if it be His 
 will, I am ready to devote myself to His service in the Mission here, 
 and my wife has promised in all things to help me to be faithful." 
 
 This pleased me much for their sake, and also because it shows 
 
12 
 
 how humble instruments may avail for Christian work, if only wo 
 have sincerity, and faith, and earnestness, with singleness of pur 
 pose, the love of Jesus and His joyful service. 
 
 God grant that we may have many glorious manifestations of 
 His love and grace during this year, now fairly begun. 
 
 January 7^7i, Thursday. 
 Still beautiful, but to-night a little colder. 
 
 A very dull day after yesterday s excitement. Took a long walk 
 and found everywhere smiling faces, and pleasant words about last 
 evening s pleasure, and all the older persons complaining that our 
 Chapel is too small, and that they are shut out from the pleasure 
 and interest that they wish to take in all our efforts for the in 
 struction and well-being, and pleasure of the Indian children. 
 
 I found my sick man asleep when I called, and I did not disturb 
 him, but was much moved by a little girl entirely blind ; she can 
 not be more than five years old, and wanting for all the care that 
 we would gladly give to all so afflicted, if we had only the place to 
 care for them. 
 
 I saw a face to-day so sad that I knew the woman, who is one of 
 our most sincere Christians, must be suffering for food. Her only 
 son, who has been very bad, is now a confirmed invalid, and she 
 has only the trifle that the Government gives them for the support 
 of a large family. I had nothing for her with me, but I resolved 
 that on my very first opportunity, I would do something for their 
 relief. 
 
 To-night the mail brings me five dollars for charity, and I am 
 rejoicing at the prospect of the bright and thankful face that will 
 greet me when I go to-morrow with flour and rice for their unex 
 pected relief. 
 
 The mail to-night has brought us also many kind words from 
 friends in Boston. 
 
 Paul s address there interested them all and much, and made 
 
13 
 
 them see what a real work God s Holy Spirit had wrought here, 
 even among heathen Indians. 
 
 May He in mercy hasten the day when we shall deal righteously 
 with all these tribes. I know we cannot suffer while we are hero 
 engaged. But we do long for the time when our plans completed, 
 we can be fully equipped for attempting, at least, all that we feel 
 ought to be done for bettering the condition of the Indians, 
 and for their salvation. Many of them now appreciate truth, and 
 love the way of peace that the Gospel reveals, and I cannot be 
 lieve that their temporal salvation is at all impossible, or difficult, 
 if we could only all feel it to be our duty to find out how badly off 
 and despised they are, and then try by law, and by Christian kind 
 ness to lead them to a knowledge of the better way. 
 
 Therefore I say that Bp. Whipple s manly statement of the 
 wrongs Indians have suffered, though it be called one-sided and 
 warped, is just what the men of this nation need to bring them to 
 right thoughts and understanding, and judgment about this whole 
 question of our dealing with, and care of and for the Indians. 
 
 January 8th, Friday. 
 
 We have been busy getting ready for the mail. Had a good 
 many applications for charity. This sudden cold makes the chil 
 dren feel the necessity of warmer clothing. Some came here to 
 day almost naked, and fairly red with the biting frost. I was glad 
 our Christmas boxes had enabled us to relieve them. We always 
 give to all that ask, and I always feel badly when I must refuse. 
 
 But the great event to-day has been the birth of a little daughter 
 to Paul. He has two little boys, and now a girl, and they are very 
 happy. 
 
 I took time this afternoon, after my writing, to walk three or 
 four miles, and visit all the sick. Poor Walker is dying, day by 
 day growing weaker. He was very grateful for my gift. His is a 
 sad case, lie left his mother s house, because she reproved him 
 
14 
 
 for his sins and misdoings, and now like all prodigals, he is glad in 
 his misfortune to be taken back. 
 
 The man mentioned on Epiphany, I found well. He had been 
 able to work again to-day, he was very glad to tell me how well ho 
 felt, and to thank me for my visit. A mile further down I found 
 old Kangi Sapa, (Black Raven) very sick, and having now great pain 
 in the face. He was formerly our crier, before we had a Church- 
 bell, and takes credit for all the success of the Mission. He says 
 his voice is strong, and to-day he said, I helped the Great Spirit 
 when the work began, and I was well and happy, but ever since I 
 stopped working for Him, I have been unable to get about, but I 
 am getting well now, and I am going to be as active as a young 
 man in all good words and works." 
 
 His nephew, Wakinyanoyatc (Thunder Nation), has also been 
 sick, and gives Paul all the credit of his recovery. 
 
 It is very pleasant for us to sec the Indians so thankful for all 
 we do for them. It is Christianity that teaches them thankfulness. 
 
 I called at Good Thunder s, but the family were all away, and I 
 came home over the hills, enjoying the grand view of the frozen 
 river, and the valley fringed with the gray, cold-looking cotton- 
 woods, and then flanked hero and there with warm tinted chalk 
 bluffs. I got home after dark. Passing by the end of the village 
 I heard singing, and stopped to listen. The sound came from a 
 back lodge near by, and I drew near and looked in at the single 
 light of glass which served as a window. It was Dowanna, my 
 choir leader. He was seated on a stool in the centre of the lodge, 
 surrounded by Indian girls. His voice was leading, and they were 
 singing very sweetly that Grand Missionary Psalm, "Let the 
 nations praise Thee, God, yea, let all the nations praise Thee" 
 
 Just before, passing through a ravine in the gathering darkncf R, 
 I heard an old woman, somewhere on the high bluffs above, wailir.g 
 out their harsh and hopeless chant of sorrow and mourning, "Mi- 
 chin-dii, ta-ta-a-ta-a-a-a. My child is dead, dead, dead." And 
 
15 
 
 ending at each repetition with an outburst of grief, and sometimes 
 with spasms, and prostration, rolling upon and clinging to the 
 earth. 
 
 The contrast in everything between these two chants shows out 
 most clearly the joyful, thankful spirit of our most holy faith. 
 
 January Sth, Saturday. 
 
 A day of preparation for Sunday. A good many applications for 
 food and some that we could not relieve. We are so far away from 
 supplies that we have to give with caution, lest our ow r n large 
 household should suffer. Yet still it will sometimes happen, and 
 we are always willing to bear our part of self-denial or hard 
 ship. I have translated two hymns to-day, one "Abide with me," 
 the other " Nearer, my God to Thee," one of the dearest hymns in 
 our language, and in Dakota it is very solemn and beautiful. 
 
 A Chief called just at dusk to talk about the fire-water that is 
 being brought in now that the river is frozen. The other day an 
 Indian was made drunk against his will and then his head was 
 split open by the same parties that furnished the whisky. 
 
 This traffic is carried on very slily by renegade whites and part 
 Indians, and the end is always outrage and suffering. We have 
 comparatively little trouble here as yet, but the Indians wonder 
 why we have no laws against such iniquity. 
 
 This evening we had a choir meeting of our girls and boys. Mrs. 
 Ilimnaii was able as of old to lead them. We practiced " Nearer 
 to thee, " and it was very touching to hear the sweet familiar words 
 in the strange Indian tongue. Last time" I heard the hymn was at 
 the Church of the Advent, Boston. I was then much impressed 
 with its solemn sweetness, and promised myself that it should be 
 sung in our own dear Chapel here, and now the promise is being 
 fulfilled. After the singing w r e gave out the clothing that we had 
 for the boys and girls, and they went home with glad hearts. 
 
 I know of nothing that interests our Indians more, and has a 
 better influence upon them, than the sacred psalms, and Christian 
 
13 
 
 hymns that we teach them. This is especially the case with the 
 young. 
 
 On a pleasant night the Indian villages resound for hours with 
 the joyful music of their songs of praise. Our hymnal, heretofore, 
 has been imperfect. No one can dream of the comfort and power 
 of music to awaken every holy emotion, and glorious aspiration, 
 until he has heard a Christian hymn like "Rock of Ages" or a 
 "Psalm of Praise," sung by the earnest voices of a whole con 
 gregation of those who believe in Him who " inhabitcth the praises 
 of Israel." 
 
 May we ever look to Him as the reality of all our thoughts, our 
 labors, and our hopes. 
 
 January Wt7i, First Sunday after Epiphany. 
 
 Clear, bright, and beautiful. 
 
 Morning Prayer, and Ante-Communion, at 1(H. Large congre 
 gation, some going away for want of room. I preached from the 
 second Lesson. The Epiphany at the baptism of Jesus and the 
 teaching of His baptism, a contrast between real and pretended 
 revelation, between the teachings of God and Christ and those of 
 sorcerers, the promise to the faithful followers of the meek and 
 lowly Jesus, and the gift of sonship. The congregation was very 
 attentive, and I tried to be earnest. I saw some heads hung for 
 shame. 
 
 At 2 P. M., Litany and catechetical school. Large attendance, 
 both teachers and learners seemed interested and pleased. V* r c sung 
 "Nearer to Thee." 
 
 After Service I went with my little Harry for a walk. We went 
 to the burying-place on the hills overlooking the Mission, and to 
 the grave of our dear friend, and glorious example, George "VVapa- 
 diaw. The grave is honored by the Indians, and many little graves 
 arc now clustered around. It is an old Indian custom, (and wo 
 have not forbidden it, for all nations arc tenacious of their piety for 
 their dead) to set aside at every meal a plate of food for the missing 
 
It 
 
 one, this is placed in the centro of the lodge or carried to the grave, 
 jind it is the portion of the first poor person coming, or passing by. 
 It is a beautiful custom, because it unites tender memory of the 
 dead, to compassion and charity for the living. Therefore we have 
 not thought it right to forbid it. 
 
 I mention this now, because I was much touched to-day by find*, 
 ing many little graves strewn with cedar, and the sugar-plums and 
 bon-bons that the children prized so much at our late festival. They 
 had been quietly placed there as childish memories of little brothers 
 and sisters no longer hereto share their joy. Harry says "they 
 love their little brother, that s the reason they put them there, a int 
 it, papa, and God loves them too, don t he, papa?" 
 
 Evening Prayer at 6. Chapel crowded, delightful Service. Paul 
 preached from Phil, iii, 13-14, Brethren I count not myself to 
 have apprehended, &c." I was more struck than ever with the 
 power of his preaching, and appeal to his own brethren after the 
 flesh. It shows what a wonderful advantage a native has over any 
 foreign minister, be he ever so earnest. We must have a native 
 ministry, and I have no confidence in the stability or right judg 
 ment of any foreign work, until they have such help, and lay such 
 foundation. Religion can never flourish as an exotic, be nations 
 ever so like in speech, and every mark that distinguishes men. The 
 time of war and trouble will come, the foreigner be driven off, or 
 rendered helpless, and his influence be destroyed, and of all the work 
 that has cost self-denial, and years of labor and much money, there 
 will be scarce a vestige or trace. But a native ministry, sincere 
 and earnest, will gather native strength. They understand their 
 own people, their character, their habits, and their besetting as well 
 as their less heinous sins. If truly faithful, and heartily, en 
 tirely and cheerfully devoted to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 they, and they only can be physicians skilful to deal with the 
 infirmities of their own race. Make sure of your man, be satisfied 
 that the conversion is real, that the Christian religion is understood 
 
18 
 
 and heartily embraced, and God will bless the prayers and work of 
 such an one with success above that awarded to the evangelists who 
 first preached to him, or to the doctors who translated the word of 
 God in his difficult tongue. 
 
 The Lord s Day here is the busiest of the week, but it always 
 brings to us a holy joy, and a visible ten-fold reward for all our 
 labors. 
 
 January 11, Monday. 
 
 Our day of rest after the duties and excitement of Sunday. I 
 omitted to mention the baptism of an adult yesterday, a woman 
 who has long delayed coming to Christ, but who has for some time 
 been desirous of baptism. It is believed that there arc but ten un- 
 baptized adults in all our tribe. 
 
 They arc a quiet and orderly people, and we try now to add earn 
 estness and zeal to their professions. 
 
 I took a long walk among the lower villages, and looked in upon 
 the Indians in their homes and at work. Their houses now compare 
 favorably with those of the white pioneers, and the men are making 
 good progress at learning all kinds of work. 
 
 The women now we find at home, engaged with house duties or 
 sewing. Coming home late, I went with Mary after dark, to see 
 poor Walker (Marpiyahnihda, Passing Cloud). He is failing fast, 
 and we have no place to properly care for him. His mother had just 
 got home, having been to Yankton, twenty-five miles, to expend 
 the trifle we had given her for food. By going to a town they avoid 
 the extortion of the traders here. 
 
 We next went to Wapashaw s and found the house crowded 
 with Ponka Indians, a tribe living near by on the upper side of the 
 Kiobrara. They are the only Indians in this vicinity who do not 
 speak the Sioux. They have been under treaty with the Govern 
 ment for ten years, and yet are, if possible, more squalid and mis 
 erable than of old. They were almost naked, many of them hav 
 ing no clothing but a buffalo robe and moccasins. 
 
19 
 
 Wapashaw, our head Chief, asked them why they had come. 
 
 One who spoke Sioux replied : 
 
 " We have heard the Saiitecs have six bands." Wapashaw says 
 "yes." Then the interpreter. "Then we have come with six 
 pouches of tobacco for the six chiefs." Wapasliaw said : "Per 
 haps you expect to dance here." "Yes we suppose so." Wapa 
 sliaw then said, "Then I must tell you that we have given up all 
 those customs, we are no longer wild men, we have now a higher 
 trust. We have no horses for you, and if you dance at our doors, 
 none of our people will give you food. It is true that we are In 
 dians, and that we grew up with all these foolish customs, but for 
 a long time we have given them up, and we arc trying to live like 
 men. Sometimes wild Indians come here and dance, but it does 
 not please our people, it makes us feel foolish and crazed." Wa 
 pasliaw then asked if their agent had not told them how they 
 ought to live. 
 
 They answered, " No, their agent always gave them a feast, and 
 presents for the dancers who visited them." 
 
 I then told them plainly of the Indians only hope, that they 
 must become industrious and wise, or perish. They assented to 
 all I said, and looked at me with sad wondering eyes, astonished 
 to hear a white man speak an Indian language, and give them 
 good advice. Poor fellows, they are ruined unless speedy mea 
 sures are taken for their relief and instruction. 
 
 The mail brought us kind words from Boston and New York 
 friends, and notice of another box of clothing from Boston, for 
 which we are most thankful. 
 
 Bishop Whipple also writes full of love for the Indians. Surely 
 God has raised him up to be their defence, and ministering angel. 
 
 January 12, Tuesday. 
 
 Been engaged to-day in writing for the mail. I find this the 
 most trying part of my duties ; it is easy and pleasant to work, 
 
20 
 
 where there is so much to do, and where we find such willing 
 listeners to our words, but it is very hard to write to others about 
 what one is trying to do, and to tell of successes which are in 
 reality but God s blessing upon His own work. It seems so akin 
 to selfishness, and glorying in one s own strength and influence, 
 that I always shrink from writing about the Mission work, or from 
 telling it by word of mouth. If it is God s work, and if done 
 according to His will, and in His way the blessing is assured, and 
 there is no room for personality, and no right in its bearing the 
 name of any human instrument, for God is no respecter of persons, 
 and in our superlative weakness one man is as another before 
 Him and each and every one utterly unworthy to minister for Him. 
 
 I have planned and begun an enlargement of our rude and tem 
 porary school-house, and hope before many days to have room 
 enough for all our children. The buildings are of rough logs, but 
 they will be warm and comfortable. The greatest trial is to our 
 teachers, their health must suffer, for here especially, all the build 
 ings used for congregations of adults or children should be large 
 and well ventilated. 
 
 Mrs. Hinman has been working for others all day, and has made 
 the hearts of some widows glad by gifts of warm garments sent 
 by our Philadelphia friends. 
 
 I have visited two sick persons to-day, and had a long talk with 
 one. He was very thankful for the improved moral tone of the 
 whole tribe. He called my attention especially to the conver 
 sions being made among the older men who have been most tena 
 cious of Indian customs and manner of thought, and to the in 
 creasing numbsr of men advanced in years who are becoming 
 regular attendants upon all the Services of the Church. 
 
 He was rejoiced at the effect of this upon the young men who 
 were becoming more serious and sedate. Formerly they made 
 night hideous with their revels, but now it is as quiet here at night 
 as in any village of whites. 
 
21 
 
 Standing Soldier complained to me of the bad conduct of two 
 members of my choir. He said he had talked with the choir lead 
 er, and told him to choose his boys and girls from the whole tribe, 
 and take only those who were quiet and gentle, and devout, that 
 the men of the congregation had determined to have no Catcchists, 
 or teachers, or singers who were not in all things a pattern for 
 their people, whom we were trying to teach and lift up. I am 
 very thankful for such a determination, it is worthy of all imitation. 
 
 January 13<7i, Wednesday. 
 
 At work all day constructing chimney and fire-place in school 
 room. I find our Indians always ready and willing to work, but 
 they are so unskilled and ignorant of proper ways and shapes, that 
 they need constant supervision and help. 
 
 Mrs. Ilinman finds the same difficulty in her department, and it 
 adds much to our care, and occupies much time, because we have 
 always to keep everything that is going on in mind. This of course 
 will be changed in time, and it is part of our duty to teach our 
 people how to work, and in every way how to improve their con 
 dition. Willingness to work and readiness to learn are great steps 
 already accomplished. When W T C went first to Redwood, it was 
 almost impossible to get any of them to work, or even try to im 
 prove their situation. 
 
 I am thankful to notice each day the new hopes that the best of our 
 men have for the future. The stolid indifference and sad dejec 
 tion so common, almost universal, among the Indians, are giving 
 way to cheerfulness of spirit, and brighter anticipations. 
 
 To-day Wanmdipxun (Eagle Fan) came and seemed so happy, 
 because their uncertain way of life and thought had now given 
 way to certain reward of daily labor, and a sure trust in the living 
 God. 
 
 I sometimes think the Christian Indians prize their faith in the 
 new found Saviour, and the privileges of membership in His holy 
 Fellowship, more than we, because the world of comfort it opens 
 
22 
 
 to them is new, and tlicir faith is so much more simple, confiding 
 and childlike. 
 
 We have just come from the last Communion of this holy sea 
 son. To-day, the octave of Epiphany, closes the joyful homage 
 that we have been paying to our new-born Saviour. The Chapel 
 was crowded to overflowing, and all seemed so earnest in prayer 
 and so attentive to the words I spoke, that I myself was much 
 moved. I spoke from the answer of the child Jesus to His parents, 
 Wist ye not that I must be about my Father s business?" The 
 business, that as new "made members of Christ and children of 
 God," must throughout this year, and every day be our chief 
 concern. 
 
 Over a hundred came to Communion, among them, the last of 
 those who had been hindered at Christmas and Epiphany. 
 
 So we turned our faces from our Christmas joy, and now are 
 looking forward through these weeks of preparation to a holy 
 Lent, and farther off to a glad and happy Easter. Some of us will 
 never see it here, but may the dear Saviour grant to bring us all 
 through the grave and gate of death, to be gathered at His right 
 hand, and then to be ever with Him, to minister to Him in His 
 everlasting kingdom. 
 
 January 14.th, 18G9. 
 Clear and beautiful. 
 
 Another day at building, and we are nearly done. 
 
 Paul also has his new house almost finished. It is quite largo, 
 and the young men generally have taken pleasure in helping him. 
 
 My translations and writing confine me so constantly that I find 
 the out door work does me much good. It is really a pleasant 
 feeling to be right tired, and anxious for bodily rest. 
 
 We had our Thuridiy afternoon Service at Pay-pay s house. 
 The building which is quite large, for this country, was filled with 
 our Christian women. I thought of the friends who were praying 
 with us, and we asked God s best blessings upon them all. 
 
23 
 
 The mail this evening brought us no tidings. We miss so much 
 our letters and papers ; they are our only communication with the 
 outside world. 
 
 Poor Walker is very low. When Miss West went there yesterday, 
 he asked for an English Prayer Book, as he had first learned of the 
 Great Spirit in our language. It seems a pleasure now to him, to 
 recall the years spent at Faribault, and he often mentions the kind 
 ness of Dr. Breck, and of good Bp. Whipple and family. When I 
 went to him this evening, I found an Indian Doctor, who had been 
 called to see him. The Government Physician has charge of three 
 tribes, and is often absent, and so some of the Indians have under 
 taken the practice of medicine in their simple way. They do their 
 patients no harm, and some of their remedies are very good. Stand 
 ing outside the lodge, I heard the Dr. speaking, and stopped to lis 
 ten. His remarks were on the practice of medicine, and the remedies 
 the Great Spirit had given them, in roots, and herbs, and minerals, 
 remedies that though used in the heathen practice of the old 
 medicine men, yet God had intended for His children everywhere. " 
 He said, " we ought to be thankful for these, as well as food, and 
 light, and heat ; that God gave them, and He could make them 
 powerful for good, and that therefore we ought always to ask His 
 blessing and help, before we try to help one whose life or death are 
 in His keeping. " He then knelt down and prayed that " God 
 would bless his patient keep away from him all evil, and give him 
 the strength and comfort of his Holy Spirit would bless the means 
 used for his recovery, or if He called him home, take away all fear, 
 and give him holy light along the dark and lonely way. " (Seeing 
 me coming in he said,) "O Lord one of thy ministering servants 
 is here with us, bless him also ; though he is strong, strengthen 
 him more and more with Thy Holy Spirit ; though he is wise, give 
 him yet more and more of heavenly wisdom ; bless all the words 
 of his mouth, and all the work of his hands, and grant that the con 
 gregation of which he is the shepherd, may be ever glorious through 
 
all divine gifts, and ever full of newness of life through all good 
 works." 
 
 I am thankful to be able to think that my people are so prayerful. 
 Always believing in prayer and trustfully asking God s blessing 
 upon every hope or undertaking. 
 
 January loth, 1809. 
 A bright beautiful day. 
 
 Writing for the mail, and superintending our building. In tha 
 afternoon took a walk. Found the Indians improving the day by 
 outside work. Some cutting wood, some getting out fencing, and 
 others repairing their houses. Every time I go out I notice the 
 improvement in their manner of life. Tables, chairs, and white 
 dishes and table ware are now common, and to-day I find several 
 trying their skill at making bedsteads, and some already up. I 
 was much amused at an old woman s ghost story ; I asked her age, 
 and she said, "I don t know, all the nation knows that I can re 
 member no farther back than the time I was killed, and nearly 
 carried away by ghosts. " And she went on giving all the particu 
 lars of the adventure, which happened years ago at a Lake, which 
 I well remember near Faribault ; she seemed to believe it all, but 
 the Indians present, who know better could not restrain their 
 laughter. 
 
 Pay-pay was here to-night, glorying in his new log house ; which 
 he said could hold sixty men at their cottage services, and I have 
 just come from a service held there. The service on Friday even 
 ing is especially for the young men, and is intended to give them a 
 knowledge of the Bible and its teachings. We also try to teach 
 them the duty and necessity of prayer, and to ask God believing 
 that they will receive what they ask in humble faith and trust in 
 Him.- The services are quite informal and very hearty. The only 
 prescribed forms being the Lord s Prayer, and Creed which we al 
 ways use, and the other devotions and hymns are at the will of the 
 Catcchist who conducts the Services. 
 
25 
 
 The Lccturo is plain and practical, and \vc teach often by ques 
 tion and answer. We feel the neod and the blessing of these infor 
 mal services, because it brings us in direct contact with the mind 
 and heart of our people, and because it teaches them not to rest 
 their faith upon the Ministry, or the Sacraments, or the Ritual of 
 the House of Prayer, but to make their own calling and hope the 
 subject of thought and heartfelt prayer. The meeting to-night 
 was very interesting, and I feel that very many of their prayers 
 are heard and answered. 
 
 Dowanna, the chorister, came to mo very diffidently, after the 
 Service, to tell me that ho was writing a book which was now 
 nearly done, a history of the religious and superstitious customs 
 of the heathen Dakotas. Ho is to bring it to-morrow for me to 
 read and revise. 
 
 The Indians excel in writing, as in speaking ; they have a natural 
 simplicity and beauty of style that is very attractive, and their 
 figures and similics arc always well drawn, and to the point. 
 
 It is a wonder to me how readily they learn to read our language ; 
 little fellows will read correctly page after page of their school 
 books, and be able to spell every word, and yet not comprehend 
 the meaning of a single sentence. I judge them therefore to be 
 good at imitation, but not quick of comprehension, and to have 
 very little ingenuity at inventing any new means or ways. 
 
 January 1C, I860. 
 
 The day of preparation. A busy day with us, and among the 
 Indians called "the floor-washing day," because all the Christian 
 Indians on this day put their houses in order and prepare their 
 clothing for Sunday. This custom has become general, and now 
 also they cut their wood and do their trading on Saturday, so that 
 Sunday is really a day of rest. I have been writing in our new 
 Hymn book, revising Dowanna s history (which I found really very 
 creditable), superintending our new building, and visiting among 
 our people. I find many things to make me sad. Enemies of all good 
 
26 
 
 works always busy for evil, and then when these things are discov 
 ered by the Indians, and we are questioned about them, we cannot 
 but blush for shame to think of the years of ignorance and squalid 
 misery that these people have endured because of our wrong doing. 
 
 This evening a Yankton Indian (Flying Pipe), the head soldier 
 of the chief called Feather in Ear, came to see me. 
 
 He had walked forty miles to be here to-morrow. He said his 
 people were looking this way for help, because they could see the 
 light here from far. He wanted me to tell him candidly what was 
 to be the fate of the Indians. He said if the present mode of caring 
 for them were to be continued, they might as well give up all hope 
 at once. 
 
 They had now been ten years in charge of the Government, 
 and they were really worse off than when they made their treaty. 
 Their present agent had been very kind to them, but was powerless 
 to help them, and was now going away believing that nothing could 
 be done to better their condition. His wife also had been like a 
 mother to them, feeding the hungry and even teaching their chil 
 dren, but now she too was giving them up, and there seemed no 
 hope. But he had seen light here, and had come to beg that we 
 would be their friends, and establish a school and hospital at their 
 agency. 
 
 He ended by saying "our old men arc foolish and ignorant, and 
 our chiefs are bought up for a trifle, but I know that we have many 
 young men who arc not bad, and who earnestly desire to learn a 
 better way of life. 
 
 We know that you have benefittcd and lifted up the Santees, 
 come now and help us." 
 
 January 17, 18G9. 
 
 At Morning Prayer congregation large. My Yaiikton friend 
 came late to Church, and could not get inside the door. 
 
 I preached from the Epistle for the day, a practical sermon to our 
 Catcchists, and teachers, and chiefs, and to all Christians on their 
 duties in their several stations and callings. 
 
27 
 
 It was one of the few services of the year without a baptism. In 
 the afternoon catechetical school as usual, and a large number 
 present. One of our Indian teachers was absent, but she came just 
 at evening to tell me that she had no shoes or moccasins to wear, 
 and had borrowed a pair for the Evening Service. At Evening 
 Prayer, the Chapel was more crowded if possible than ever before. 
 Imagine a church with every seat full, and then an extra adult and 
 two or three children crowded into each one, then the aisle and all 
 the space before the Chancel occupied by persons seated on the floor, 
 and the entrances both from the house and from outside also filled, 
 and you have a picture of what we call a good congregation. When 
 we have a square foot or two of room to spare, the congregation is 
 considered small. 
 
 Paul preached from Mark vi. 6, on the duty, comfort, and bless 
 ing of prayer, and urged the Christians to commune with God by 
 prayer, not only at stated times, but also while at work or at rest, 
 or as they walked by the way. 
 
 I am made continually sad by the opposition and jealousy that 
 our work provokes. If we could only be let alone, and be allowed 
 to quietly mind our own business, and to do it, it would be a happy 
 life, but as it is and we w T ork day by day alone, far separated from 
 friends whose kind words and prayers, and alms given of God sus 
 tain us and all around us, and near about us the words that do 
 reach our ears are unkind and full of mis-judgment. And we can 
 not answer nor stop our ears, but must work on. If earthly helpers 
 were our trust, we must bear up and wait for the comfort of their 
 encouragement, but as it is we go about our daily work, and some 
 word of kindness from a poor body we have befriended, or some 
 prayer by the bedside of a trusting child, and all is forgotten ; and 
 as are our days, so God sends us strength of heart, and oftentime 
 great peace and joy. 
 
 And these too are the feelings that our Sabbaths bring us after 
 the sameness of the routine of six days of work. But it sometimes 
 
28 
 
 brings an awful feeling when we look upon such success as that of 
 this Indian work. 
 
 St. Paul felt it when he said "Lest while I preach to others, I 
 myself should be a cast-away." 
 
 And when I look over these large congregations apparently de 
 vout and earnest, I sometimes ask myself with fear, after all are 
 not many of these poor people indulging a vain hope, and am not I 
 to be held responsible for their ignorance and delusion? And I can 
 only answer by comparison with work in other fields, and by more 
 earnest prayer and endeavor to make everything that we do here as 
 plain and practical as possible. 
 
 Januaryl^ 18G9. 
 
 A very busy clay preparing for the Christmas term of our school. 
 The building is at last ready, but we have all worked hard. 
 
 I have had too a long talk with the warden of our congregation. 
 lie represents the opinion of the Indians, and thinks the time has 
 come when the Government should do away with the tribal system 
 here, and abolish the office of Chief, and as far as possible put these 
 Indians on the same footing as white men. I agree with him fully. 
 
 These petty divisions and many chiefs keep the Indians in per 
 petual unrest, and provoke numberless jealousies, for where there 
 arc many heads there must be a strife for the mastery. 
 
 The opinions of my warden are of some weight, because he him 
 self is the son of a Chief, and according to present custom would 
 succeed him. 
 
 Yesterday was my thirtieth birthday. And as I look back, the 
 whole past seems full of mis-conceptions and mistakes. 
 
 Yet I suppose it is the history of every life. We learn by expe-r 
 rience ; and at thirty years perhaps our real work begins. 
 
 Some peculiarly blessed may make their work tell in younger 
 years, but it must usually take the practice and experience of many 
 days to teach us how to work and economize all our material and 
 our power. And we look forward to still other years to be passed 
 
29 
 
 and lived for the one object of bringing lasting blessings upon these 
 Indians. It is impossible to waive thought of self and personal 
 comfort when we look forward to the future, and yet I suppose such 
 thoughts ought not to be entertained, but that the work to be done 
 and that to be perfected ought to fill all the vision. May it indeed 
 be henceforth a single service. And then the past the mistakes 
 to be avoided the work to be better done and all the blanks to 
 be kept filled up \vith active work. All this will require caution, 
 and wisdom, and steadfast purpose. May we be rightly guided ; 
 have new wisdom and strength and ability to use our experience 
 aright. That so year by year w^e may grow up to be more and more 
 fitted for such serious and earnest and blessed work. 
 
 Our mail brings us good tidings from our Philadelphia friends, 
 and the kind words that always make glad hearts. 
 
 January 19, 1869. 
 
 First day of school for winter term. We had looked for a small 
 attendance. Many of the Indians are away, and many of the chil 
 dren so poorly clad that they cannot come any distance in cold 
 weather. Our tw T o rooms were crowded and we heard our classes 
 with difficulty. I am assisted by Miss West and Philip. One of 
 our Indian teachers declined to serve, as she felt that she ought to 
 be a learner. I feel very much the need of more teachers, and of 
 those that will work conscientiously and from the love of the good 
 that they may do. 
 
 I have every care and my candidates to instruct, and my writing 
 and visiting. But when I leave the school the interest flags, and 
 any one who w^orks for aught but from a sense of duty soon tires of 
 the monotony and necessary sameness of the school-room duty, 
 and so becomes worthless for missionary work. 
 
 We have to get up interest in the school -room ; get the children 
 to attend, furnish books and teachers, and keep up among the chil 
 dren as far as we can, the desire to learn. In all this we have no 
 
 encouragement from without, except such as we have created, and 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 no one in the whole country cares one straw whether these Indian 
 children arc taught or not, and very few would care to have them 
 different or better than they now are. So there are obstacles enough 
 to discourage any, and hard and thorough work to discourage those 
 who would be at ease; and then the ignorant and unattractive, and 
 oftentimes offensive condition of those to be taught, to drive away 
 every vestige of romance. 
 
 It is work indeed, and if we cannot get the helpers willing to bear 
 their part of the burden, the work must stop here, and it is possible 
 we must depend on native help. 
 
 We need more than any can well know the encouragement of all 
 those who would do these people good. 
 
 January 20, 186D. 
 
 At work in school and out much as usual. I think I have never 
 known our children to show so much interest. 
 
 For some time their school has been an amusement for them, and 
 a pleasant change in the monotony of their daily life. But now they 
 take hold with a zest and seem really anxious to acquire knowledge. 
 
 But as they now are, and have been heretofore, what a life they 
 lead ! Nothing to do in childhood and youth, no discipline, and no 
 training for any future calling or work. 
 
 Exhorted to abandon hunting, and with no means or encourage 
 ment to open farms, no education to any trade, merely subsisted 
 and played with by the Government, hundreds of Indians are fast 
 becoming mere beggars, and their children growing up without 
 knowledge of any honest or manly way of obtaining a livelihood. 
 
 All our treaties are more or less imperfect or defective, and do 
 either too much or too little for them ; and they are usually so 
 loosely worded, that monies may be mis-applied and sometimes an 
 sums expended for subsistence only ; and so every retiring agent 
 leaves his Indians in the same condition that he found them, or per 
 haps more badly off. And all the agencies are temporary rude 
 buildings, not adapted for any of the purposes for which they diould 
 
31 
 
 be designed, for the improvement and lasting benefit of the Indians. 
 Wapashaw came to night and gave me one of his long sensible talks 
 about the condition of his people. It always does me good to hear 
 his wants and hopes, for they are all good. And I wonder at his 
 patient waiting. For years his people have been improving and 
 becoming christianized, and in everyway more and more like whites. 
 And he has been trying to get them settled and located on farms, 
 and at work, planting and caring for stock. 
 
 All who hear his appeals are impressed with his earnestness and 
 good sense, and still he has not as yet been able to make the proper 
 authorities believe that an Indian needs aught but scarlet blankets, 
 scalping knives, and paint. 
 
 And the idea that an Indian should want a home, honestly and 
 really secured to him as his own for himself and his children, seems 
 to be looked upon by most persons, and by many who ought to be 
 better informed, as simply preposterous and ridiculous. 
 
 But we begin to have better hopes. 
 
 January 21, 1869. 
 
 School very interesting, all seemed eager to learn. 
 
 This afternoon had school for work. Miss West is teaching 
 knitting, and is much pleased to find the girls so apt. 
 
 I visited one of my boys suddenly taken sick. He is a member of 
 the Choir, and has not been absent during the entire year. I found 
 him very low, with a burning fever. 
 
 I could do very little for him, and only pray for the time when 
 we may have a hospital where we can care for our sick. 
 
 Coming over the hills as our bell was ringing, it was a pleasant 
 sight to see the Indian women gathering from every direction for 
 the Thursday prayers. These meetings, entirely conducted by the 
 Christian women, have been kept up uninterruptedly for over two 
 years, and the interest has not nagged, and the numbers and earn 
 estness have constantly increased. 
 
 Arrived at the Mission, I found a Yankton chief (Dolurio), who 
 
had come down from Fort Randall to consult with me, and as ho 
 caid to pray to me to hear him for his people. He began with the 
 usual Indian compliments : 
 
 "Koda, (friend) you are small in stature, but your name has 
 grown large, so that you seem to us like a pine tree of a ravine, 
 tall and straight. You are a boy in years, but we know that your 
 words reach the ears of the Great Father who sits in Washington. 
 You have a good work, and although these Santees were very bad, 
 you have washed them and made them appear good, and now have 
 at least saved half of them. 
 
 You have God s work, and He gives you His strength, and so 
 we look upon you as sacred, and through your work you seem to 
 us like a Son of God. Come and help us go from nation to 
 nation. 
 
 AVhen one has been blessed, come on to yet another, and before 
 you die you will lead our people to a great salvation. Our people 
 want you. Part of them are very bad. But many long for peace 
 and wisdom. We are foolish, we are deceived like children. They 
 tell us our agents and traders are foolish men, and that therefore 
 we are deceived. oSTo ! It is because we are foolish and have no 
 teachers, that we are driven about from place to place, to find a 
 place to be buried in. We know you can help us, and I am sent 
 by four Chiefs, four Head Soldiers, and eight sons of Chiefs, to 
 pray you and the brethren of your Holy Fellowship to build up a 
 Mission among our people. 
 
 Our folly and ignorance and wickedness are sending us fast to 
 the grave, but you can save our children, and even make some of 
 us better and happier now. " " I am going home with the good 
 words you have given me, and if necessary, will bring all our 
 Chief-men down to beseech you, and to hear your words. We 
 come to you because we know you, and we believe what we have 
 heard, that yours is a Missionary Church." (Earnest and good 
 words.) 
 
33 
 
 Kind words again by mail, and an offering from a friend in New 
 port, R. I. 
 
 January 22d, 1869. 
 
 Much, interest in school; we reviewed all the studies of the week, 
 and I was well satisfied with the good progress made. 
 
 I have three Yankton Warriors as pupils; they have come down 
 to learn to read and write their own language. One of them is 
 above forty years old, and yet they learn very rapidly, and seem to 
 think nothing of going back and forth, to and from their own 
 Agency forty miles, every week. 
 
 I am very much interested in them and their people, and long 
 for the time when we can establish a School and Mission in the 
 midst of their villages. 
 
 I went to see my sick boy. Philip also went, and we were both 
 astonished to find him almost well. Yesterday we were both 
 alarmed about him. But to-day he said My grandmother wanted 
 to bring the conjurors but I would not consent, and now God has 
 made me well. 
 
 This evening I have had a long conversation with the Agent and 
 Trader. Both are very kind men, and really try to do all they can 
 for the Indians. We are all very anxious for a new treaty, to give 
 us no doubt as to our permanent home, and to better provide for 
 the advance of the Santees in Christian civilization. Our present 
 arrangement is a bad one, and these Indians, now well advanced 
 in civilization, are treated in the same manner as the wild Sioux of 
 the plains. The Government attempted to feed them, and not pro 
 vide for their instruction in work, or otherwise, and the system 
 has a very bad effect. It encourages idleness and rewards it. The 
 wonder is that our Indians have made any advance. 
 
 But I really think now that very many of them are really and 
 sincerely in earnest, and so they improve under disadvantages and 
 neglects. 
 
 I do hope there will be no mistakes or imperfections in our new 
 
34 
 
 treaty. There certainly are no Indians on this river who are so 
 far advanced as these, and none who so well merit some encourage 
 ment in the improvement they are trying to make. 
 
 On my way home last night, I passed for a mile through the In 
 dian village, and though it was a most beautiful evening, every 
 where it was as quiet as in any well regulated community. 
 
 Among wild Indians night is made hideous by their hooting, 
 and the conjuror s rattle, and the drum, and voices of the dancers. 
 Three years ago even, we had much of heathenism here, but now 
 all seems changed, and very many who were the most determined 
 heathen are now become earnest and trustworthy Christians. 
 
 Saturday, January 28(7, 18G9. 
 
 A visit from the Yankton Chiefs. One was here two days ago, 
 and to-day he returned bringing his comrades. 
 
 They were very eloquent, and very earnest in all they said. They 
 are like men praying for life. Their corn crop of List Summer 
 was a failure, and a large part of the year s annuities had been 
 expended for them in advance during the year 07. This winter 
 the prairies are all burned, and there are no buffalo north of the 
 Platte. So they are left without money, or food, or game. 
 
 Their Agent has thus far plead in vain for relief for them, and 
 now has gone to Washington to resign, because he can no longer 
 do anything for the Indians, and they were almost threatening his 
 life. I asked the Chief, Pte-wakan-ina-jin (Sacred Cow), on what 
 his people were living he replied, "on bark and roots." They 
 are greatly troubled and believe they can get no relief, until they 
 have a Missionary, and so attract the interest of good people in 
 their welfare. They said again and again, "We are dying we 
 pray for our children s sake, and yet it is possible that you may 
 save some of us before we go. " Speaking of a man who had rob 
 bed them they said, "never mind, he is dead we do not think 
 that he can make God blind with the money he took from us." 
 Another said, complaining about how little their real wants were 
 
35 
 
 known and understood, " The Great Father sends us men with 
 wooden ears and wooden hearts. " 
 
 Speaking of an interview with the Commandant of a Fort, one 
 said, " I told him we heard he was sent there to prevent thieving 
 and drunkenness, and lying, arid murder, and we regarded him as 
 a brave man, and a soldier, and we were afraid of him." "But 
 now they know that he did not try to prevent these things, and 
 they no longer feared him, because they could not regard a man as 
 brave, who hesitated to do his duty, because it was difficult and 
 hazardous. 
 
 And so all Indians now feel that they are left without protection, 
 and without law, and that no one can aid them, or save them un 
 less he can make good people feel how miserable they are, and how 
 thankful they can be for any disinterested kindness. 
 
 I do hope that before the Summer is gone, we can begin our 
 work among these people, who are so desirous to have a Shepherd. 
 They must be in earnest, for I have given them nothing, and give 
 them nothing when they come, except to relieve their absolute 
 wants, and yet every week some of them walk the forty miles, 
 merely to hear our words, and ask our advice as to what they 
 ought to do, to make their future brighter for them. 
 
 Septuagesima Sunday, Jan. Z4t7i, 1869. 
 
 Large congregation. I preached from the second Lesson, St. 
 Matt, vii., 18th and 14th. Many were present who have been ab 
 sent at work for some weeks, and it was very pleasant to have 
 them come into the vestry after Service to shake hands, and tell us 
 how glad they were to worship once more in their own House of 
 God. I received too, the following letter, which was brought to 
 me after Service. I translate it to show that Indians can be stead 
 fast, although not under the eye of their Pastor. True religion 
 every where is the love of God, which no man taketh from us. 
 
36 
 
 Sioux POINT, DAKOTA TEH. 
 
 January 17th, 1869. 
 REV. S. D. HIXMAN : 
 
 Father, to-day I will write you a letter. My friend, it is Sunday, 
 and therefore I remember you. I wish you to hear how I am liv 
 ing here so far away from the Mission. I have not seen you for 
 two years, but I always remember you. My friend, I am yet al 
 ways holding fast to the Great Spirit, and I want you to hear it, 
 and to help me with your prayers. For many winters now you 
 have given to me the words of God, and I will never throw them 
 away. If I can only make them mine I will be happy. My friend, 
 together with my wife, from a glad heart I shake hands with you. 
 My friend, when you see this letter, I wish you to give me one. I 
 am John B. Wapaha (Hat). 
 
 The writer is a young man, one of our first converts, and the 
 first one of our congregation married in Church. He is active, in 
 telligent and earnest, and even while living in an Indian camp, has 
 always been an example for the young men of the tribe. And now 
 they always speak of him as one whose love and obedience to his 
 Saviour no one can doubt. 
 
 At 2 P. M. Catechetical School, and Litany. Full and interest 
 ing. At Evening Prayer, another overflowing and attentive con 
 gregation. The singing was most praiseworthy, filling the whole 
 building with waves of sound. Paul preached from ii. Cor. iv. 18. 
 While we look not at the things which are seen, " &c. It is hardly 
 necessary to say it was a good sermon. When you judge a sermon 
 not by its merits as a composition, but by the truth which it de 
 clares, and the believing earnestness of him who preaches it, it 
 makes a different, and a better standard. 
 
 It is high time that the Sermon Paper, and by the page system 
 of preaching was given up for more apostolic methods. 
 
 This evening also I received a letter from a young Yankton, 
 whom we taught to read three years ago, but who is now living 
 
37 
 
 among his people some sixty miles up the river, saying, " That he 
 always remembered Paul and me, and our words, and asking us if 
 we really believed that there was any hope for his people. " He 
 says, " We are going fast to destruction, getting worse and worse 
 every day, and it does not seem right that the Church of God, and 
 the Apostles of His Word, should tell us we must wait, and wait, 
 and wait, and this too, when men are dying here every day, who 
 are bad, because no man has taught them what goodness is, and 
 because they have never heard the Saviour s name." 
 
 January 25t7i, 1869. 
 Festival of the Conversion of St. Paul. 
 
 All busy with school, and this afternoon I had a long talk with 
 some of our principal men. They are very anxious for the future, 
 and are much afraid that their new treaty will further the ends of 
 bad men, and encourage idleness among the Indians. 
 
 There is such a general misunderstanding of Indian character, 
 and ignorance of their real wants, that it is well nigh impossible 
 to get any very satisfactory arrangement for them. 
 
 This afternoon, while some of my young men were practising their 
 chants and hymns, several wild Indians with faces painted, and 
 all of them bearing arms like warriors, came and looked in at the 
 windows. I tried to beckon them in, but they appeared astonish 
 ed at the building, and slipped away down the steep ravine into 
 the forest. I suppose them to be Poncas, but they looked so very 
 wild and strange, that their appearance created quite an excite 
 ment among us all. 
 
 This evening we have just come from our Prayers in the Chapel. 
 The congregation was large, many were seated on the floor. I 
 preached to them from the words of the Epistle, " Who art Thou, 
 Lord? Lord what w y ilt Thou have me to do?" A practical sermon, 
 urging them to accept the light that God has sent to them, to re 
 cognize His glory far, far above that of any pretended divinity, to 
 go and dwell in the Street called Straight, and pray always to the 
 
38 
 
 Great Spirit, and this message and His peace would not be with 
 held. In the Indian language, this is a beautiful parable, because 
 Owatona, the word for straight, means also proper, correct, right, 
 and righteous. It is delightful in these week-day Services to see so 
 many attendants, always a Church full of Indians, and all rever 
 ent, devout, and earnest. 
 
 The mail brings letters all kind and pleasant, but how little the 
 writers can know of the real work, and its daily crosses. But God 
 is good good beyond all our deserts good even when we fear 
 and bow before the storm, and if our work is His, it abides fast 
 forever, and what are men that they should work for Him, and be 
 called to be partakers in His love. " God be merciful unto us, and 
 bless us and show us the light of His countenance, and be merciful 
 unto us. " Amen. 
 
 January 26th, 1869. 
 
 A day of great excitement, and I returned home at sunset, after 
 a walk of twenty miles. When at all disturbed, I find always that 
 bodily fatigue is the best remedy for mental anxiety. Longing for 
 rest, when you know that rest is possible, is a comfortable feeling. 
 
 Wandering over the bleak and lonely hills, and scaling bluff after 
 bluff of the streams that break through these high lands into the 
 Missouri, the moon hiding in the clouds, and the stars peering 
 through them, the gray cold sunrise and the frozen clouds of dust, 
 moving like ghostly shadows in the dim light of dawn, and then 
 the baldness of all things in the light of a cloudy winter day, and 
 all this away from the habitation of men ; it is a picture that 
 relieves a troubled mind. I suppose because it is so like its own re 
 flection. 
 
 It is however but a dead, cold scene, without a God behind the 
 clouds, or a life-working power somewhere. And a troubled spirit, 
 without superhuman consolation, is a fair likeness in feeling and 
 all to the state of the heathen man, and the infidel. 
 
39 
 
 Our Dakota Hymn, " Nearer to Thee " has been in my mind, 
 and on my lips many times. 
 
 " Thus like a wanderer, 
 
 So full of fear, 
 Astray in the darkness, 
 
 I lay me down ; 
 But in my pleasant dreams, 
 
 With Thee I seem to be. 
 Keep Thou me, O my God, 
 
 Nearer to Thee." 
 
 In the Dakota the hymn is perfect in its picture of weariness 
 and lonesomeness, leading one to God. 
 
 In the evening a man and his wife, who had been absent all the 
 winter, came for confession and advice. 
 
 Among the Indians, this seems to be necessary, as it accords 
 with their own custom in their heathen rites and fellowship, and 
 when fearing the reproach that Churchmen might bring upon this 
 custom as anti-Protestant, we would have broken it up, the In 
 dians have protested, and said that if men were sincere, they 
 must not hide their sins ; and if a patient wished relief, he 
 must show his sores, no matter how seemingly offensive, as so only 
 could the physician judge. 
 
 I shall have occasion to speak of the history of this matter in 
 our Mission, and our practice here under a future date. 
 
 Suffice it to say that it is not compulsory, nor made a sacrament, 
 nor followed by priestly absolution. 
 
 January 27t7i, 1869. 
 Almost a Summer day. 
 
 Cutting ice from the Missouri. The water is yet of the same 
 muddy color, but the ice is as clear as glass. AVe find ice the best 
 of remedies in sickness, and in the dry heat of the summer here, 
 it is almost the only luxury we enjoy. 
 
40 
 
 Heard Philip and Christian recite their Bible lesson, and gave 
 them instruction on its different parts. 
 
 Walker is worse and cannot live long now ; he seems ready to go, 
 and is always reading his Bible and Prayer Book, and looks for 
 ward with pleasure to the evening Service held daily at his home. 
 But he is troubled always by the visions of a misspent life. It is 
 indeed a fearful thing to put off preparation for the last journey, 
 until the Messenger is already come. 
 
 Would that we might all live day by day as not of the world, 
 but in the glorious fellowship of. Christ, and under the guardian 
 ship of His holy angels, and by the glorious examples of His re 
 deemed ones. 
 
 To-night the bright full moon bathes all the hills in its soft pure 
 light, and the quiet beauty of the scene is only disturbed by the fear 
 ful cries of some drunken white men, who are wandering up and 
 down in search of evil, and making valley after valley echo with 
 their horrible oaths. 
 
 I thank God that the Indians have never known how to blas 
 pheme. If there is any truth in our revelation of God s goodness, 
 it must be a horrible thing to be so unmindful of it, and an awful 
 sin to couple His most holy name with the vilest words that Devil 
 ish ingenuity can invent. 
 
 The Indian language has not an oath, nor can one be readily 
 framed from it. 
 
 January 28th, 18G9. 
 
 Been busy all day with the school and my lessons for our Indian 
 Catechists. I have succeeded in finding two young men, and two 
 young women, who we think can be trained so as to be very useful 
 as teachers for the younger pupils. It is indeed a great relief to 
 be thus able to get assistance from the result of our own work. 
 And it is yet another step toward making the Indian Mission self- 
 supporting. When the Indians can have their own teachers, and 
 
41 
 
 their own clergy, they will soon be able to support them them 
 selves. And thus more and more they will take pride in having 
 their children become proficient in the English language. 
 
 We have just heard the sad news of the death of my old teacher 
 in Divinity, and one of the founders and best friends of this Mis 
 sion, the Rev. Dr. Manney, of Faribault. 
 
 How well I recall his kind face, and always pleasant words. 
 
 He was a man of good and large heart, and of wonderful skill in 
 logic, and of the best ability as a theologian. 
 
 His sermons were always wonderfully full of learning and in 
 struction, and his teachings most thorough and catholic. His 
 report on the Provincial system, at the last General Convention, 
 was among the best written papers presented to that body. 
 
 He will always be remembered by us all as a kind, generous 
 scholarly Christian man. A man whom to know was to love and 
 to honor. We miss him sadly, and it will be many days before 
 our mourning will be fulfilled. He has fallen asleep. 
 
 January 29^, 1869. 
 
 Review of school, and I find the children making very commend 
 able progress. 
 
 For next week I have two new teachers, so that all will go much 
 better. Xow our only suffering will be for want of room, and that 
 we must put up with until some kind friend comes to our relief. 
 
 Mary reports the Mothers Meeting very interesting, some coming 
 long distances to be present ; and very thankful at seeing her once 
 more with them in their worship. 
 
 We try to feel on Thursday that many earnest friends are pray 
 ing with us, for the blessing of God upon all Indian work. 
 It cannot be possible that there is no room for these Missions in 
 the hearts of Christian people. 
 
 This evening, too, we had a full attendance of young men at 
 their Service. Some of the older ones spoke, and gave much good 
 
 3* 
 
42 
 
 advice as to how they ought to live and what they ought to do 
 first, to make their religion and civilization ]asting. 
 
 All seemed thankful for the change which Christianity has 
 wrought, but the young men seem much more earnest. I think it 
 is because they understand better. 
 
 It is very hard to break up old habits of thought. It is hard to 
 make religion real, where before there has been no sense of re 
 sponsibility, and no fear of God. And then here the evil lives of 
 so many act as a continual opposition to all good, so that we must 
 maintain our position and our strength by a continued and vigi 
 lant warfare. Elsewhere public opinion and example go far to 
 keep the young away from evil, and to make them afraid of the 
 shame and disgrace that wrong doing brings. 
 
 But here we have no such help. Our only strength is the truth 
 which we teach, and the support that He whose word it is, sends 
 with it. 
 
 January 3Qth, 1869. 
 
 A young man just returned from trapping, came for confession. 
 They all seem so glad to get back to their own Church, and glad 
 to come and tell us how they worshipped and prayed, while absent 
 from their teachers. 
 
 Their custom of confession is, I suppose, first derived from their 
 Medicine, or Sacred Dance, and from their Soldier s Lodge. The 
 custom was first introduced among the Christian Indians by the 
 Missionaries of the American Board. 
 
 With them it is public, each communicant being obliged to con 
 fess before a large congregation. This practice was thought to te 
 open to grave objections, both on account of its effect upon peni 
 tents who would shrink from such publicity, and also on account 
 of the bad influence upon the congregation, many of whom would 
 come purposely to hear scandal, and then repeat it at home. 
 
 The Indians, however, insisted that confession of some kind was 
 necessary to show the guilt of sin, and so I have told them to come 
 
43 
 
 to me, or to Paul, or to their Catechists, and we would hear them 
 privately, and advise them, and pray for them. 
 
 This then we do, not making it obligatory, and not giving abso 
 lution. The result is that they come to us frequently for spiritual 
 advice, and I think the effect both upon them and upon ourselves 
 is very good. 
 
 It opens more clearly the teachings of Christianity to them, and 
 it gives us a thorough understanding of Indian character, and 
 their besetting sins. 
 
 This evening I have attended a catechetical Service at Owanca s 
 Band. The new Catechist conducted the Service, and gave a very 
 good lecture 011 Christian patience. 
 
 Coming home, I called at Huntka s, to see a sick child. 
 
 The little one seemed very sick, and threatened with brain 
 fever. She seemed very glad to see me, and when I sent home for 
 medicine, took it without a murmur. 
 
 And so each day we find some good work to do we find every 
 where room for blessings. 
 
 How much then must there be, that we know not of, or that in 
 our short-sightedness, or weakness, we pass by, and so leave suf 
 fering unrelieved. 
 
 Surely, Christians ought to be busy workers if they really and 
 earnestly believe in the promise of their most merciful Saviour. 
 
 January 31st, 1869. 
 
 Sexagesima Sunday, and the last day of the month. 
 A most hearty and interesting Service at half-past ten, and a 
 crowded congregation. More women than men, but the men fill 
 ing their half of the Church and part of the entrance. 
 
 Many now come to Church an hour before the time, to secure a 
 seat. 
 
 I preached from St. Luke vii. 39.-On the woman that was a 
 sinner. All seemed very attentive, and I tried to direct them to 
 Jesus, the forgiver of sins. I omitted to record the baptism of 
 Paul s little girl. 
 
44 
 
 Mary and Miss West were the godmothers, and she was named 
 Rebecca. We used the English Service at Paul s request, and both 
 he and Margaret seemed very happy. 
 
 In the afternoon, after the Litany, I catechised the children, and 
 was much pleased with their ready answers. God s blessing seems 
 to rest upon all our undertakings, and if we only work and are in 
 stant in laying hold of opportunities, I do not see how we can "be 
 too hopeful for the future. But our times are in His hand. 
 
 This evening again a crowded congregation, and Paul preached 
 from St. Matt. v. 13. "The salt having lost its savor." A most 
 thorough warning to his people to be steadfast, and telling them 
 the inevitable result of lukewarmness, or giving up the Christian 
 faith. 
 
 One illustration was very good. " When many men have with 
 great difficulty pushed a heavily-loaded wagon up the long ascent 
 of a very high hill, and now when they have neared the top, and 
 can almost look over to the descent on the other side, if a few 
 shall refuse to help, and some foolish and angry and careless of 
 self-destruction begin to pull back, the loaded vehicle will roll 
 easily and with gaining speed roll back, the many cannot stop it, 
 and with the few may be hurled over the brink of some dizzy preci 
 pice." Many can with great difficulty accomplish a good work, 
 which a very few may bring to naught, not because the few are 
 stronger, but because they are pulling down a steep and fearful 
 descent. 
 
 After Service I gave baptism to a Yankton man, who has been 
 some time in preparation for it, and one of those who has been at 
 tending school to learn to read. 
 
 He seems very sincere, and I think has set out in earnest to live 
 the Christian life. He was named George. We have also two 
 other candidates from that tribe, now under instruction. We hope 
 to begin in earnest our Mission among them the coming summer. 
 If God will, when the way is open we are ready to send our Evan 
 gelists thither. 
 
45 
 
 So we close our record of this month. More quiet than many in 
 the year, but yet full of work. Some accomplished, and bringing 
 us peace, and great joy, and some imperfectly done, causing us sor 
 row, and some, how much we know not, left undone, so calling us 
 to penitence, and new consecration to our Master so full of com 
 passion. But still we feel that we are all better for the work of 
 these few days ; what blessings might we have, if we could only 
 have faith to fill all our days with work for Him. May He give 
 us ever faith and strength, and deliver us from evil. 
 
 I cannot better close this record, than with Dowanna s Mission 
 ary Carol, omitted from Epiphany. 
 
 Wakantanka wowiyuxkin 
 
 He hdutanin ce ; 
 Bethlehem etanhan, 
 
 "VVotanin waxte. 
 
 Oyaka, Oyaka. 
 
 TVicanrpi waxte kin hee 
 
 Jesus etanhan ; 
 lyoyanpa ska kin, 
 
 AVanunyakapi. 
 
 Oyaka, Oyaka. 
 
 Jesus Christ Wanikiya kin 
 
 Wowitan tanka, 
 Yuha Hdutanin he 
 Woniya Wakan. 
 
 Oyaka, Oyaka. 
 
 The joy of God 
 
 Is manifest ; 
 From Bethlehem 
 
 The glad tidings 
 He declares. 
 
46 
 
 The Beautiful star 
 
 From Jesus, 
 In its bright light 
 
 We look upon, 
 
 Declares Him. 
 
 Jesus Christ, the Saviour, 
 
 With great glory 
 Manifested ; Him 
 The Holy Spirit 
 Declares. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 In closing this record of a month at our Mission, it seems best 
 that we should take notice of several questions that are constant 
 ly asked concerning our work among the Indians, and in regard to 
 the Indians themselves. 
 
 The Journal I think answers them all ; but it is best that the 
 answers should once be plainly written out. 
 
 The following are the questions most frequently asked : 
 
 Do you believe in the reality of the conversions to Christianity 
 which you report ? Do you believe that an Indian can ever be sin 
 cere and steadfast in his profession of the Christian faith ? Is not 
 religion among Indians a mere sham, a deception on their part, that 
 they may obtain sympathy and relief? Do you think the Indian 
 capable of civilization ? Are the men willing to work ? And why 
 have almost all efforts of the Government in their behalf, hereto 
 fore, failed ? What hope have you for the future ? And how can 
 you know that the Indians will remain where they now are, and 
 not be removed still farther westward ? 
 
 These questions are often asked by persons apparently earnest 
 in their doubts of our accomplishing any thing good, and they al 
 ways cause us sorrow. We are, therefore, glad to take this oppor 
 tunity to answer them. And our confidence in our convictions is 
 
47 
 
 founded upon an experience of nine years of life, spent in the 
 midst of their villages. And I think our experience coincides with 
 that of all who have ever lived among them. The Indians are 
 naturally suspicious of strangers, and their suspicions have grown 
 into entire mistrust of any good motives from long years of bad 
 usage and sad experiences. But after having gained their confi 
 dence and love, we have ever found them to be of a teachable and 
 childlike spirit. They have a wonderful simplicity of character, 
 and willingly give up their old customs and gladly receive instruc 
 tion. 
 
 They are not less capable of civilization than any wild race. But, 
 like all heathen people, the men are by long habit, lazy and idle. 
 Yet by right means and proper oversight they are readily led to 
 work for a livelihood. And when once they understand our ways, 
 they always prefer the sure reward of daily labor, to the uncer 
 tainties of the chase. The plans and good intentions of the Gov 
 ernment have failed, simply because in all old treaties with the In 
 dians, they have made no provision that all goods and monies 
 promised should be paid out only in reward for actual work. For 
 under the old system all received aid alike, and thus those unwil 
 ling to labor are evidently encouraged and supported in their 
 heathenism and idleness. The Santees have not only improved, 
 and given up the hunt and all Indian dress and customs, but they 
 have done all this under great discouragement, and while as yet 
 they had no title to their lands. Now, after years of waiting, a 
 brighter day seems to be dawning. A treaty has just been ratified, 
 which gives the Indian, like the white man, a right to a homestead 
 for himself and family, and makes the title inalienable. This title 
 is easily perfected, and then the man becomes a citizen of the 
 United States. 
 
 The Santees are now ready to occupy their lands, and if nothing 
 hinders, before the summer is over all our men will be living upon 
 their own farms. And then with the assistance which Congress 
 
48 
 
 has promised them, and with the aid which Christian people should 
 render them, they will become in a short time independent of any 
 Government aid. It is a glorious thing for the Indian ; and at last 
 we seem to have taken a long step in the direction of right legisla 
 tion for them. 
 
 As to the future extent of our Mission work and its permanency, 
 we cannot certainly tell ; but we have every reason to hope for great 
 success. These Santees are but a small tribe of the Dakota or Sioux 
 nation. The nation numbers in all the bands, upward of 40, 000 
 souls. They speak one language in dialects so similar, that they 
 readily understand the words of any tribe. 12,000 of these Indians 
 are now in our immediate vicinity. The buffalo and all large game 
 are fast being exterminated. They can no longer trust to the life 
 of hunters. Thus from necessity they are led to war, or to seek 
 other means of support. Many even now are anxious to be taught 
 better things, and we know of no field for missionary or charitable 
 work more promising than this. Besides our Mission, there is only 
 one other in all this vast field covering hundreds of miles. That 
 is a Mission of the American Board, and their labors have also been 
 greatly blessed. 
 
 Let us then do our duty here, for surely we owe this perishing 
 race much for our past entire, and most unpardonable neglect. 
 
 S. D. H. 
 Philada., Passion Week, 1869. 
 
 The following address was delivered by Bishop Whipple, on Sun 
 day, March 7, 1869, at the funeral of Taopi, a Christian Chief of the 
 Farmer Band of Santee Sioux. Taopi was one of the first converts 
 to Christianity, after the establishment of our Mission at Redwood 
 on the Minnesota river. During all the fierce trials and strong 
 temptations of the Indian outbreak and massacre of 1862, he re 
 mained faithful to his religion and to his white brethren. The 
 Indians had been greatly and evidently wronged ; but in his desire 
 
49 
 
 to do right, he conquered the spirit of vengeance so natural to his 
 people, and was chiefly instrumental in rescuing over 200 whites, 
 mostly women and children, from captivity and death. For this 
 noble service he was never suitably rewarded, and to the day of his 
 death he was a wanderer without country or home, except such as 
 the kindness of the good Bishop afforded him. He died in peace, 
 thanking the friends who had cared for him, and commending his 
 wife and two children to the charity of the Bishop who had be 
 friended him, and to the Church that he had loved. 
 
 The simple, loving words of these pages have been printed at 
 the desire of many whose hearts have been touched by hearing them 
 uttered. And now the reading of them ought to make us sad. 
 
 That one so worthy of honor, and happiness, and peace, should 
 hav3 been so left to sorrow and loneliness of spirit, is a burning 
 shame that we ought not easily to forget. 
 
 If these heartfelt words make us the better feel, how great a 
 duty w r e owe to Taopi s long suffering race, they will not have been 
 written in vain. 
 
 S. D. H. 
 
 Philada., Passion Week, 18G9. 
 
 BISHOP WHIPPLE S ADDRESS. 
 
 BELOVED FRIENDS : 
 
 It does credit to the sympathy of Christian hearts, and to the 
 brotherhood of the Church, that so many of you have come to pay 
 your tribute of respect to this Christian Chief Taopi. He once be 
 longed to a despised and hated race. But when he became a 
 Christian, he found that in Christ there was neither Jew nor Greek ; 
 neither bond nor free. There are no lower orders, 110 castes, no 
 differences of clime or kinship among those who wear the cross and 
 will reign with Christ forever. If I speak to you to-day of this 
 man s history, it is not to awaken memories which will touch the 
 
 quick of over-sensitive hearts. I simply wish to bring my tribute 
 5 
 
50 
 
 of respect, and lay it on the grave of an Indian Chief whom I 
 have learned to love. Whatever he was to others, he was my bro 
 ther. He was born on an island near the mouth of the Minnesota. 
 His father, following the customs of Indian life which found vent 
 for their sorrows and joys in the names they gave to their children, 
 called him " Nagi x Kau," " Shaking Soul." He grew up an In 
 dian hunter and warrior. He was the foremost in the chase, and a 
 brave who was honored with his people. It happened that in the 
 border warfare between the Chippewa and the Sioux, he was am 
 bushed and dangerously wounded while sitting in his tepe. The 
 deliverance from death was so marked, that his superstitious people 
 looked with a kind of awe on him, as if the Great Spirit had spared 
 him for some great end. The after history of this brave Christian 
 more than fulfilled the red man s prophecy. From this time he bore 
 the name of Taopi or " the wounded one," and the second prophecy 
 was fulfilled in many a wound of hidden anguish which he carried 
 to his grave. 
 
 At the time of which I speak, the Dakotas were the lords of the 
 land. The Indian, with a patriarchal pride, counted the game of hills 
 and valleys as his own. This country was an Indian s paradise. The 
 fish of countless lakes and streams, the game of forest and prairie, 
 the wild rice, God s harvest for the red man, made it a land of 
 plenty, and drove the gaunt wolf of hunger from their tents Where 
 now the busy hum of industry, the whistling car and the clanking 
 of machinery, these children of the prairie counted all their own. 
 They were a more thoughtful people than other red men. They had 
 heard of the fate of other Indian tribes, and heard the tramp of the 
 white man s coming. They had always been the white man s 
 friend. There are men now living with us to-day who could tell 
 you that no white man ever went hungry from the Indian s tent. 
 The early trader was his friend. They feared the coming dawn, 
 and with the faith of children, sold us all, and received a Christian s 
 oath and pledge that he would give them the civilization which had 
 
51 
 
 changed our own heathen fathers into Christian men. I shall not 
 tell you how the oath was kept. It is one of the world s secrets 
 written plain in the book of God. I can leave it to Him. I only 
 say that it has always happened for six thousand years, that the op 
 pressor despises the poor, that Ahab is never loving to Xaboth, 
 whom he has spoiled of his vineyard. It seems to help poor hu 
 manity to speak hard w r ords of all whom we have wronged. In 
 18GO I went to see if we could plant a Mission with this people, at 
 the Lower Agency. The Presbyterians had a Mission some 40 miles 
 above, but there were 2500 of this people living with the Lower 
 Sioux who were going down to death without the Gospel. I met 
 at that visit two men, Taopi and Good Thunder. I can see now 
 their upturned faces, as they listened to my story of the love of 
 Jesus. It touched my heart ; how could I refuse to give the Gos 
 pel to heathen men who asked for it? Our brother Hinman be 
 came their missionary ; with singular wisdom he began his work 
 with little children. Among the little ones whom he made "lambs 
 of Jesus " were two of Taopi s children. They were "early call 
 ed. " The Indians have a deep love for their children, and this 
 sorrow led Taopi unto Jesus. I do not think he ever forgot the 
 lesson. Through all these years, when speaking of his household, 
 he always counted those in Paradise. During this long sickness, 
 the hope which seemed to beckon him on was the meeting. He said, 
 "The Great Spirit has called me to go and meet Him. I am not 
 afraid. He has my children, and I shall find them there. " 
 
 In 1862 the long accumulated irritations and wrongs and hatreds 
 of savage hearts broke out in a massacre such as our country had 
 never seen. It made the border an Aceldama. Some of you remem 
 ber those awful days whose memory almost curdles one s blood. 
 Perhaps you recall the days of anxious foreboding, when we so 
 longed for tidings of the hundreds of captive women. Lying 
 rumors said that Christian Indians had given up their faith and 
 shared in deeds of blood. I did not believe it, for I knew the love 
 
52 
 
 of Jesus was the same in every heart, and I felt that when we did 
 hear, there would be another record of " deeds of faith. " I need 
 not tell you of the letters signed by "Wabasliaw and Taopi, which 
 were sent to General Sibley offering to rescue these poor captives. 
 These letters were written by Taopi, and knowing the feelings of 
 Wabashaw, he consented to have Gocd Thunder add his name to 
 them. They were carried by Wa-ha-canka-ma-za, one of these 
 mourners, a half day s journey at the peril of his life, and delivered 
 to the messenger for General Sibley. Nor need I tell you that in 
 fulfilment of the pledge of these letters, they did rescue the white 
 captives and delivered them to us. Taopi had a certificate from 
 General Sibley. 
 
 Camp Release, Oct. 4th, 1862. 
 
 " The bearer, Taopi or Wounded Man, is a civilized Sioux Indian, 
 who deserves the gratitude of the American people for having been 
 principally instrumental in saving the lives of white women and 
 children during the late Indian war. I commend him to the kind 
 consideration and attention of all citizens of the United States." 
 
 H. H. Sibley, 
 
 Col. Commanding. 
 
 At the time the Indians were removed to the Missouri, Alexander 
 Faribault and myself requested that Taopi and his friends might 
 be allowed to reside in Faribault. There was a great deal of ex 
 citement in the public mind, and threats of violence were made 
 against these poor Indians. Taopi came to me one day and said, 
 "my father, read this paper, it tells you how I saved your people 
 from death. If your white brothers have the same law as savage 
 Indians, that when a man is killed, some one of the murderous race 
 must die, and they wish for this to take my life, tell them not to 
 shoot me in my tepe like a dog. Ask them to send for me, and I 
 will show them how an innocent man can die." It is due to say 
 that when their character was known, they were treated with uni 
 form kindness. For two years and more, whenever I was at home, 
 
53 
 
 I held a Service with them, most often at St. Mary s Hall. They 
 will ever be pleasant memories. Two years ago most of these 
 Christian Indians were removed. I held a farewell Service : we 
 parted by the Lord s Table. One by one they came w r ith tears, and 
 kissing my wife said, "Marpiya ekta watcheyaka wachin. In 
 Heaven to meet you I hope." 
 
 Poor Taopi came that night and said, " My father, I have no blood 
 on my hands, and the Great Spirit knows there is none on my heart. 
 I served your people I love your Saviour I had a home I have 
 110 home. Taopi cannot go to his people. You hung men at Man- 
 kato, whose friends will require their blood at my hands. If I go 
 I shall die. I never shall have a home until I sleep in the grave." 
 When I knew him before the outbreak, he had a house and furni 
 ture, and stock, and implements of husbandry, and was a well to do 
 farmer. These later years have seen him a poor homeless wanderer. 
 That no murmur crossed his lips, that no word of anger was ever 
 spoken, that he could bear up against the load of sorrow that 
 blighted his life, that he did not as so many do, when their hearts 
 are crushed by sorrow, become outcast, that he still loved the House 
 of prayer, that amid all his troubles he clung to Christ as his 
 Saviour, was due to the power of the Gospel of Christ. He visited 
 me often to hear tidings of Christian friends on the Missouri, or to 
 ask me if the Great Father was to give a home to the Christian In 
 dians. To this last question I always answered with a stammering 
 voice, and I blushed for my race when I looked in this simple- 
 hearted man s face. He had been forced much against his will to 
 resume his old habits as a hunter. But he always told me that in 
 his tepe he kept the Praying day ; about four months ago he was 
 taken ill. He came to Faribault to die ; when we met, he said, "the 
 Great Spirit has called me, I wanted to see your face once more and 
 co I came here to die." To all words of encouragement from the 
 physicians and friends he had one answer. " The Great Spirit has 
 
54 
 
 sent for me and I am going to my children." His first letter to me 
 after his return shows the child-like man. 
 
 " I was far beyond St. Paul but I was sick, so I came to Faribault 
 to see you, I can t walk, so I can t see you. I am getting so I can t 
 hold any thing strong, and now if you see my face, you wont see 
 my face plain, w r hile I am a little strong if you say anything to me, 
 I want to hear it. If you say any word to me when I am dead, I 
 could not hear it. I am not afraid to die, but I tell you it. Every 
 man on earth is got to die. You are a bishop and you love every 
 poor man. All the Indians here with me are your friends. I can 
 not say any more, so I shake hands with you. Your true friend, 
 
 MR. TAOPI. 
 
 The visits of the Rev. Mr. DuBois and myself seemed a great 
 comfort. About a week ago, he wrote me, "You always say I 
 shall get well, but I know in my heart I shall die soon. I want to 
 see you now very much ; I will be glad when I am dead if you will 
 take me once more to the Church, and then you may put my body 
 where you wish. When I die I would like you to take care of my 
 children ; if you do that I will be glad, and I want some of my 
 white friends to know Taopi is dead." When I asked what he 
 wanted to say to me so much, he said, "I want to receive the Com 
 munion with my people before I die." It was administered, and 
 was to us all a blessed Service. Once more I saw him. He told 
 me the time was little, before he went on the journey, that he was 
 not afraid to go to the Great Spirit, that Jesus and angels would 
 go with him and he should not be lonesome. He thanked me for 
 the little kindness I had shown him, asked me to write to Mr. 
 Welsh and the Christian friends he saw in Philadelphia, and tell 
 them he had gone to the Great Spirit s home. He wished me to 
 write to Mr. Hinman and tell him how he died in peace. He spoke 
 again of meeting his children, and commended his wife and chil 
 dren to us ; for they have no friend, save Him who has promised 
 to te the widow s God and the God of the fatherless. He joined 
 
audibly in the Lord s Prayer, and then bade me good bye. lie 
 died calmly as children go to sleep, and he has entered into the rest 
 of the people of God. 
 
 For myself, dear friends, this one death -bed overpays me one 
 hundred fold for all the work and care I have ever had in Indian 
 work. To him under God, his people owe much for the manly stand 
 he took as early as 1861, in behalf of Christianity. These were far 
 mer Indians who wished to keep the Grand medicine, and yet follow 
 the civilization of the white man. Taopi always said, " It is the 
 religion of the Great Spirit which makes the \vhite man different 
 from his red brother." I never shall forget his earnest words 
 spoken to some Chippewa Chiefs, who came to sec me two years 
 ago. They have been repeated and re-repeated in every Indian 
 village of that tribe as the words of a wise man. It was the love 
 of Jesus and the sweet story of the Cross which softened his sav 
 age heart and made him gentle as a child. It was the bravery of 
 Christian courage which made so many of these poor Indians 
 risk so much to save our people from death. 
 
 Pardon me for saying so much for my red brother, 1 could not do 
 less for one I loved. It was due to him, and due to you, it was due 
 to Christ and to His Church, that I should bring my simple tribute 
 and lay it on the coffin of Taopi, the Christian Chief of the Dako- 
 tas. 
 
 Taopi has gone before us to the better land. May we not hope 
 that the day will come, when all w T holovc Jesus may meet in a land 
 where God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there 
 shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying ; neither shall 
 there be any more pain ; where all of Christ s ransomed ones shall 
 join in that song to the Lamb, "which no man could learn but 
 they who were redeemed from among men ;" and will there not be 
 in that company, some of these poor Dakotas, not then to be de 
 spised of whom it will be true, " he that overcometh shall inherit 
 all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." 
 
5G 
 
 PhiladelpJiia, April 12, 1869. 
 WM. WELSH, Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir : Instead of replying specifically to your queries as to 
 the willingness of the Sioux Indians to cultivate the soil and to 
 become civilized and Christianized citizens I prefer to give you a 
 chapter from my own experience, and allow you to draw your own 
 inferences. 
 
 In 1857, when I first went in among them in Minnesota, I found 
 fc few Indians farming in a common field, cultivated entirely by 
 the squaws. They complained to me that as fast as their corn 
 grew the bad young men would take it all away from them. I 
 held a Council with their Chiefs and Head-men told them if they 
 would throw away their blankets and have their hair cut, I would 
 give them white men s clothes to wear and break up a farm for 
 them that they should own individually themselves. At first 
 they were very reluctant to do it ; their objection was that if they 
 parted with their scalp-lock the evidence of their bravery they 
 would bo called by their tribe cowards and diggers. After coun 
 selling with me in persuading them to become farmers, they said 
 to me, " Father, you ll want us to quit our religion after you get 
 us to be farmers; we don t want to give up our religion." I 
 asked them what they believed in. They said " they believed if 
 they committed no murders, murdered no white people, stole no 
 horses, and did what was right, they would have plenty to eat 
 after they died, the game would be very fat, and their flints would 
 always make fire, their powder and lead would be good, and their 
 moccasins would never wear out." I then asked them what 
 would happen to them if they did bad and killed people. They 
 told me, "they would be hungry and would never get enough to 
 eat ; the game would be scarce and lean, and they would have to 
 travel a great way after it ; their moccasins would wear out, and 
 it would be hard tp get skins to make new ones ; their feet would 
 
57 
 
 get sore, and they would always be tired and hungry, and never 
 have good sleep." I then promised them that I would not inter 
 fere with their religion, told them that their religion did not differ 
 very much from mine only I expressed my religion differently. I 
 told them that I would leave their religion to the Missionaries ; 
 that all that I wanted them to do was to raise corn and potatoes, 
 cattle, and hogs and sheep. I wanted them to own the land they 
 occupied, and that was broken up for them, and become citizens, 
 and help make the laws that govern them and that no people 
 could prosper without law and industry. Finally sixteen men, 
 about forty years of age, consented to have their hair cut, and to 
 dress like white men. 
 
 The first year they underwent a great deal of persecution, but 
 they were very successful in raising crops. The uncivilized 
 Indians burnt down some of their houses and killed all their 
 cattle, and tried in every way to get those sixteen men to quit 
 their attempt at farming. Those that had changed their dress 
 were very much disheartened and sent for me. I told them "that 
 their trail w T ould be a hard one to break, that our fathers, the 
 Britains, had lived, as they did, in tepes, but that there were a few 
 brave men among them, who had undertaken to make a new trail, 
 and follow it, and turn their attention to farming ; that they were 
 persecuted in the same way that they had been, and their trail had 
 been almost filled up, so that they lost sight of it. A great many 
 times they were like them ; their hearts were on the ground. 
 They however persevered, and in a few moons they saw their 
 entire tribe taking the trail. It was then made plain and easy to 
 walk in." I told them "that they could now look around and 
 see what a great people we were ; we were like the leaves on the 
 trees, or the grass on the prairies. That one seed would brino- 
 
 O 
 
 forth one hundred ; that it only took a few moons for it to ripen 
 and produce food for them, whilst their food took many moons to 
 come to maturity, and the advance of white men into their country 
 
58 
 
 had made it very scarce. In addition to that, the white men had 
 four legs, and they had only two to follow them with. That a 
 great portion of the time they were very hungry ; and that if they 
 would keep on the trail they had already commenced, they would 
 soon have plenty to cat." I then asked for the names of those 
 who had stolen their cattle and taken their crops. They gave 
 them to me. I took the entire annuities of these depredators, and 
 for every yoke of oxen that had been stolen from the farmers, I 
 bought them two. They then stopped committing depredations, 
 and over one hundred of them asked me to have their hair cut 
 that they would become white men. The result was that in three 
 years from that time, there were over three hundred good farmers 
 among them ; and according to the report of the Agent, the sta 
 tistics of which were published, they had raised over $200,000 
 worth of produce, a large portion of which they had for sale. 
 Many of these people, under the influence of the Rev. Mr. Hinman, 
 and of Messrs. Williamson and Riggs, united with their different 
 Churches, and to all appearance were a happy people. As for 
 industry and economy, we had no people in Minnesota who were 
 ahead of them. They had from five to sixteen, and some of them 
 as high as twenty head of cattle. Their attachment to their cattle, 
 to their hogs and chickens became so strong, that they would not 
 kill one of them. They would almost starve for want of meat 
 rather than kill an animal they had raised themselves. My opinion 
 is, that had the Government carried out their treaty stipulations 
 with the wild Indians belonging to the same bands, the Med-a- 
 won-con-tons, the Wa-pa-ka-tes, the Sis-i-tons, and the Wa-pa- 
 tons, bands of Indians which include the Santees, they would to 
 day be a happy people, all farming. When I left them in 1801, 
 they were cultivating thousands of acres of land, and had three 
 steam saw-mills. From the neglect of the Government in carrying 
 out the treaty stipulations with the Sioux, over one thousand 
 white men, women and children, were inhumanly butchered, not 
 
59 
 
 saying anything of the lives that were lost among the Sioux, and 
 the commencement of a war, of which the end is not yet, and 
 which has cost the Government over $30,000,000. These are 
 lessons which are fresh in the mind of every man, woman and 
 child in Minnesota ; and the Government should learn the lesson, 
 that it is cheaper to feed the Indians, and carry out the treaty 
 stipulations, than it is to fight them. May we learn our duty from 
 the past and do it. 
 
 The same results, but not to such an extent, have been had with 
 the Winnebagos and Chippcwas. 
 
 A few words as to the massacre. The Indians at the Lower 
 Agency (at Redwood) had been paid during the four years that I 
 had the charge of them on the last of June. The Yellow Medi 
 cine or upper Indians had been, during these four years, paid about 
 the 4th of July. In the year 1SG1 (the first year after I left them) the 
 same course had been pursued by the new Administration. Many 
 of the uncivilized Indians had to come 400 and 500 miles to their 
 payment. This they did as usual on the last of June, 1862, with 
 their wives and children, bringing only enough dry buffalo meat to 
 last them to the place of payment, expecting plenty to eat when 
 they got there. In this they were disappointed. They then called 
 upon their brethren, the Farmer Indians. The crops in Minnesota 
 not being ripe at that season of the year, and the Farmer Indians 
 having sold everything they had to spare in the Fall, they had very 
 little to give them except their animals all of which they gave up 
 to them freely. These kept them in food till about the 15th of 
 August, when their children began to die from starvation. They 
 held a council, and concluded they would all starve to death unless 
 they fought. At this time the war with the South was in progress, 
 and their Agent had mustered into the service of the United States 
 a company of half breeds. This induced the Indians to believe 
 that their Great Father had used up all his white children, and 
 that they had very little to do in order to take back their own 
 
GO 
 
 country. They concluded to go to Avar. They then called upon 
 the Farmer Indians to assist them in lighting the whites and taking 
 back their own country. They saw that their annuities had not 
 yet come, and they told the Farmer Indians that their Great Father 
 had lied to them that he was starving tJiem, and keeping their 
 money and goods and provisions for his white soldiers, that they 
 were too weak and hungry to go back to their hunting grounds, 
 that there were but two things they could do, one was to lie down 
 and die, and the other to fight and take their country back ; that 
 they had resolved in Council to try to do the latter, and they might 
 as well die fighting as starving. The Farmer Indians refused over 
 and over again to assist them, pointing to their houses and to their 
 fields, showing what the Great Father had done for them. They 
 said, and now that the Great Father at Washington, the Great 
 Spirit and their new Savior that they had learned so much about 
 had been so kind to them, their hearts could not be hard enough to 
 spill the blood of the children of the Great Father." The unciv 
 ilized Indians told them they would burn their houses over their 
 heads if they would not fight. They replied "that they might, 
 but they would not fight the white people." The uncivilized In 
 dians then sent runners along the Minnesota valley for fifty miles, 
 and burned all their houses and saw mills. Even when they saw 
 their houses burned they refused to fight. The next threat was to 
 kill their wives and children. This they could not stand. They 
 knew it would be done and they consented to fight. But it proved 
 in time that their going into the war resulted in the protection of 
 our prisoners, women and children. They went so far in many 
 cases as to put themselves between the prisoners and the men that 
 wanted to murder them. Had it not been for the Christian Indians 
 there would not have been a white man left about the Agency to 
 tell the talc, nor a prisoner left alive. Yours Respectfully, 
 
 W. J. CULLEN. 
 
 of Minnesota. 
 
61 
 
 PJiiladelpJiia, April 13, 1869. 
 
 My Dear Friend : Your letter of yesterday is received, and I 
 make the following response to your request. 
 
 The frequent removal of our Indian tribes has been the chief 
 cause of their degeneracy a community to prosper and advance 
 in education or improve in morals, must have a permanent abiding 
 place, and learn to prize the rights of property. Many of our 
 citizens, and especially those in power, have heretofore been led to 
 believe that the interests of the whites as well as the safety of the 
 Indians, make it necessary to remove the latter, and to keep them 
 constantly in advance of our rapidly growing frontier settlements. 
 Consequently Indians have had no home no guarantees that they 
 could reap the fruit of any labor or money that they might 
 expend in improving the soil, or in procuring domestic animals or 
 implements. 
 
 Millions of dollars have been paid to various tribes, and large 
 sums have been expended in the vain endeavor to civilize and 
 Christianize these roving children of the forest, through Govern 
 ment agents. An investigation of the facts will show that the 
 tendency has been to retard, rather than to advance the object so 
 much desired. What was expended one year in making improve 
 ments, was abandoned the next, by the removal of the agent from 
 office, or of the tribe to a new and remote country. From time to 
 time this has been repeated, until the poor creatures, having lost 
 all hope and heart, gave themselves up to dissipation and idle 
 ness ; or goaded to desperation, have made war upon those who 
 they believed were encroaching upon their rights. 
 
 It is true that Missionaries have been among them, but they 
 could only tell them what should be done, without having the 
 means of practically demonstrating the advantages to be gained 
 from Christian civilization, or from the theories they taught. 
 
 Annuities received by tribes, of Indians in payment for large 
 cessions of land to the United States have often been paid in 
 
G2 
 
 blankets, guns, scalping-knivcs, or in paints, ribbons, brass wire, 
 and other useless trinkets all tending to keep them in a savage 
 state, rather than to civilize them. It is true large sums of money 
 have been promised to them, but often before it reached their 
 hands, it had been expended in the purchase from their traders of 
 mere baubles. 
 
 The Government has at times endeavored to encourage agri 
 cultural pursuits, and teach the mechanic arts, but never in a 
 manner, or upon a scale adequate to the requirements of the 
 masses, and never with sufficient guarantees that the crops of 
 those willing to labor, should not be eaten up by the idle and 
 vicious. 
 
 If they had in severalty held the fee to the soil, with assurances 
 of permanent ownership and protection, until prepared for self- 
 government, been furnished with the same facilities, and given the 
 same encouragement, that is necessary to the success of white 
 men, the school-house and the Church would ere this have been 
 welcomed by those who are now giving the Government so much 
 trouble, or are fast fading before the pressure of want, starvation 
 and despair. 
 
 Under similar circumstances, every other race of men, however 
 enlightened, would have degenerated. The system inaugurated 
 by the incoming administration, if carried out in the spirit that 
 conceived it, must produce results not only beneficial to the 
 Indians, economical to the Government, but gratifying to the 
 Christian community. 
 
 To a great extent the Indians have lost all confidence in our 
 rulers and in our citizens, most of them believing that their 
 destruction is desired and decreed by those whose protection and 
 sympathy should shield them from every wrong. To regain con 
 fidence will be no easy task, especially if any agents are sent among 
 them, whose chief qualifications are fealty to a political party, or 
 the desire for personal aggrandizement by unrighteous means. 
 
G3 
 
 The Commission authorized by Congress, and about to bo 
 selected by the President, will, if earnestly sustained in their efforts 
 by the Government, soon inspire confidence, and cause its wards 
 willingly to yield to, and co-operate with, every effort made in their 
 behalf. Although heretofore I have very often acted for the 
 Government in negotiating treaties with tribes of Indians, as in 
 dependent nations, yet, after long experience, I now look upon the 
 system as pernicious, and in all respects demoralizing. The 
 Indians when separated from their natural haunts and pursuits, 
 are but children incapable of managing their own affairs, and 
 unfitted to cope Avith such unscrupulous white men, as are usually 
 found in their midst. 
 
 Give them homes in severalty furnish them with means, and 
 teach them to raise cattle, to cultivate the soil, and to use me 
 chanical tools teach their industrious wives and children the 
 handicraft for which they have great aptitude afford them for a 
 few years proper protection and moral surroundings, and, in my 
 opinion, the day is not far distant when they will not only be self- 
 sustaining, but will also be productive citizens, aiding in enriching 
 the Government. 
 
 When this point shall have been reached by any tribe, education 
 and Christianity will be craved by them, and they will aid in ex 
 tending its benefits to others. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 HEKIIY M. RICE, 
 of St. Paul, Minnesota. 
 
C4 
 
 Washington, D. C., April iq, 18G9. 
 Mr. WM. WELSH. 
 
 Dear Sir: You ask my opinion as to "the best means of 
 breaking Indians off from the treaty-system and making them 
 WARDS of the Government, to be aided just as far as is necessary 
 to incite them to self-support. 
 
 As far as my personal knowledge of the treaty-system extends, 
 it has been a pernicious mockery. The treaty-making Indians 
 were a party to the treaty only on paper. The stipulations of the 
 treaty were proposed by the Government, and the Indians were 
 compelled by coercion or by misrepresentation, to accede to them. 
 The treaty became a "law of the land," in the usual form, and 
 the Indians found themselves subjected to a law without land, the 
 provisions of which they never voluntarily agreed to, and, in many 
 instances, never heard of. 
 
 Thus the Government uniformly took the Indian lands and gave 
 in return such remuneration as it deemed expedient, and that 
 remuneration reached the Indians in such manner, and at such 
 times, as circumstances dictated. 
 
 Then why use coercion or false pretences to obtain the Indian 
 lands ? Why not declare by act of Congress that the possessory 
 right to the soil shall be in law (where it always has been in 
 fact) in the United States, and then adopt and carry out a liberal 
 policy, by which Indian civilization may be secured, and bora-fide 
 individual titles to land for agriculture be vested in the Indians. 
 
 But apart from the question of the possessory title to lands, the 
 treaty system presents other objectionable features, among which 
 I may mention the preservation of tribal organizations, presenting 
 the political anomaly that a man born in the United States is not 
 a citizen, but being a citizen, cannot, under existing laws, obtain 
 citi~enship. 
 
 "Tribal organization" preserves among the Indians a system 
 of communism, that has failed wherever the experiment has been 
 
65 
 
 tried in civilized communities, and is detrimental to Indian civi 
 lization. Indeed, I believe that individuality in the possession of 
 property, is one of the great industrial influences necessary to turn 
 the Indian to habits of labor. 
 
 Satisfied that the treaty-system exerts a baneful influence over 
 Indian prosperity, but at the same time believing that the Govern 
 ment should not make a historical record of the repudiation of 
 solemn obligations, I am at a loss to suggest any plan by which 
 existing treaties can be abrogated, other than " to cure the bite 
 with the hair of the dog." All existing treaties could be annulled 
 by treaty, if persons possessing the confidence of the Indians were 
 selected to negotiate them. Or Congress might pass a general law, 
 providing liberally for Indian civilization, and making it applicable 
 to all Indians who would renounce their tribal obligations, and 
 surrender to the Government their interests in existing treaties. 
 This would at the same time do away with Indian treaties and 
 tribal organizations, while the Indians would be permanently 
 located in communities, and a system of Indian civilization inau 
 gurated that would, with proper care and exertion, absorb the 
 entire Indian population. That is, if Congress will act in good 
 faith. 
 
 You also ask my opinion as to "the feasibility and the best 
 mode of drawing all Indians into special reservations, where they 
 may learn to govern themselves." 
 
 Probably the best mode of drawing Indians into reservations, is 
 suggested in the proposed act of Congress, referred to above. 
 That the Indians are susceptible of civilization, that their industry, 
 which in their normal state is devoted to the chase, can easily be 
 transferred to agricultural and mechanical pursuits, are questions 
 fully settled in my mind. That the Government oiccs the Indians 
 a policy that will develop their agricultural and mechanical abili 
 ties, and lead them to civilization, no one can doubt. 
 
 As an evidence of the ease with which Indians may be drawn into 
 
CG 
 
 an agricultural life, permit me to give examples in three different 
 tribes, where the prejudices of Indian men against common labor 
 were overcome by trifling exertion and small expense. 
 
 Previous to the Black Hawk war, I traded for the American Fur 
 Company at Flint Hills, now known as Burlington, Iowa. The 
 Sacs and Foxes with whom I traded, were the most warlike and 
 restless of the north-western tribes, and their prejudices against 
 the habits of the whites were not lessened by the treatment they 
 received from the settlers east of the Mississippi river. 
 
 Apanoose, the son of Tiema, a Fox Chief, was my sworn friend, 
 or, according to the Indians, my brother ; I had thought a great 
 deal upon the subject of Indian improvement, and determined to 
 try upon him the plan I had adopted as best calculated to change 
 the habits of the Indians. 
 
 I opened the subject to Apanoose, using such arguments as sug 
 gested themselves to interest him in the project. As I possessed 
 his confidence and spoke his language, my arguments made the 
 desired impression, and in a short time he began to grow anxious 
 on the subject, but "he had never used either axe or hoc, and 
 Icncw not how to work, his hands would blister, &c." At the 
 proper time I proposed that we should go to work. " I will work 
 with you, brother, I said ; " I will help you make your rails, clear 
 your lands, and build your fence, and you will help me in planting." 
 
 In a few days he began to grow proud of his ability to "work 
 like a white man ;" his hands became hardened, his wife ceased to 
 ridicule his awkwardness, and the final result was that he cleared 
 and fenced a ten-acre lot, which he and his wife dug up and planted 
 in corn, potatoes, turnips, &c. 
 
 I had furnished the axes, hoes, and seed, and subsisted the 
 family until the planting was completed ; but could not afford to 
 subsist them longer, and he had to return to the chase ; but he at 
 tended to his crop, and the yield provided him a w r agon, a cow, and 
 many articles of clothing for himself and family, besides furnishing 
 
C7 
 
 an abundance of corn and potatoes for his subsistence during the 
 winter. 
 
 The success of Apanoose induced other Indians to settle around 
 him and go to work, and when I left, three years afterwards, there 
 were over two hundred acres under cultivation in the Flint creek 
 bottom, and some twenty families living in good comfortable log 
 houses. 
 
 But when the whites began to cross the Mississippi, the Indians 
 were driven to the Iowa river, and subsequently to the Missouri, 
 and all agricultural interests were destroyed. 
 
 From Flint Hills, my business connections carried me to Poka 
 gamon, Minn., among the Chippeways. Although a Missionary 
 Station, agriculture w T as unheeded, the Indians obtaining a pre 
 carious subsistence from maple sugar, fish, whortleberries, and wild 
 rice, and some venison during the fall and winter. 
 
 Flushed with my success with the Fox Indians, I determined to 
 see what could be done with the Chippeways, and during the win 
 ter, selected two men to experiment with. Having induced them 
 to commence work, I furnished tools, seeds, &c., and subsisted 
 them and their families until the planting was completed. The 
 crops were well taken care of, and gave a good yield, and the fail 
 ure of the rice crop in the fall made the corn, potatoes, pumpkins, 
 and turnips very valuable to the Indians, and probably saved many 
 of the little band from starvation during the winter. 
 
 The next spring, every man, woman, and child in the village, 
 able to work, devoted themselves to clearing and digging up land, 
 and twelve families planted about one hundred acres. 
 
 As agriculture, even in its rudest form, was at that time un 
 known in the St. Croix Valley, the success attending the labors of 
 the Pokagamon Band created an agricultural mania throughout 
 the valley, and plantings were opened at Yellow Lake and other 
 points, but Pokagamon became the centre of attraction, and the 
 population more than doubled. Had my means been adequate, I 
 
C8 
 
 could have had fifty farms started the third year after I located 
 there, and men doing most of the work. 
 
 But as agriculture prospered the fur crop diminished, and I 
 changed my location to Lake Traverse, near the source of the 
 Minnesota River. Here corn had been raised in large quantities 
 for years, and I did not interfere with the system of its culture. 
 Still, the subject of Indian improvement continued to occupy my 
 mind, and, although thus far successful, I determined to test my 
 system still farther. Consequently, when I left Lake Traverse to 
 locate some ten miles below St. Paul, I induced a young man from 
 the Lake Traverse Band to accompany me. He w r as a very influ 
 ential brave, was entitled to wear eleven War Eagles and five 
 Crow feathers ; he would have considered it a disgrace to cut a 
 stick of wood or hoe a hill of corn. In a word, he was a type of 
 the wild Prairie Sioux. He had a wife and one child, and was an 
 industrious and successful hunter. 
 
 As I had determined to open a farm for myself, I induced him to 
 locate near me. I had but little difficulty in getting him to cut 
 house logs, and with some assistance from me, he built a comfort 
 able house before winter set in. 
 
 This was the entering wedge. He found that he could work, 
 and, being industrious, he took to labor far more kindly than I 
 had anticipated, and in the spring he had cut and hauled rails to 
 enclose about twenty acres. With but little assistance he built his 
 fence, and he drove the oxen that plowed his Held, one of my men 
 holding the plow. 
 
 From that day to this he has been an industrious and successful 
 farmer, although the whites have taken three farms from him, and 
 he lost the fourth by the outbreak of the Sioux in 1862. His chil 
 dren have a good Sioux education, and speak, read and write the 
 English well. 
 
 All these experiments, as well as those with the Chippeways at 
 the Rabbit River Rapids, on the Mississippi, where I got several 
 
GO 
 
 farms started, and used Indians to work in the Logging Camp, 
 were made simply to satisfy myself whether Indian men could be 
 induced to labor, instead of depending upon the chase as a means 
 of subsistence. They were necessarily limited, but were entirely 
 satisfactory, so that when I was appointed Sioux Agent, I had no 
 hesitation in urging my theory before the officers of the Indian 
 Bureau. 
 
 The success of the civilization policy, pursued on the Sioux res 
 ervations during the time I was Agent, is on record in the Indian 
 Office, and need not be referred to here. I found the Sioux in a 
 state bordering on open hostility to the whites when I took the 
 Agency. When I left it, three years subsequently, there were over 
 two hundred prosperous farmers on the reservations. In less than 
 two years afterwards, the outbreak took place which depopulated 
 the Minnesota frontier, and a Sioux war was inaugurated from 
 which we have not yet recovered. 
 
 I hope I have demonstrated that the exertions of the Indian men 
 may be directed to agricultural pursuits as a means of subsistence, 
 and that, I think, disposes of the feasibility of locating them on 
 reservations. But in the present state of the Indian mind, they 
 must be approached with caution. Those who operate among them 
 must possess the confidence of the Indians before they can expect 
 to change their manners, habits and customs. The Indians must 
 see that supplies have been provided for their subsistence, before 
 they will locate, and they must feel the advantage of labor before 
 they will go to work. To make labor acceptable, it must receive 
 remuneration ; therefore all labor should be paid for liberally. If 
 a man cuts a rail, let him feel that he receives more than the man 
 who remains idle, or why should he labor, while others get as much 
 without labor ? The objection to this is that Indians should not 
 be paid for doing their own work. But is it the work you pay for ? 
 The payment, although ostensibly for making a rail, is simply a 
 premium to the Indian for learning how to make rails, to build 
 
70 
 
 fences, to erect houses, to plow, to plant, to cultivate crops, to b(\ 
 come self-supporting, useful, civilized. It is an inducement to 
 work, while supplying articles necessary to the laborer. 
 
 Suppose you expend a thousand dollars a year for ten years in 
 feeding and clothing a family of Indians, what improvement will 
 you make in their condition ? None. You only give them con 
 firmed habits of laziness, and destroy all incentive to self-support. 
 But expend five hundred dollars the first year to feed them gra 
 tuitously, as it were, and give the remainder to those who work, 
 and in proportion to the work performed by each individual, you 
 promote industry, foster a feeling of independence and self-reliance, 
 and cut the thorns from the path to civilization. The gratuitous 
 issue of provisions could be diminished one half, the second year, 
 and discontinued the third year. At the end of five years the 
 family would be self-supporting, provided they have a market for 
 the products of their industry. 
 
 At the end of ten years, by our present policy, the Indians would 
 be far less capable of civilization than they are to-day, and they 
 would, of necessity, remain an expense to the Government, while 
 by the other policy they would have become an enlightened, re 
 spectable, and industrious Christian people, not only capable, but 
 willing to support themselves without farther aid from the Govern 
 ment. 
 
 Just as fast as civilization progresses among the Indians, just 
 so fast they become capable of self-government, and should have 
 the power of self-government conferred upon them. This induce 
 ment to become civilized, should be impressed upon the Indians in 
 process of civilization, in an unmistakable manner. Let no ad 
 vance be disregarded, but make political rights and powers keep 
 even pace with improvement. 
 
 "Whether the United States Government can educate, without 
 too great cost, or whether that and other civilizing processes can 
 not be better done in connection with Missions by charitable 
 
VI 
 
 efforts," is of far less importance than the question whether cither 
 the Government or Missions \vill take hold of the subject of Indian 
 civilization by the handle. Our Indian policy has been so tinkered, 
 that, like the pauper s coat, the original fabric cannot be recog 
 nized. 
 
 There arc two separate interests (both tending to one grand 
 result); one should be controlled by Government, and the other by 
 Missionaries. Experience has taught me, that religion among the 
 Indians (as elsewhere) can only be taught successfully at the tail 
 of a plow. In other words, it mvistfottoic, and never can precede 
 the adoption of civilized habits. The progress of religion will bo 
 proportionate to the march of agricultural, mechanical and educa 
 tional improvement. 
 
 Let, then, the Government control, under such regulations as 
 will insure an honest and judicious expenditure, the appropria 
 tions necessary to establish the Indians on reservations, whero 
 they may be induced to rely upon their labor for subsistence and 
 clothing, where they may be taught the use of agricultural and 
 mechanical tools, where primary and manual labor schools may bo 
 conducted in harmony ; where housekeeping in all its branches 
 may be learned, and the foundation for a religious education 
 provided. Then let "Missions by charitable efforts," take charge 
 of the religious education of the Indians, and success will be 
 certain. 
 
 I do not wish to be understood as discarding religion from the 
 schools or other operations of the Government, but I wish to 
 provide against the scramble for the control of the Indians that 
 would follow a policy that would place the funds in the hands of 
 religious societies, and to permit education to prepare the minds 
 of the Indians to some extent, to understand the conflict of 
 opinions between different sects, that have so long harrassed the 
 civilized mind. 
 
 But I will be satisfied with any policy that will give confidence 
 
T2 
 
 to the people in the honest administration of our Indian affairs ; 
 will regain the confidence of the Indians in the integrity of the 
 Government, which has been lost through the vacillating policy 
 pursued toward them the past few years ; will give the Indians 
 permanent agricultural homes, with liberal provision for their 
 civil and religious education, the only means by which peace 
 between the whites and Indians can be firmly established ; and 
 will lead ultimately to the civilization and Christianization of all 
 the tribes under the jurisdiction of the United States. 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 J. R. BROWN. 
 
CIVILIZATION OF AMERICAN INDIANS.. 
 
 REPORT OF COMMITTEE. 
 
 The Committee appointed by Citizens of Philadelphia to proceed 
 to Washington to aid in promoting legislative and executive action 
 favorable to Christian civilization among the Indians, makes the 
 following report. The Committee deem it best to preface their 
 report with a brief account of the causes that led to the late com 
 plication of Indian affairs. 
 
 At the end of February last, just as the late Administration was 
 closing, a member of this Committee, owing to his official connec 
 tion with a Mission to the Santee Sioux Indians, was summoned 
 to Washington to meet a delegation of seven Indian Chiefs, two 
 Missonaries who acted as their friends and interpreters, and also 
 Government Agents, Superintendents and the Military Officers who 
 had been connected with a treaty recently made with the various 
 bands of Sioux Indians. 
 
 By conference with these, and with members of the Senate and 
 House of Representatives, he learned that Indian affairs were so 
 complicated and the danger of a general Indian war was so immi 
 nent, that intervention by disinterested parties would alone give 
 the promise of an early and amicable solution of the difficulty. 
 
 Under an Act of Congress, approved July 20th, 1867, " To es 
 tablish peace with certain hostile Indian Tribes," the following 
 persons have been appointed Indian Peace Commissioners. Com 
 missioner of Indian Affairs, N. G. Taylor, Senator J. B. Hender 
 son, Lieut.-General W. T. Sherman, Bvt. Major General Wm. S. 
 
Harncy, John B. Saiiborn, 13 vt. Major General Alfred H. Terry, 
 S. F. Tappan, and Bvt. Major General C. C. Augur. 
 
 They "were authorized by said Act to call together the Chiefs 
 and Head-men of such bands of Indians as were then waging war, 
 for the purpose of ascertaining their reasons for hostility, and if 
 thought advisable, to make treaties with them, having in view the 
 following objects, viz : 
 
 1st. To remove, if possible, the causes of war. 
 
 2?id. To secure, as far as practicable, our frontier settlements, 
 and the safe building of our railroads looking to the Pacific ; and 
 
 3rd. To suggest or inaugurate some plan for the civilization of 
 the Indians." 
 
 On the 7th of January, 1868, the Commission made its report to 
 the President, who transmitted it to Congress. That report is so 
 full, so frank in the confession of the wrong doings of the Govern 
 ment and of the people to the Indians, and so suggestive of reme 
 dial measures, that it should be in the possession of every philan 
 thropist. The report was accompanied by treaties made with the 
 Kiowas and Camanclics, and with the Cheyennes and Arapahocs, 
 and a supplementary treaty with the Apaches of the Plains. The 
 Committee reported that an arrangement had been made to meet 
 the Sioux Indians the following Spring ; and on the 29th of April, 
 1868, they concluded a treaty with the different tribes of Sioux; 
 the Senate approved and advised the ratification of that treaty 
 on the 16th of February, 1869, and on the 24th of February, the 
 President proclaimed it, thus making it a law of the land. By this 
 treaty, Indians can acquire a title to farms and to citizenship; the 
 Santees and the Y anktons remaining on their present reservations 
 contiguous to the great territory, into which it is desired to gather 
 the remaining tribes or bands of Sioux Indians, twelve in number. 
 
 The treaty provides for all the aids which a most Christian Gov 
 ernment could be expected to afford to Indians whom it desires to 
 civilize. The Senate made ample appropriations to carry out all 
 
the provisions in the treaty, but the House refused to concur, as is 
 alleged for the following reasons. 
 
 1st. Because the House believes that the "War Department can 
 manage Indians more successfully than the Department of the 
 Interior. 
 
 2nd. Because the waste of money appropriated through the 
 Indian Bureau has become so excessive, as to impoverish the Gov 
 ernment and to dissatisfy and irritate the Indian. 
 
 3rd. Because the treaty system needed a thorough revision to 
 prevent frauds in inducing Indians to cede their possessory title to 
 lands, and to discontinue the practice of treating with tribes of 
 Indians as independent sovereignties. 
 
 Both Houses were so firm in holding to their opinions, that the 
 sessions of the last Congress closed without making any appropria 
 tion, although it was known that there was imminent peril from a 
 general Indian war. Fortunately, General Harney, as a member 
 of the Peace Commission, had at his own risk contracted for sup 
 plies to the extent of about half a million of dollars beyond the 
 original appropriation by Congress to the Peace Commission. By 
 this expedient and by the beginning of some civilizing processes, 
 the hostile Indians who had been drawn from the line of the Pacific 
 Railroad, and gathered into a large reservation where there is no 
 game, were fed and made peaceful and hopeful. 
 
 The War Department had also kept other Indians from starva 
 tion, and the consequent temptation to theft because they had 
 been taken from their hunting grounds and placed in designated 
 reservations. 
 
 The Senate having authorized and ratified the treaty, was bound 
 in honor to make the necessary appropriations, whilst the House, 
 although it authorized the making of the treaty, had firmly re 
 solved not to acknowledge it, under the intelligent belief that it 
 would be better for the Indian and for the country, at once to 
 change the system which had been productive of nothing but evil. 
 
The War Department naturally sympathized with the House, 
 whilst the sympathy of the Department of the Interior was with 
 the Senate. Both departments had been represented in the Peace 
 Commission, which had saved the country from an Indian war, 
 that would have devastated the frontier, sacrificed many lives, and 
 cost at least a hundred millions of dollars a year. 
 
 These facts having- been communicated to a body of philan 
 thropic citizens of Philadelphia, they appointed the Committee 
 which is now reporting, and sent them to Washington to confer 
 with the authorities as to the best means of remedying the existing 
 Indian troubles. That Committee, having previously arranged for 
 an interview with President Grant and the Hon. J. D. Cox, Secre 
 tary of the Interior, had the privilege of a full and frank conference 
 with them on the 24th clay of March. They told the President 
 that in common with other friends of the Indian, their hearts 
 thrilled with joy when the following paragraph in his inaugural 
 address was heard or read by them : "The proper treatment of 
 the original occupant of this land, the Indian, is one deserving of 
 careful study. I will favor any course towards them which tends 
 to their civilization, Christiaiiization, and ultimate citizenship." 
 
 The Committee told the President that they came to assure him 
 that he would be cordially supported by the most intelligent and 
 influential of our Christian people, in every well directed effort to 
 carry out the spirit of his inaugural address, and to maintain the 
 faith of a Christian nation w r ith a down-trodden people. The 
 Government could do much, very much, toward the civilization of 
 the Indian ; but without the co-operation of Christian philanthro 
 pists the waste of money would be great, and the result unsatis 
 factory, as had been evidenced by the small results from the largo 
 sums expended in efforts to educate Indian children. The Govern 
 ment by its aid in bringing Indians from a nomadic to a settled 
 life, by gathering them into large territories where alone they 
 could be made hopeful and incited to self-support and self-govern- 
 
77 
 
 merit, and by encouraging them in other processes of civilization, 
 could promote their Christianization ; but, surely it would need 
 help to effect this radical change in the religious belief and habits 
 of our home heathen. 
 
 The Committee then told the Secretary of the Interior that 
 although he was entitled to the highest confidence of the people, 
 and they felt sure he would gain that confidence, yet he must be 
 aware that the Indian Department had hitherto been prostituted 
 to the most flagrant abuses, to increase political patronage. What 
 had been before, might be again, unless some plan could be devised 
 to protect him and the Indian Department from the claims for 
 patronage by political leaders, which through usance were well 
 nigh irresistible. That certainly men who had earned a high repu 
 tation for Christian philanthropy would be unwilling to unite with 
 the Government, unless there was some restraint put upon the 
 claims of party on appropriations for civilization and other chari 
 table uses among the Indians. 
 
 The Committee then said that their high respect for the Execu 
 tive and for his Secretary, encouraged them to make a proposal, 
 which seemed to be necessary to loosen the dead lock between the 
 Senate and House of Representatives. They had already conferred 
 with prominent members of the late Peace Commission, with the 
 Secretary of War and with Licut.-Gen. Sherman, and they believed 
 that all of them were prepared to give their cordial assent to the 
 following proposal, viz : That Congress be asked to authorize the 
 appointment by the President of five citizens, to serve gratuitously 
 as Commissioners, giving them authority to act jointly with the 
 Secretary of the Interior in expending any money that might bo 
 appropriated to carry out the spirit of the treaty recently mado 
 with the Sioux and other affiliated bands of Indians. The Com 
 mittee stated that as their proposal was experimental, they con 
 fined it to action in the new territory into which the Sioux and 
 other Indians were being gathered. That they were led to believe 
 
78 
 
 that the House was entirely willing to carry out the spirit of the 
 treaty, but that from jealousy of the treaty making power enjoyed 
 by the Senate when acting with the President and from other 
 causes, they would not recognize the treaties recently made. 
 
 The Committee told the President and Secretary that they de 
 sired perfect frankness, for although the proposal was not made 
 with a desire to have any member of the Committee placed upon 
 the Commission, yet it did seem presumptuous to suggest that a 
 Cabinet Officer should share his responsibilities with others. The 
 Committee, however, wished it distinctly understood that whilst 
 the Commission, as suggested by them, could effectually check tho 
 misdirection of funds by a joint control over every expenditure, 
 yet it desired that all the Government machinery and agencies 
 should be continued. 
 
 The Committee further stated that through the Association of 
 Christian philanthropists with the Secretary of the Interior, tho 
 lost confidence of Congress could be regained, the Indians made 
 more hopeful, and the whole Christian community aroused to co 
 operate with the Government in " civilizing, Christianizing, and 
 ultimately making citizens of the Indians." The Committee 
 thought that Government money should not be expended by 
 churches, and that sufficient sums for teaching, caring for the 
 sick or preaching, would be freely proffered, when the charitable 
 people of this country were inspired with confidence. 
 
 After a long and frank conference between the President, the 
 Secretary of the Interior and the various members of the Com 
 mittee, all of whom expressed their sentiments more or less fully, 
 the President gave his cordial assent to the proposal, and the Secre 
 tary of the Interior magnanimously desired that it should be ex 
 tended to all appropriations to the Indian Department. He further 
 said that he had been hoping for aid in the care of the Indians 
 similar to that afforded to the War Department by the Sanitary 
 and Christian Commissions. 
 
Governor Marshall, of Minnesota, chanced to he present, and 
 was asked to remain, as he had large experience in war and in 
 peace with the Chippeways, the Sioux and other tribes of Indians. 
 It was very gratifying to the Committee to learn from the Governor 
 that he cordially approved of all that had been said and done, and 
 that he was most hopeful of the civilizing and Christianizing 
 processes which had been referred to. He also expressed great 
 confidence in the ability of the Government, if supported by 
 Christian philanthropists, to gather the wild Indians into a largo 
 reservation, and in a reasonable time to make them productive 
 herdsmen and agriculturists. 
 
 The Committee then proceeded to the Capitol and arranged with 
 the Committee of the Senate on Indian affairs for a meeting on the 
 following morning. They also conferred with the Chairman of 
 that Committee, and with the Speaker and other prominent mem 
 bers of the House of Representatives, and they became satisfied 
 that their proposal would meet with favor in the House, and that 
 ultimately it would be approved of by the Senate. 
 
 On the next morning they obtained the following letter from the 
 Secretary of the Interior, to give weight to their interview with 
 Committees of the Senate and of the House. 
 
 Department of tlie Interior, ) 
 Washington, D. C., 25 March, 18G9. j" 
 
 Gentlemen: I take great pleasure in saying to you that the 
 proposition submitted by you to the President yesterday, for the 
 appointment of a Commission to co-operate with this Department 
 in the work of civilizing the American Indians and expending such 
 funds as may be appropriated by Congress for that purpose, under 
 existing treaties or otherwise, meets his heartiest approval as well 
 as my own. 
 
 I believe that a concerted effort between the good people of the 
 country, whose hearts are interested in this work, and the Govern- 
 
80 
 
 mcnt itself, will give ground to hope for results which former 
 systems have failed to effect. 
 
 The condition of several tribes on our frontiers is now such that 
 the question of immediate and thorough action looking to civiliza 
 tion, is the only alternative or mode of escape from exterminating 
 wars. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 J. D. Cox, 
 Secretary. 
 
 After conferring freely with the Committee on Indian Affairs, 
 the following form of amendment to the Indian Appropriation 
 Bill was suggested in place of the appropriations made previously 
 by the Senate and rejected by the House. 
 
 "For promoting the civilization of the Sioux nation of Indians 
 and other Indians, and for fulfilling the obligations of the govern 
 ment to them, the sum of three millions of dollars, or so much as 
 may be necessary, to be expended by the Secretary of the Interior, 
 with joint approval and consent of himself, and five commissioners 
 to be appointed by the President of the United States, who shall 
 receive no compensation, nor be in any wise interested in any trans 
 action under this appropriation." 
 
 From this interview it became apparent that the Senate felt that 
 it was obligated to make appropriations in strict accordance with 
 treaties which it had ratified so recently, but if the House disagreed, 
 as they had a perfect right to do, the Senate would then be well 
 disposed to accede to the views of the Committee. 
 
 An interview was then obtained with the Chairman and other 
 members of the House Committee on Appropriations, and there 
 seemed to be a very cordial concurrence in the proposed plan. An 
 interview was then had with the Chairman of the Senate s Com 
 mittee on Appropriations, and as he seemed ready to co-operate, 
 
81 
 
 the Committee returned to Philadelphia after a further conference 
 with other members of Congress. 
 
 Subsequently, when the Indian appropriations were about to be 
 considered in the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee went 
 again to Washington, and with the assistance of the Secretary of 
 the Interior, the Chairman of the Senate s Committees on Indian 
 Affairs and on Appropriations, and the Chairman of the House Com 
 mittee on Appropriations, the following legislation was obtained as 
 an amendment to the general Indian Appropriation Bill that had 
 already been concurred in. 
 
 "That there be appropriated the further sum of two millions of 
 dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to enable tho 
 President to maintain the peace among and with the various tribes, 
 bands, and parties of Indians, and to promote civilization among 
 said Indians, bring them where practicable upon reservations, re 
 lieve their necessities, and encourage their efforts at self-support ; 
 a report of all expenditures under this appropriation to be made in 
 detail to Congress in December next ; and for the purpose of ena 
 bling the President to execute the powers conferred by this act, he 
 is hereby authorized, at his discretion, to organize a Board of 
 Commissioners, to consist of not more than ten persons, to bo 
 selected by him from men eminent for their intelligence and phi 
 lanthropy, to serve without pecuniary compensation, who may 
 under his direction exercise joint control with the Secretary of the 
 Interior over the disbursement of the appropriations made by this 
 act, or any part thereof that the President may designate ; and to 
 pay the necessary expenses of transportation, subsistence and clerk 
 hire of said Commissioners while actually engaged in said service, 
 there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not 
 otherwise appropriated, the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, 
 or so much thereof as may be necessary. 
 
 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, that nothing in this act con 
 tained, or in any of the provisions thereof, shall be so construed as 
 
82 
 
 to ratify or approve any treaty made with any tribes, bands or 
 parties of Indians, since the twentieth day of July, eighteen hun 
 dred and sixty-seven. 
 
 The sum appropriated, although, apparently only two- thirds of 
 that asked for, is virtually more than was suggested, because the 
 leaders of the House in their debate stated that as Congress would 
 again meet in December, it could then increase the appropriation 
 if the commission and the officers of the government were success 
 ful in adopting any measures by which Indians were likely to be 
 civilized and induced to make their labor productive. 
 
 The sequel to the very pleasant duties of the Committee may be 
 learned from the following letter : 
 
 Department of the Interior, ^ 
 Washington, D. C., IZth April, 18G9. j| 
 
 Dear Sir : The President has directed me to invite you to be 
 come one of the Commission provided for by the late act of Congress 
 to act as auxiliary to this Department in the supervision of the 
 work of gathering the Indians upon reservations, &c. 
 
 The Commission will serve without pay, except for expenses 
 actually incurred in traveling, and it is expected to act both as a 
 consulting board of advisers, and (through their sub-committees) 
 as Inspectors of the Agencies, Ac., in the Indian country. 
 
 The design of those who suggested the Commission, was that 
 something like a Christian Commission should be established, 
 having the civilization of the Indian in view, and laboring to 
 stimulate public interest in this work, whilst also co-operating 
 with the Department in the specific purpose mentioned. 
 
 The following gentlemen have been requested to become members 
 of the Board with you : Hon. John Y. Farwell, Chicago ; George 
 II. Stuart, Philadelphia ; James E. Ycatman, St. Louis ; Wm. E. 
 Dodge, New York ; E. S. Tobcy, Boston ; and Felix R. Bruiiot, 
 of Pittsburgh. 
 
83 
 
 Perhaps two others will bo added, and as soon as answers are 
 received, a preliminary meeting will bo called here. 
 I am, very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 J. D. Cox, 
 
 Secretary. 
 WM. WELSH, Esq., Philadelphia. 
 
 Under the firm belief that they were divinely guided and aided, 
 the Committee feel very grateful to God that their efforts were 
 successful, and they hope that before the close of the present Ad 
 ministration, all our Indians w r ill become wards of the Government, 
 receiving from it full protection, and such assistance as they may 
 need, to enable them to become self-supporting and self-governing 
 citizens. 
 
 Before closing this report, it may be well to remove a misappre 
 hension which is very general. 
 
 The President called upon the Society of Friends to nominate 
 some of the Agents who reside Math the Indians, and some of the 
 Superintendents who watch over the Indian Agencies. These are 
 salaried officers, and this is the work that was detailed to that most 
 excellent and charitable Christian body, but as the President had 
 already given marked prominence to that Society, he did not place 
 any of their members on the Commission. 
 
 The precise duty of the Indian Commission will not- be deter 
 mined until they meet and confer with the President and the Sec 
 retary of the Interior. It is, however, expected that they will 
 supervise the whole work of the Indian Department, consider tho 
 best means of gathering Indians into reservations, inspiring them 
 with confidence in the Government and stimulating them to self- 
 improvement, self-support and self-government, not as independent 
 tribes, but as States equal in privileges with the other States in 
 the Union. It is further expected thai the Indians will look to the 
 Commissioners as their special friends who will sympathize with 
 
84 
 
 them in all their troubles, and claim from the Government protec 
 tion for them whenever they are oppressed. The Commission will 
 no doubt endeavor to stir up their fellow-Christians to a higher 
 measure of zeal and intelligence and liberality for the benefit of 
 these home heathen, than it has ever manifested in the heathen of 
 other lands. 
 
 The mission of the Committee ends with this report, therefore 
 they record their grateful acknowledgment of the uniform courtesy 
 and kindness shown to them by the President, by members of his 
 Cabinet and by Congressmen, from all of whom they received an 
 immediate and patient hearing, and in each case, a deep interest 
 in the purpose of their mission was practically manifested. 
 
 The Committee are humiliated with the increased consciousness 
 that Christian men who have the confidence of their fellow-citizens, 
 arc often criminal in keeping aloof from public service, under the 
 excuse or the mistaken belief, that they can have little influence 
 even when public good is evidently the sole incentive to action. 
 Their recent experience has deeply impressed them with the belief 
 that the courteous proffer of intelligent assistance must take the 
 place of the private and public abuse now so freely poured upon 
 all who are in any public office, or it will be vain to expect a refor 
 mation among those in power, or to improve materially the moral 
 and intellectual standard of candidates for office. 
 Respectfully submitted by 
 
 WILLIAM WELSH, Chairman. 
 ELI K. PRICE, 
 WILLIAM STRONG, 
 GEORGE H. STUART, 
 SAMUEL R. SHIPLEY, 
 JOHN S. HILLES, 
 Philadelphia, April 24. Committee. 
 
85 
 
 CONCLUDING APPEAL. 
 
 . Diverse occurrences are, at this extraordinary juncture in Indian 
 affairs, so strangely combining, as to whisper this hopeful pro 
 phecy into the ears of a poor, down-trodden, desponding people: 
 " When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift 
 up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh." 
 
 The following prayer is, by agreement among the friends of the 
 Indian, being offered in humility, faith and hope at many a family 
 altar and in many a closet. 
 
 "Almighty and most merciful God, the Father of the friendless, 
 and the Helper of the helpless, have pity, we beseech Thee, upon 
 the Indian tribes who dwell in this our land. Send to them the 
 light and comfort of Thy Holy Gospel. Bless all the means used 
 to bring them to the knowledge of Thy dear Son, who died for the 
 salvation of all men. Guide with Thy Spirit guard with Thy 
 power sustain with Thy love, all those who minister to them in 
 spiritual things, and bear to them the tidings of redemption. Stir 
 up the hearts of all who profess and call themselves Christians, to 
 prayer and deeds of mercy in behalf of this perishing race. Give 
 to our rulers a sense of honor, truth and justice in all their deal 
 ings with them, and fill this whole nation with compassion for this 
 poor and scattered people; and so fetch them home, blessed 
 Lord, to Thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of 
 the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one Shepherd. 
 All which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN." 
 
 The President of the United States and others in authority have 
 openly avowed their determination to deal mercifully with the 
 Indian ; and although harassed with the overwhelming cares of 
 
86 
 
 office, they are already carrying their charitable resolves into 
 practice. Seme consciences are becoming sensitively active, be 
 cause of national and individual wrong-doings to the Indian, 
 although hitherto the possessors of these consciences deemed can 
 didates for office not the less available, because they had defrauded 
 the Indian. Even the timid are also coming to the Indian s aid 
 through their fears that the warrior, like a stag at bay, being hem 
 med in on every side, may make a determined stand ; or that liko 
 a hungry prairie wolf, he may eat up the substance of the frontier 
 settler, to satisfy his natural cravings, now that the wild game is 
 passing out of existence. Even political leaders, the most far- 
 seeing of all human beings, wish to shake off the odium of de 
 pending on Indian spoliations for party patronage. The support 
 ers of that noble band of Missionaries who hazard their lives to 
 carry the gospel to other lands, see the importance of caring for our 
 home-heathen, as the knowledge of past injustice, and present neg 
 lect to the natives of this country would, if known in some heathen 
 lands, cause the banishment of many a Missionary. 
 
 The recent action of Congress and of the Executive indicates 
 unmistakably, that in the judgment of this nation the time has 
 arrived when our Indians are to be gathered into reservations, 
 kept as far as may be from demoralization by wicked men, and 
 trained in the habits of civilized people, that the Christian Church 
 may exert its holy influences over them. This adoption of Indians 
 as Wards insures to them governmental protection and assistance, 
 and will oblige the Church to bring her missionary spirit and her 
 organization and administration to a practical test. If savages and 
 highly intellectual heathen can be savingly converted to Christi 
 anity in foreign lands when surrounded by the grossest sensuality 
 and idolatry, and the Christian Church fails to disciple our two 
 or three hundred thousand docile and reverent home heathen, surely 
 cither the organization (so far as it is of human device) or the ad- 
 
87 
 
 ministration of the Church, or both, will need a thorough revision 
 and reformation. 
 
 Our Government has now thrown down the gauntlet to philan 
 thropists as well as to Christians ; and if all such will accept tho 
 challenge, surely Christian civilization can in a few years he extend 
 ed to the small remnant of heathen Indians. 
 
 No appeal is necessary to the little band of holy women who 
 have always done what they could for the Mission to the Sioux 
 Indians. Four of them have just given <$8,CCO towards the cost of 
 a Hospital, with a Chapel and School-house attached, being two- 
 thirds of the sum that will be required to complete the structure. 
 This gift induced a lady who has been trained for hospital work 
 for two years at the Bishop Potter Memorial House in Philadelphia, 
 to agree to take charge of the Hospital at the Santec Sioux Mission, 
 as soon as it is erected. "Will not other zealous women subject 
 themselves to a similar training, that their latent powers for 
 teaching, visiting and nursing, may be educated in an orderly 
 school of practice, under the supervision of experts, that they also 
 may labor with advantage among our home heathen ? 
 
 All Christians arc now called upon to make liberal free-will 
 offerings of money or personal service ; and the philanthropist 
 will find among the Indians, objects of peculiar interest promo 
 ting agricultural or mechanical tastes and habits, erecting and 
 sustaining School-houses or Hospitals, or in printing books which 
 they so much need. The various religious bodies will undoubtedly 
 open channels through which Christian beneficence may flow ; and 
 the newly appointed Commissioners will soon be prepared to 
 direct the efforts of individual or associated philanthropists. 
 
 W. W. 
 
89 
 
 REPORT OF INDIAN PEACE COMMISSIONERS 
 
 MESSAGE 
 FF.OM 
 
 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 TRANSMITTING 
 
 Report of the Indian Peace Commissioners. 
 
 JANUARY 14, 1S38. Referred to the Committee on Indian Affaira and 
 ordered to be printed. 
 
 To tlie Senate and House of Representatives : 
 
 I transmit herewith the report made by the commissioners ap 
 pointed under the act of Congress approved on the 20th day of 
 July, 1867, entitled "An. act to establish peace with certain hostile 
 Indian tribes," together with the accompanying papers. 
 
 ANDREW JOHNSON. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C., January 14, 18G8. 
 
 REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT BY THE INDIAN PEACE COMMIS 
 SION, JANUARY 7, 1808. 
 
 To the President of the United States : 
 
 The undersigned, commissioners appointed under the act of 
 Congress, approved July 20, 1807, "to establish peace with certain 
 hostile Indian tribes," were authorized by said act to call together 
 the chiefs and headmen of such bands of Indians as were then 
 waging war, for the purpose of ascertaining their reasons for hos- 
 
90 
 
 tility, and if thought advisable, to make treaties with them, having 
 in view the following objects, viz : 
 
 \st. To remove, if possible, the causes of war. 
 
 2d. To secure, as far as practicable, our frontier settlements and 
 the safe building of our railroads looking to the Pacific ; and 
 
 3d. To suggest or inaugurate some plan for the civilization of 
 the Indians. 
 
 Congress, in the passage of the law, seemed to indicate the 
 policy of collecting at some early day all the Indians east of the 
 Rocky mountains on one or more reservations, and with that view 
 it was made our duty to examine and select "a district or districts 
 of country having sufficient area to receive all the Indian tribes 
 occupying territory cast of the said mountains not now peacefully 
 residing on permanent reservations under treaty stipulations, 
 &c." It was required that these reservations should have suffi 
 cient arable or grazing lands to enable the tribes placed on them 
 to support themselves, and that they should be so located as not 
 to interfere with the established highways of travel and the con 
 templated railroads to the Pacific ocean. The subsequent action 
 and approval of Congress will be necessary, however, to dedicate 
 the district or districts so selected to the purposes of exclusive 
 Indian settlement. 
 
 When the act was passed, war was being openly waged by 
 several hostile tribes, and great diversity of opinion existed among 
 the officials of the Government, and no less diversity among our 
 people, as to the means best adapted to meet it. Some thought 
 peaceful negotiation would succeed, while others had no hope of 
 peace until the Indians were thoroughly subdued by force of arms. 
 As a concession to this latter sentiment, so largely prevailing, as 
 well as to meet the possible contingency of failure by the commis 
 sion, it was, perhaps, \visely provided, that in case peace could not 
 be obtained by treaty, or should the Indians fail to comply with 
 the stipulations they might make for going on their reservations, 
 the President might call out four regiments of mounted troops for 
 the purpose of conquering the desired peace. 
 
 On the sixth day of August we met at St. Louis, Missouri, and 
 organized by selecting N. G. Taylor, President, and A. S. II. 
 White. Secretary. 
 
 The first difficulty presenting itself was to secure an interview 
 with the chiefs and leading warriors of these hostile tribes. They 
 
91 
 
 were roaming over an immense country, thousands of miles in ex 
 tent, and much of it unknown even to hunters and trappers of the 
 white race. Small war parties constantly emerging from this vast 
 extent of unexplored country would suddenly strike the border 
 settlements, killing the men and carrying off into captivity the 
 women and children. Companies of workmen on the railroads, at 
 points hundreds of miles from each other, would be attacked on 
 the same day, perhaps in the same hour. Overland mail coaches 
 could not be run without military escort, and railroad and mail 
 stations unguarded by soldiery were in perpetual danger. All safe 
 transit across the plains had ceased. To go without soldiers was 
 hazardous in the extreme ; to go with them forbade reasonable 
 hope of securing peaceful interviews with the enemy. When the 
 Indian goes to war he enters upon its dreadful work with earnest 
 ness and determination. lie goes on an errand of vengeance, and 
 no amount of blood satisfies him. It may be because, with him, 
 all wrongs have to be redressed by war. In our intercourse with 
 him we have failed, in a large measure, to provide peaceful means 
 of redress, and he knows no law except that of retaliation. Ho 
 wages war with the same pertinacity, and indeed in the same 
 spirit, with which a party litigant in full conviction of the right 
 prosecutes his suit in court. His only compromise is to have his 
 rights, real or fancied, fully conceded. To force he yields nothing. 
 In battle he never surrenders, and is the more excusable, there 
 fore, that he never accepts capitulation at the hands of others. In 
 war he does not ask or expect mercy. He is then the more con 
 sistent that he does not grant mercy. 
 
 So little accustomed to kindness from others, it may not be 
 strange that he often hesitates to confide. Proud himself, and 
 yet conscious of the contempt of the white man, when suddenly 
 aroused by some new wrong, the remembrance of old ones still 
 stinging his soul, he seems to become, as expressed by himself, 
 blind with rage. If he fails to see the olive-branch or flag of truce 
 in the hands of the peace commissioner, and in savage ferocity 
 adds one more to his victims, we should remember that for two 
 and a half centuries he has been driven back from civilization, 
 where his passions might have been subjected to the influences of 
 education and softened by the lessons of Christian charity. 
 
 This difficulty, meeting us at the very threshold of our duties, 
 had to bo overcome before anything of a practical character could 
 
92 
 
 be accomplished. Fortunately, we had on the commission a com 
 bination of the civil and military power necessary to give strength 
 and efficiency to our operations. Through the orders of Lieutenant 
 General Sherman to the commanders of posts, mid those of Com 
 missioner Taylor to superintendents and agents under his charge, 
 in the proper districts, a perfect concert of action was secured, and 
 according to our instructions the hostile Indians of western Da 
 kota were notified that we would meet them at Fort Laramie on 
 the 13th day of September ; and those then south of the Arkansas, 
 including the Cheyennes, the Kiowas, Comanches, Arapahoes, and 
 Apaches, that we would meet them for consultation at some point 
 near Fort Larned, on or about the 13th day of October. 
 
 Whilst runners were being employed and sent out to notify them 
 of our pacific intentions, and our desire to meet them at the times 
 and places stated, the commission resolved to occupy the time in 
 tervening before the first meeting in examining the country on the 
 upper Missouri river. The steamer St. John s was chartered, and 
 such goods purchased as were thought suitable as presents to the 
 Indians. 
 
 On the 13th of August we met at Fort Leavenworth and took the 
 statements of Major General Hancock, Governor Crawford, of 
 Kansas, Father De Smct and others. Thence we proceeded to 
 Omaha, Nebraska, and took the statements of Major General 
 Augur and others. At Yankton we met Governor Faulk, of Da 
 kota, and took his evidence on the subjects embraced in our duties. 
 Governor Faulk, at our request, accompanied the commission up 
 the river, and was present at the subsequent interviews with the 
 Indians of his superintendency. 
 
 Owing to the low stage of water our progress up the river was 
 much retarded, and we failed to reach Fort Rice as we had in 
 tended. On the 30th of August a point twelve miles above the 
 mouth of the Big Cheyenne river was reached, when it was found 
 necessary to turn back in order to fill our several engagements 
 made with the Indians on the river as we went up, and then reach 
 Fort Laramie by the 13th of September. 
 
 On the return trip councils were held with various bands of the 
 Sioux or Dakota Indians at Forts Sully and Thompson, and also 
 at the Yankton, Ponca, and Santie Sioux reservations, full reports 
 of which will be found in the appendix. Although these Indians 
 along the Missouri river are not hostile, and do not, therefore, 
 
93 
 
 legitimately come within the scope of duties assigned us, yet it was 
 thought quite important, in determining whether the country itself 
 was lit for an Indian reservation, to examine into the condition of 
 those now there, and especially those who are endeavoring to live 
 by agriculture. 
 
 The time given us was too short to make anything like a per 
 sonal inspection of so large a district of uninhabited country as 
 that which lies north of Nebraska, between the Missouri river on 
 the east and the Black Hills on the west, and to which public at 
 tention is now being very generally directed as a home for the more 
 northern tribes. We took evidence of those who had traversed 
 this region in reference to the soil, climate and productions, which 
 evidence will be found in the appendix. To this subject we shall 
 again allude when we come to speak of reservations for Indian set 
 tlement. 
 
 In this connection, however, before returning to the thread of 
 our narrative, it is our duty to remark that the condition of these 
 tribes demands prompt and serious attention. The treaty stipu 
 lations with many of them are altogether inappropriate. They 
 seem to have been made in total ignorance of their numbers and 
 disposition, and in utter disregard of their wants. Some of the 
 agents now among them should be removed, and men appointed 
 who will, by honesty, fair dealing and unselfish devotion to duty, 
 secure their respect and confidence. Where the present treaties 
 fail to designate a particular place as a home for the tribe, they 
 should be changed. 
 
 Returning to Omaha on the llth of September, the steamer was 
 discharged, and we immediately proceeded to North Plattc, on the 
 Pacific railroad, where we found a considerable number of the 
 Sioux and northern Cheyenne s, some of whom had long been 
 friendly, while others had but recently been engaged in war A 
 council was held with them, which at one time threatened to result 
 in no good ; but finally a full and perfect understanding was ar 
 rived at, which though not then, nor even yet, reduced to writing, 
 we have every reason to believe has been faithfully kept by them. 
 
 It was at this council that the hitherto untried policy in connec 
 tion with Indians, of endeavoring to conquer by kindness, was 
 inaugurated. Swift Bear, a Brule chief, then and now a faithful 
 friend of the whites, had interested himself to induce the hostile 
 bands to como into this council, and had promised them, if peace 
 
94 
 
 were made, that ammunition should be given them to kill game for 
 the winter. This promise was not authorized by the commis 
 sioners, but we were assured that it had been made not only by 
 him, but by others of our runners, and that nothing less would 
 have brought them in. These Indians are very poor and needy. 
 The game in this section is fast disappearing, and the bow and 
 arrow are scarcely sufficient to provide them food. To give one of 
 these Indians powder and ball is to give him meat. To refuse it, 
 in his judgment, dooms him to starvation; and worse than this, 
 he looks upon the refusal, especially after a profession of friend 
 ship on his part, as an imputation upon his truthfulness and fidel 
 ity. If an Indian is to be trusted at all, he must be trusted to the 
 full extent of his word. If you betray symptoms of distrust he 
 discovers it with nature s intuition, and at once condemns tho 
 falsehood that would blend friendship and suspicion together. 
 Whatever our people may choose to say of the insincerity or du 
 plicity of the Indian, would fail to express the estimate entertained 
 by many Indians of the white man s character in this respect. 
 Promises have been so often broken by those with whom they 
 usually come in contact, cupidity has so long plied its work deaf 
 to their cries of suffering, and heartless cruelty has so frequently 
 sought them in the garb of charity, that to obtain their confidence 
 our promises must be scrupulously fulfilled and our professions of 
 friendship divested of all appearance of selfishness and duplicity. 
 
 We are now satisfied, whatever the criticisms on our conduct at 
 the time and they were very severe both by the ignorant and the 
 corrupt that had we refused the ammunition demanded at this 
 council, the war on their part would have continued, and possibly 
 ere this have resulted in great loss of life and property. As it is, 
 they at once proceeded to their fall hunt on the Republican river, 
 where they killed game enough to subsist themselves for a largo 
 part of the winter, and no act of hostility or wrong has been per 
 petrated by them since. 
 
 The statement of this fact, if it proves nothing else, may serve 
 to indicate that the Indian, though barbarous, is yet a man, sus 
 ceptible to those feelings which ordinarily respond to the exercise 
 of magnanimity and kindness. If it should suggest to civilization 
 that the injunction to "do good to them that hate us" is not con 
 fined to race, but broad as humanity itself, it may do some good 
 even to ourselves. It will at least for the practical man, honestly 
 
95 
 
 seeking a solution of these troubles, serve a better purpose than 
 whole pages of theorizing upon Indian character. 
 
 At this point we were informed by our scouts that the northern 
 Sioux, who were waging war on the Powder river, would not be 
 able to meet us at Fort Laramie at the time indicated ; whereupon 
 we adjourned the meeting until the- 1st day of November, and re 
 quested them if possible to secure a delegation to meet us on our 
 return. We then left the valley of the Platte and proceeded up 
 the Kansas river and its tributaries to Fort Ilarker, and thence by 
 the way of Fort Larned te a point eighty miles south of the Ar 
 kansas river, where we met the Kiow r as, Comanches, Arapahoes, 
 and Apaches on a stream called Medicine Lodge creek. It should 
 be stated at this point that when we arrived at St. Louis, on our 
 way hither, we found that Lieutenant General Sherman had been 
 summoned to Washington city by the President, and his place on 
 the commission supplied by the appointment of Brevet Major 
 General C. C. Augur, who joined the other members at Fort Larned 
 and participated in all our subsequent proceedings. At our first 
 councils at Medicine lodge the larger body of the hostile Cheyemies 
 remained oif at a distance of forty miles. 
 
 These latter Indians were evidently suspicious of the motives 
 which had prompted us to visit thorn. Since the preceding April 
 they had committed many depredations. They had been un 
 ceasingly on the war-path, engaged in indiscriminate murder and 
 plunder. They knew that our troops had but recently been hunt 
 ing them over the plains, killing them wherever they could find 
 them. They could not therefore appreciate this sudden change of 
 policy. For two weeks they kept themselves at a distance, send 
 ing in small parties to discover if possible our true intentions. 
 
 Before the arrival of the Cheyennes we concluded treaties with 
 the K.iowas, Comanches, and Apaches, and after their arrival we 
 concluded a joint treaty with the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, all of 
 which we herewith submit and earnestly recommend for ratifi 
 cation. 
 
 Before these agreements were perfected we had many interviews 
 or "talks" with the several tribes, some of which were exceed 
 ingly interesting as illustrative of their character, habits, and 
 wishes. Being provided with an efficient short-hand reporter, we 
 were enabled to preserve the full proceedings of these councils, and 
 to them we especially call your attention. 
 
96 
 
 After giving to these tribes their annuities, which had been de 
 tained at the military posts since last spring on account of their 
 alleged hostility, and after distributing among them some presents, 
 the commission returned to Omaha, and thence by North Platte to 
 Fort Laramie, to fill our second engagement with the hostile Sioux 
 and Cheyennes of the north. 
 
 On arriving at Fort Laramie we found awaiting us a delegation 
 of Crows, with whom a council was held and their statements 
 taken. Red Cloud, the formidable chief of the Sioux, did not come 
 to this council. The Crows, as a tribe, have not been hostile. 
 Some of their young men, no doubt, have united themselves with 
 the hostile forces of Ogallalla and Brule Sioux and northern Che 
 yennes, who since July, 1866, under the leadership of Red Cloud, 
 have spread terror throughout this entire region of country. 
 
 We greatly regret the failure to procure a council with this chief 
 and his leading warriors. If an interview could have been ob 
 tained, we do not for a moment doubt that a just and honorable 
 peace could have been secured. Several causes operated to prevent 
 his meeting us. The first, perhaps, was a doubt of our motives ; 
 the second results from a prevalent belief among these Indians 
 that we have resolved on their extermination ; and third, the 
 meeting was so late in the season that it could not be attended in 
 this cold and inhospitable country without great suffering. He 
 sent us word, however, that his war against the whites was to save 
 the valley of the Powder river, the only hunting ground left to his 
 nation, from our intrusion. lie assured us that whenever the 
 military garrisons at Fort Phil. Kearney and Fort C. F. Smith 
 were withdrawn, the war on his part would cease. As we could 
 not then, for several reasons, make any such agreement, and as 
 the garrisons could not have been safely removed so late in the 
 season, the commission adjourned, to meet in Washington on the 
 ninth day of December. Before adjourning we took the promise 
 of the Crows to meet us early next summer, and sent word to Red 
 Cloud and his followers to meet us at the same council, to be held 
 either at Fort Rice, on the Missouri river, or at Fort Phil. Kearney, 
 in the mountains, as they might prefer. We also asked a truce or 
 cessation of hostilities until the council could be held. 
 
 Returning then by way of North Platte, we received new as 
 surances of peace and friendship from the Indiana there assembled. 
 
91 
 
 They will give us no further trouble at present. They arc the same 
 to whom we gave the ammunition. 
 
 Since arriving here, we are gratified to be informed that Red 
 Cloud has accepted our proposition to discontinue hostilities, and 
 meet us in council next spring or summer. And now, with any 
 thing like prudence and good conduct on the part of our own 
 people in the future, we believe the Indian war east of the Rocky 
 mountains is substantially closed. 
 
 Our first duty under the act, it will be remembered, was to secure 
 a conference with the Indians. Having obtained that conference, 
 our second duty was to ascertain from themselves the reasons 
 inducing them to go to war. These reasons may be gathered from 
 the speeches and testimony of the chiefs and warriors hereto ap 
 pended. The limits of this paper will not permit more than a 
 brief summary of these reasons. The testimony satisfies us that 
 since October, 18G5, the Kiowas, Comanches, and Apaches have 
 substantially complied with their treaty stipulations entered into 
 at that time at the mouth of the Little Arkansas. The only 
 flagrant violation we were able to discover consisted in the killing 
 of James Box and the capture of his family in western Texas, 
 about the 15th of August, 18G6. The alleged excuse for this act 
 is, that they supposed an attack on Texas people would be no 
 violation of a treaty with the United States ; that as we ourselves 
 had been at war with the people of Texas, an act of hostility on 
 their part would not be disagreeblc to us. 
 
 We are aware that various other charges were made against the 
 Kiowas and Comanches, but the evidence taken will pretty clearly 
 demonstrate that these charges were almost wholly without 
 foundation. The charges against the Arapahoes amounted to but 
 little. 
 
 The story of the Cheyennes dates far back, and contains many 
 points of deep and thrilling interest. We will barely allude to 
 some of them and then pass on. 
 
 In 1851, a short time after the discovery of gold in California, 
 when a vast stream of emigration was flowing over the western 
 plains, which up to that period had been admitted by treaty and 
 by law to be Indian territory, it was thought expedient to call to 
 gether all the tribes east of the Rocky mountains for the purpose 
 of securing the right of peaceful transit over their lands, and also 
 fixing the boundaries between the different tribes themselves. A 
 
03 
 
 council was convened at Fort Laramic on the 17th day of Septem 
 ber of that year, at which the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Crows, As- 
 sinaboines, Gros-Ventres, Mandans, and Arickarees were repre 
 sented. To each of these tribes boundaries were assigned. To 
 the Cheyennes and Arapahoes was given a district of country 
 commencing at the Red Butte, or the place where the road leaves 
 the north fork of the Platte river ; thence up the north fork of the 
 Platte river to its source ; thence along the main range of the 
 Rocky mountains to the head-waters of the Arkansas river ; thence 
 down the Arkansas river to the crossing of the Santa Fe road ; 
 thence in a northwesterly direction to the forks of the Platte river ; 
 thence up the Platte river to the place of beginning." It was 
 further provided in this treaty that the rights or claims of any one 
 of the nations should not be prejudiced by this recognition of title 
 in the others, and "further, that they do not surrender the pri 
 vilege of hunting, fishing, or passing over any of the tracts of 
 country hereinbefore described." The Indians granted us the 
 right to establish roads and military and other posts within their 
 respective territories, in consideration of which we agreed to pay 
 the Indians fifty thousand dollars per annum for fifty years, to be 
 distributed to them in proportion to the population of the respec 
 tive tribes. When this treaty reached the Senate, "fifty years" 
 was stricken out and "ten years" substituted, with authority in 
 the President to continue the annuities for a period of five years 
 longer, if he saw fit. 
 
 It will be observed that the boundaries of the Cheyenne and 
 Arapahoe land, as fixed by this treaty, include the larger portion 
 of the Territory of Colorado and most of the western part of 
 Kansas. 
 
 Some years after this gold and silver were discovered in the 
 mountains of Colorado, and thousands of fortune-seekers, who 
 possessed nothing more than the right of transit over these lands, 
 took possession of them for the purpose of mining, and, against 
 the protests of the Indians, founded cities, established farms and 
 opened roads. Before 1861 the Cheyennes and Arapahoes had been 
 driven from the mountain regions down upon the waters of the 
 Arkansas, and were becoming sullen and discontented because of 
 this violation of their rights. The third article of the treaty of 
 1851 contained the following language : "The United States bind 
 themselves to protect the aforesaid Indian nations against the 
 
90 
 
 commission of all depredations by the people of the United States 
 after the ratification of this treaty." The Indians, however igno 
 rant, did not believe that the obligations of this treaty had been 
 complied with. 
 
 If the lands of the white man are taken, civilization justifies him 
 in resisting the invader. Civilization does more than this ; it 
 brands him as a coward and a slave if he submits to the wrong. 
 Here civilization made its contract and guaranteed the rights of 
 the weaker party. It did not stand by the guarantee. The treaty 
 was broken, but not by the savage. If the savage resists, civiliza 
 tion, with the ten commandments in one hand and the swoid in 
 the other, demands his immediate extermination. 
 
 We do not contest the ever ready argument that civilization 
 must not be arrested in its progress by a handful of savages. We 
 earnestly desire the speedy settlement of all our Territories. None 
 are more anxious than we to see their agricultural and mineral 
 wealth developed by an industrious, thrifty and enlightened popu 
 lation. And we fully recognize the fact that the Indian must not 
 stand in the way of this result. We would only be understood as 
 doubting the purity and genuineness of that civilization which 
 reaches its ends by falsehood and violence, and dispenses blessings 
 that spring from violated rights. 
 
 These Indians saw their former homes and hunting grounds 
 overrun by a greedy population, thirsting for gold. They saw 
 their game driven east to the plains, and soon found themselves 
 the objects of jealousy and hatred. They too must go. The 
 presence of the injured is too often painful to the wrong-doer, and 
 innocence offensive to the eyes of guilt. It now became apparent 
 that what had been taken by force must be retained by the ravisher, 
 and nothing was left for the Indian but to ratify a treaty conse 
 crating the act. 
 
 On the 18th day of February, 1861, this was done at Fort Wise, 
 in Kansas. .These tribes ceded their magnificent possessions, 
 enough to constitute two great States of the Union, retaining only 
 a small district for themselves, " beginning at the mouth of the 
 Sandy fork of the Arkansas river and extending westwardly along 
 said river to the mouth of the Purgatory river ; thence along up 
 the west bank of the Purgatory river to the northern boundary of 
 the Territory of New Mexico ; thenco west along said boundary to 
 a point where a line drawn due south from a point on the Arkansas 
 
100 
 
 river five miles east of the mouth of the Huerfando river would 
 intersect said northern boundary of New Mexico ; thence due north 
 from that point on said boundary to the Sandy fork to the place 
 of beginning." By examining the map, it will be seen that this 
 reservation lies on both sides of the Arkansas river, and includes 
 the country around Fort Lyon. In consideration of this conces 
 sion, the United States entered into new obligations. Not being 
 able to protect them in the larger reservation, the nation re-re 
 solved that it would protect them "in the quiet and peaceable pos 
 session" of the smaller tract. Second, "to pay each tribe thirty 
 thousand dollars per annum for fifteen years;" and third, that 
 houses should be built, lands broken up and fenced, and stock 
 animals and agricultural implements furnished. In addition to 
 this, mills were to be built, and engineers, farmers and mechanics 
 sent amongst them. Those obligations, like the obligations of 
 1851, furnished glittering evidences of humanity to the reader of 
 the treaty. Unfortunately, the evidence stops at that point. 
 
 In considering this treaty, it will occur to the reader that the 
 eleventh article demonstrates the amicable relations between the 
 Indians and their white friends up to that time. It provides as 
 follows : "In consideration of the kind treatment of the Arapahoes 
 and Cheyennes by the citizens of Denver City and the adjacent 
 towns, they respectfully request that the proprietors of said city 
 and adjacent towns be permitted by the United States Government 
 to enter a sufficient quantity of land to include said city and towns 
 at the minimum price of one dollar and twenty-five cents per 
 acre." 
 
 Large and nourishing cities had been built on the Indian lands, 
 in open violation of our treaty. Town lots were being sold, not by 
 the acre, but by the front foot. Rich mines had been opened in 
 the mountains, and through the streets of these young cities 
 poured the streams of golden wealth. This had once been Indian 
 property. If the white man in taking it was "kind" to the 
 savage, this at least carried with it some honor, and deserves to be 
 remembered. By some it may be thought that a more substantial 
 return might well have been made. By others it may be imagined 
 that the property of the Indians and the amiable courtesies of the 
 whites were just equivalents. But "kind treatment" here was 
 estimated at more than the Indians could give. It was thought to 
 deserve something additional at the hands of the Government, and 
 
101 
 
 the sites of cities at one dollar and a quarter per acre was perhaps 
 as reasonable as could be expected. If the absolute donation of 
 cities already built would secure justice, much less kindness to the 
 red man, the Government could make the gift and save its millions 
 of treasure. 
 
 When the treaty came to the Senate, the lltli article was stricken 
 out, but it would be unjust to suppose that this action was permit 
 ted to influence in the least future treatment by the whites. From 
 this time until the 12th of April, 1864, these Indians were con 
 fessedly at peace. On that day a man by the name of Ripley, a 
 ranchman, came into camp Sanborn, on the south Platte, and 
 stated that the Indians had taken his stock ; lie did not know what 
 tribe. He asked and obtained of Captain Sanborn, the commander 
 of the post, troops for the purpose of pursuit. Lieutenant Dunn, 
 with forty men, was put under the guide of this man Ripley, with 
 instructions to disarm the Indians found in possession of Ripley s 
 stock. Who or what Ripley was we know not. That he owned 
 stock we have his own word, the word of no one else. During tho 
 day Indians were found. Ripley claimed some of the horses. 
 Lieutenant Dunn ordered the soldiers to stop the herd, and or 
 dered the Indians to come forward and talk with him. Several of 
 them rode forward, and when within six or eight feet, Dunn or 
 dered his men to dismount and disarm the Indians. The Indians 
 of course resisted, and a fight ensued. What Indians they were 
 he knew not ; from bows and arrows found, he judged them to be 
 Chcyennes. Dunn getting the worst of the fight, returned to 
 camp, obtained a guide and a remount and next morning started 
 again. In May following, Major Downing, of the first Colorado 
 cavalry, went to Denver and asked Colonel Chivington to give him 
 a force to move against the Indians. For what purpose we do not 
 know. Chivington gave him the men, and the following are 
 Downing s own words : "I captured an Indian and required him 
 to go to the village or I would kill him. This was about the mid 
 dle of May. We started about eleven o clock in the day, travelled 
 all day and all that night ; about daylight I succeeded in surprising 
 the Cheyenne village of Cedar Bluffs, in a small canon about sixty 
 miles north of the South Platte river. We commenced shooting . 
 I ordered the men to commence killing them. They lost, as I am 
 informed, some twenty-six killed and thirty wounded. My own 
 loss was one killed and one wounded. I burnt up their lodges and 
 
102 
 
 everything I could get hold of. I took no prisoners. We got out 
 of ammunition and could not pursue them." 
 
 In this camp the Indians had their women and children. He 
 captured a hundred ponies which, the officer says, "were dis 
 tributed among the boys, for the reason that they had been march 
 ing almost constantly day and night for nearly three weeks." 
 This was done because such conduct "was usual," he said, "in 
 New Mexico." About the same time, Lieutenant Ayres, of the 
 Colorado troops, had a difficulty, in which an Indian chief under a 
 flag of truce was murdered. During the summer and fall occur 
 rences of this character were frequent. Some time during the fall, 
 Black Kettle and other prominent chiefs of the Cheycnncs and 
 Arapahoe nations sent word to the commander at Fort Lyon that 
 the war had been forced upon them and they desired peace. They 
 were then upon their own reservation. The officer in command, 
 Major E. AY. AYynkoop, first Colorado cavalry, did not feel au 
 thorized to conclude a treaty with them, but gave them a pledge 
 of military protection until an interview could be procured with 
 the Governor of Colorado, who was superintendent of Indian 
 affairs. He then proceeded to Denver with seven of the leading 
 chiefs to see the Governor. Colonel Chivington was present at the 
 interview. Major Wynkoop, in his sworn testimony before a pre 
 vious commission, thus relates the action of the Governor, when 
 he communicated the presence of the chiefs seeking peace : "He 
 (the Governor) intimated that he was sorry I had brought them ; 
 that he considered he had nothing to do with them, that they had 
 declared war against the United States, and he considered them in 
 the hands of the military authorities ; that he did not think any 
 how it was policy to make peace with them until they were pro 
 perly punished, for the reason that the United States would be 
 acknowledging themselves whipped." AVynkoop further states 
 that the Governor said the third regiment of Colorado troops had 
 been raised, on his representations at Washington, to kill Indians, 
 and Indians they must kill." Wynkoop then ordered the Indians 
 to move their villages nearer to the fort, and bring their women 
 and children, which was done. In November this officer was re 
 moved, and Major Anthony, of the first Colorado cavalry, ordered 
 to take command of the fort. He too assured the Indians of safety. 
 They numbered about five hundred, men, women and children. It 
 was here, under the pledge of protection, that they were slaugh- 
 
103 
 
 tered by the third Colorado and a battallion of the first Colorado 
 cavalry under command of Colonel Chivington. He marched from 
 Denver to Fort Lyon, and about daylight in the morning of the 
 29th of November, surrounded the Indian camp and commenced 
 an indiscriminate slaughter. The particulars of this massacre are 
 too well known to be repeated here with all its heart-rending 
 scenes. It is enough to say, that it scarcely has its parallel in the 
 records of Indian barbarity. Fleeing women holding up their 
 hands and praying for mercy were brutally shot down ; infants 
 were killed and scalped in derision, men were tortured and muti 
 lated in a manner that would put to shame the savage ingenuity 
 of interior Africa. 
 
 No one will be astonished that a war ensued which cost the 
 Government thirty million dollars, and carried conflagration and 
 death to the border settlements. During the spring and summer 
 of 1865 no less than eight thousand troops were withdrawn from 
 the effective force engaged in suppressing the rebellion to meet this 
 Indian war. The result of the year s campaign satisfied all sensi 
 ble men that war with Indians was both useless and expensive. 
 Fifteen or twenty Indians had been killed, at an expense of more 
 than a million dollars apiece, while hundreds of our soldiers had 
 lost their lives, many of our border settlers been butchered, and 
 much property destroyed. To those who reflected on the subject, 
 knowing the facts, the war was something more than useless and 
 expensive : it was dishonorable to the nation, and disgraceful to 
 those who had originated it. 
 
 When the utter futility of conquering a peace was made manifest 
 to every one, and the true causes of the war began to be developed, 
 the country demanded that peaceful agencies should be resorted 
 to. Generals liarney, Sanborn and others were selected as com 
 missioners to procure a council of the hostile tribes, and in Octo 
 ber, 1805, they succeeded in doing so at the mouth of the Little 
 Arkansas. At this council the Cheyenncs and Arapahocs were 
 induced to relinquish their reservation on the upper Arkansas and 
 accept a reservation partly in southern Kansas and partly in the 
 Indian territory, lying immediately south of Forts Lamed and 
 Zarah. The object was to remove them from the vicinity of 
 Colorado. 
 
 By the third article of the treaty it was agreed that until the 
 Indians were removed to their new reservation, they were ex- 
 
104 
 
 pressly permitted to reside upon and range at pleasure throughout 
 the unsettled portions of that part of the country they claim as 
 originally theirs, which lies between the Arkansas and Platte 
 rivers." This hunting ground reserved is the same which is 
 described in the treaty of 1851, and on which they yet claim the 
 right to hunt as long as the game shall last. When this treaty 
 came to the Senate for ratification it was so amended as to require 
 the President to designate for said tribes a reservation outside of 
 the State of Kansas, and not within any Indian reservation except 
 upon consent of the tribe interested. As the reservation fixed was 
 entirely within the State of Kansas and the Cherokee country, this 
 provision deprived them of any home at all, except the hunting 
 privilege reserved by the treaty. This statement, if not illustrative 
 of the manner in which Indian rights are secured by our legis 
 lators, may at least call for greater vigilance in the future. Agree 
 ments at the same time were made with the Kiowas, Comanches, 
 and Apaches. 
 
 So soon as these treaties were signed, the war which had been 
 waged for nearly two years instantly ceased. Travel was again 
 secure on the plains. What eight thousand troops had failed to 
 give, this simple agreement, rendered nugatory by the Senate, and 
 bearing nothing but a pledge of friendship, obtained. During the 
 summer, fall and winter of 18GG comparative peace prevailed. 
 General Sherman, during this time, travelled without escort to the 
 most distant posts of his command, and yet with a feeling of perfect 
 security. 
 
 To say that no outrages were committed by the Indians would 
 be claiming for them more than can be justly claimed for the most 
 moral and religious communities. Many bad men are found 
 among the whites ; they commit outrages despite all social re 
 straints; they frequently, too, escape punishment. Is it to be 
 w r onderecl at that Indians are 110 better than we ? Let us go to our 
 best cities, where churches and school-houses adorn every square, 
 yet unfortunately we must keep a policeman at every corner, and 
 scarcely a night passes but, in spite of refinement, religion and 
 law, crime is committed. How often, too, is it found impossible 
 to discover the criminal ! If, in consequence of these things, war 
 should be waged against these cities, they too would have to share 
 the fate of Indian villages. 
 
 The Sioux war on iho Powder river, to which we shall hereafter 
 
105 
 
 allude, commenced in July, 18G6. When it commenced General 
 St. George Cook, in command at Omaha, forbade within the limits 
 of his command the sale of arms and ammunition to Indians. The 
 mere existence of an Indian war on the north Platte aroused ap 
 prehensions of danger on the Arkansas. The Cheyennes of the 
 north and south are related, and though living far apart, they fre 
 quently visit each other. Many of the northern Sioux desiring to 
 be peaceable, (as they allege,) on the breaking out of hostilities in 
 the north, came south, some to the vicinity of the Republican and 
 others as far south as Fort Lamed. Their appearance here excited 
 more or less fear among the traders and freighters on the plains. 
 These fears extended to the settlements, from which they were 
 reflected back to the military posts. The commanders became 
 jealous and watchful. Trifles, which under ordinary circumstances 
 would have passed unnoticed, were received as conclusive of the 
 hostile purposes of these tribes. Finally, in December, Fetter- 
 man s party were killed at Fort Phil. Kearney, and the whole 
 country became thrilled with horror. It is thus that the Indian in 
 war loses the sympathy of mankind. That he goes to war is not 
 astonishing ; he is often compelled to do so. Wrongs arc borne 
 by him in silence that never fail to drive civilized men to deeds of 
 violence. When he is your friend he will sometimes sacrifice him 
 self in your defence. When he is your enemy he pushes his enmity 
 to the excesses of barbarity. This shocks the moral sense and 
 leaves him without defenders. 
 
 When the news of this terrible calamity reached the Arkansas 
 posts, the traders here too were prohibited from selling the Indians 
 arms. Major Douglas, of the third infantry, as early as the 13th 
 of January, 1867, communicated his fears to Major General Han 
 cock. He pointed to no single act of hostility, but gave the state 
 ment of Kicking Bird, a rival chief of Satanta among the Kiowas, 
 that Satanta talked of war and said he would commence when 
 the grass grew in the spring. 
 
 On the 16th of February Captain Smith of the nineteenth in 
 fantry, in command of Fort Arbuckle, reports to General Ord at 
 Little Rock, which is at once forwarded to the department of the 
 Missouri, that a negro child and some stock had been taken off by 
 Indians before he took command. His informant was one Jones, 
 an interpreter. In this letter he uses the following significant 
 language: " I have the honor to state further that several other 
 
10G 
 
 tribes than the Comanches have lately been noticed on the war 
 path, having been seen in their progress in unusual numbers raid 
 without their squaws and children, a fact to which much signifi 
 cance is attached by those conversant with Indian usages. It is 
 thought by many white residents of the Territory that some of 
 these tribes may be acting in concert, and that plundering incur 
 sions are at least in contemplation." 
 
 After enumerating other reports of wrongs, (coming perhaps 
 from Jones,) and drawing inferences therefrom, he closes by say 
 ing that he has deferred to the views of white persons, who, from 
 long residence among the Indians, " are competent to advise him," 
 and that his communication "is more particularly the embodiment 
 of their views." As it embodied the views of others, it may not 
 be surprising that a rc-inforcement of ten additional companies 
 was asked for his post. 
 
 Captain Asbury. at Fort Larnccl, also reported that a small party 
 of Chcycnncs had compelled a ranchman named Parker, near that 
 post, to cook supper for them, and threatened to kill him because 
 lie had no sugar. He escaped, however, to tell the talc. Finally, 
 on the 9th of February, one F. F. Jones, a Kiowa interpreter, files 
 with Major Douglas, at Fort Dodge, an affidavit that he had re 
 cently visited the Kiowa camp in company with Major Page and 
 John E. Tappaii on a trading expedition. That the Indians took 
 from them Hour, sugar, rice and apples. That they threatened to 
 shoot Major Page because he was a soldier, and tried to kill Tap- 
 pan. That they shot at him (Jones) and missed him, (which, in 
 the sequel, may be regarded as a great misfortune.) Restated 
 that the Indians took their mules, and that Satanta requested him 
 to say to Major Douglas that he demanded the troops and military 
 posts should at once be removed from the country, and also that 
 the railroads and mail-stages must be immediately stopped. Sa 
 tanta requested him to tell Douglas that his own stock was getting 
 poor, and hoped the government stock at the post would be well 
 fed, as he would be over in a few days to get it. But the most 
 startling of all the statements communicated by Jones on this occa 
 sion, was that a war party came in, while he was at the camp, 
 bringing with them two hundred horses and the scalps of seven 
 teen negro soldiers and one white man. This important informa 
 tion was promptly despatched to General Hancock, at Fort Leaven- 
 worth, and a short time thereafter he commenced to organize the 
 
107 
 
 expedition which subsequently marched to Pawnee Fork and 
 burned the Cheyenne village. 
 
 On the 11 th of March following, General Hancock addressed a 
 letter to Wyiikoop, the agent of the Clieyeimcs and Arapahocs, 
 that "he had about completed arrangements for moving a force to 
 the plains." He stated that his object was to show the Indians 
 that he was " able to chastise any tribes who may molest people 
 travelling across the plains." Against the Cheyennes he com 
 plained, first, that they had not delivered the Indian who killed a 
 New Mexican at Fort Zarah, and, second, he believed he had "evi 
 dence sufficient to fix upon the different bands of that tribe, whose 
 chiefs are known, several of the outrages committed on Smoky Hill 
 last summer. He requested the agent to tell them he came " pre 
 pared for peace or war," and that hereafter he would "insist upon 
 their keeping off the main lines of travel, where their presence is 
 calculated to bring about collisions with the whites." This it will 
 be remembered was their hunting ground, secured by treaty. On 
 the same day he forwarded a similar communication to J. II. Leaven- 
 worth, agent for the Kiowas and Comanches. The complaints he 
 alleges against them are precisely the same contained in the affi 
 davit and statement of Jones and the letter of Captain Asbury. 
 
 The expedition left Fort Lamed on the 13th of April, and pro 
 ceeded up the Pawnee fork of the Arkansas, in the direction of a 
 village of a thousand or fifteen hundred Cheyennes and Sioux. 
 When he came near their camp the chiefs visited him, as they had 
 already done at Lamed, and requested him not to approach the 
 camp with his troops, for the women and children, having the re 
 membrance of Sand Creek, would certainly abandon the village. 
 On the 14th he resumed his march, with cavalry, infantry, and 
 artillery, and, when about ten miles from their village, he was 
 again met by the headmen, who stated that they would treat with 
 him there or elsewhere, but they could not, as requested by him. keep 
 their women and children in camp if he approached with soldiers. 
 He informed them that he would march up to within a mile of the 
 village, and treat with them that evening. As he proceeded the 
 women fled, leaving the village, with all their property. The 
 chiefs and a part of the young men remained. To some of these, 
 visiting the camp of General Hancock, horses were furnished to 
 bring back the women. The horses were returned, with word that 
 the women and children could not be collected. It was then night. 
 
108 
 
 Orders were then given to surround the village and capture the 
 Indians remaining. The order was obeyed, but the chiefs and 
 warriors had departed. The only persons found were an old Sioux 
 and an idiotic girl of eight or nine years of age. It afterwards ap 
 peared that the person of this girl had been violated, from which 
 she soon died. The Indians were gone, and the report spread that 
 she had been a captive among them, and they had committed this 
 outrage before leaving. The Indians say that she was an idiotic 
 Cheyenne girl, forgotten in the confusion of flight and if violated, 
 it was not by them. 
 
 The next morning General Custcr, under orders, started in pur 
 suit of the Indians with his cavalry, and performed a campaign of 
 great labor and suffering, passing over a vast extent of country, 
 but seeing no hostile Indians. When the fleeing Indians reached 
 the Smoky Hill they destroyed a station and killed several men. 
 A courier having brought this intelligence to General Hancock, he 
 at once ordered the Indian village, of about three hundred lodges, 
 together with the entire property of the tribes, to be burned. 
 
 The Indian now became an outlaw not only the Chcyenncs and 
 Sioux, but all the tribes on the plains. The superintendent of an 
 express company, Cottrell, issued a circular order to the agents 
 and employes of the company in the following language: "You 
 will hold no communications with Indians whatever. If In 
 dians come within shooting distance, shoot them. Show them no 
 mercy, for they will show you none." This was in the Indian 
 country. He closes by saying : " General Hancock will protect you 
 and our property." 
 
 Whether war existed previous to that time seems to have been a 
 matter of doubt even with General Hancock himself. From that 
 day forward no doubt on the subject was entertained by anybody. 
 The Indians were then fully aroused, and no more determined war 
 has ever been waged by them. The evidence taken tends to show that 
 we have lost many soldiers, besides a large number of settlers, on 
 the frontier. The most valuable trains belonging to individuals, 
 as well as to government, among which was a government train of 
 ammunition, were captured by these wild horsemen. Stations were 
 destroyed. Hundreds of horses and mules were taken, and found 
 in their possession when we met them in council ; while we are 
 forced to believe that their entire loss since the burning of their 
 village consists of six men. killed. 
 
109 
 
 The Kiowas and Comanclies, it will be seen, deny the statement 
 of Jones in every particular. They say that 110 war party came in 
 at the time stated, or at any other time, after the treaty of 1865. 
 They deny that they killed any negro soldiers, and positively as 
 sert that no Indian was ever known to scalp a negro. In the latter 
 statement they are corroborated by all the tribes and by persons 
 who know their habits ; and the records of the Adjutant General s 
 office fail to show the loss of the seventeen negro soldiers or any 
 soldiers at all. They deny having robbed Jones, or insulted Page 
 or Tappan. Tappan s testimony was taken, in which he brands 
 the whole statement of Jones as false, and declares that both he 
 and Page so informed Major Douglas within a few days after Jones 
 made his affidavit. We took the testimony of Major Douglas, in 
 which he admits the correctness of Tappan s statement, but, for 
 some reason unexplained, he failed to communicate the correction 
 to General Hancock. The threats to take the horses and attack 
 the posts on the Arkansas were made in a vein of jocular bravado, 
 and not understood by any one present at the time to possess the 
 least importance. The case of the Box family has already been 
 explained, and this completes the case against the Kiowas and 
 Comanches, who are exculpated by the united testimony of all the 
 tribes from any share in the late troubles. 
 
 The Chcyennes admit that one of their young men in a private 
 quarrel, both parties being drunk, killed a New Mexican at Fort 
 Zarah. Such occurrences are so freouent among the whites on the 
 plains that ignorant Indians might be pardoned for participating, 
 if it be done merely to evidence their advance in civilization. The 
 Indians claim that the Spaniard was in fault, and further protest 
 that no demand was ever made for the delivery of the Indian. 
 
 The Arapahoes admit that a party of their young men, with 
 throe young warriors of the Cheyenncs, returning from an excur 
 sion against the Utes, attacked the train of Mr. Wcddell, of New 
 Mexico, during the month of March, and they were gathering up 
 the stock when the war commenced. 
 
 Though this recital should prove tedious, it was thought neces 
 sary to guard the future against the errors of the past. We would 
 not blunt the vigilance of military men in the Indian country, but 
 we would warn them against the acts of the selfish and unprinci 
 pled, who need to be watched as well as the Indian. The origin 
 
110 
 
 and progress of this war arc repeated in nearly all Indian wars. 
 The history of one \vill suffice for many. 
 
 Nor would we be understood as conveying a censure of General 
 Hancock for organizing this expedition. He had just come to the 
 department, and circumstances were ingeniously woven to deceive 
 him. His distinguished services in another field of patriotic duty 
 had left him but little time to become acquainted with the remote 
 or immediate causes producing these troubles. If he erred, he 
 can very well roll a part of the responsibility on others ; not alone 
 on subordinate commanders, who were themselves deceived by 
 others, but on those who were able to guard against the error, and 
 yet failed to do it. We have hundreds of treaties with the Indians, 
 and military posts are situated everywhere on their reservations. 
 Since 1837 these treaties have not been compiled, and no provision 
 is made, when a treaty is proclaimed, to furnish it to the com 
 manders of posts, departments or divisions. This is the fault of 
 Congress. 
 
 As early as November, 1866, and long before the late war com 
 menced, Lieutenant General Sherman, in his annual report to 
 General Grant, indicated an Indian policy for the plains. He pro 
 posed, with the consent of the Secretary of War and the Secretary 
 of the Interior, to restrict the Sioux north of the Platte, and east 
 and west of certain lines, and "to deal summarily" with all found 
 outside of those lines without a military pass. He then proceeds 
 to say, "in like manner I would restrict the Arapahoes, Che- 
 yennes, Comanches, Kiowas, Apaches, and Navajoes, south of the 
 Arkansas and east of Fort Union. This will leave for our people 
 exclusively the use of the wide belt east and west, between the 
 Platte and the Arkansas, in which lie the two great railroads over 
 which passes the bulk of the travel to the mountain territories." 
 He further says: "I beg you will submit this proposition to the 
 honorable Secretary of the Interior, that we may know we do not 
 violate some one of the solemn treaties made with these Indians, 
 who are very captious and claim to the very letter the execution on 
 our part of those treaties, the obligations of which they seem to 
 comprehend perfectly." On the loth of January this suggestion 
 was communicated by General Grant to the Secretary of War with 
 the following remarks: "I approve this proposition of General 
 Sherman, provided it does not conflict with our treaty obligations 
 with the Indians now between the Platte and Arkansas." 
 
Ill 
 
 We have already shown that such a proposition was directly in 
 the face of our treaty with the Chcycnncs, Arapahocs and Apaches. 
 It is true, that a communication of the then Commissioner of 
 Indian Affairs on the subject to the Secretary of the Interior, dated 
 January 15, 18G7, was forwarded to the Senate and published by 
 that body ; but if any response was ever sent to General Sherman, 
 informing him of existing treaty rights, we are not advised of it. 
 Here, then, the responsibility attaches to the cabinet. A question 
 of such vital importance should have been examined, and a prompt 
 answer communicated to the officer asking the information. When 
 officers arc thus left to move in the dark, blunders arc not theirs 
 alone. 
 
 A few words only can be given to the origin of the Powder River 
 war. This is partly in the country conceded to the Crows and 
 partly in that conceded to the Sioux by the treaty of 1851. Tho 
 Sioux have gradually driven the Crows back upon the headwaters 
 of the Yellowstone, in Montana, and claim as a conquest almost 
 the entire country traversed by what is called the Powder Paver 
 route to Montana. It will be recollected that the treaty of 1851 
 ceased to be operative in 1866. The annuities had been dis 
 tributed, or rather appropriations therefor had been made, for the 
 last five years of the term, under the amendment of the Senate 
 heretofore referred to. 
 
 The Indians were apprised, of course, that after that year they 
 must look to their own exertions for subsistence. Since 1851, they 
 had seen Colorado settled on the south, and Montana rapidly 
 filling up to the north, leaving them no valuable hunting-grounds 
 of their ancient domain, except along Powder river and other trib 
 utaries of the Yellowstone. While the luxuriant growth of grass 
 in this region made it desirable as an Indian hunting-ground, it also 
 rendered it inviting to the gold hunter, as a route to the new mines 
 of Montana. 
 
 These Indians have never founded the title to their lands upon 
 the treaty of 1851. They have looked upon that treaty as a mere 
 acknowledgment of a previously existing right in themselves. The 
 assignment of boundaries, they supposed, was merely to fix rights 
 among the tribes to make certain what -was uncertain before. It 
 is true, that by said treaty they " recognized" the right of the 
 United States to establish roads and military posts. But it is 
 equally true, that in lieu of this privilege the United States was to 
 
112 
 
 pay them $~0,000 per annum for fifty years. The Senate reduced 
 the term to ten years, and the Indians never having ratified the 
 amendment, they have some right to claim, when the annuities are 
 stopped, at the end of fifteen years, a release from their obligations 
 in this behalf. 
 
 The proper plan would have been to show some respect to their 
 claims call them pretensions, if you please as also some regard 
 for their wants, by entering into new relations with them. This, 
 however, was not done. The Indian, who had stood by and seen 
 the stream of population pouring over his lands to California, 
 Utah, Oregon, and Montana, for so many years, began now, when 
 thrown back by the Government upon his own resources, to seek 
 some place where he might be secure from intrusion. 
 
 But just at this moment, the war of the rebellion being over, 
 thousands of our people turned their faces toward the treasures of 
 Montana. The stories in regard to its mines eclipsed those fabu 
 lous tales that phrenzied the Spaniard in Mexico. The Indian was 
 forgotten. His rights were lost sight of in the general rush to 
 these fountains of wealth. It seemed not to occur to any one that 
 this poor, despised red man was the original discoverer, and the 
 sole occupant for many centuries, of every mountain seamed with 
 quartz, and of every stream whose yellow sands glistened in the 
 noonday sun. These mountains and streams, where gold is found, 
 had all been taken from him. He asked to retain only a secluded 
 spot, where the buffalo and the elk could live, and that spot lie 
 would make his home. 
 
 This could not be granted him. It lay on the route to these 
 quartz mountains and Pactolian streams. The truth is, no place 
 was left for him. Every inch of the land " belongs to the saints, 
 and we are the saints." 
 
 On the 10th of March, 1860, General Pope, then commanding 
 the department of the Missouri, issued an order to establish mili 
 tary posts "near the base of the Big Horn Mountain," and "on or 
 near the upper Yellowstone," on the new route to Montana. On 
 the 23d of June, orders were issued from headquarters, department 
 of the Plattc, directing a part of the 18th infantry to garrison 
 Forts Reno, Phil. Kearney and C. F. Smith. Colonel Carrington 
 was placed in command of this new organization, called the 
 "mountain district." 
 
 Phil. Kearney was established July 15th, and C. F. Smith 
 
113 
 
 August 3d. The Indians notified the troops that the occupation 
 of their country would be resisted. The warning was unheeded. 
 
 An attempt was made during that summer, by the Interior De 
 partment, to stop the threatened war by negotiation. The Indians, 
 in council, demanded the evacuation of the country before treat 
 ing. This could not be granted, because the civil and military 
 departments of our Government cannot, or will not, understand 
 each other. Some of the chiefs reluctantly submitted and signed 
 the treaty, but Red Cloud retired from the council, placing his 
 hand upon his rifle and saying, "In this and the Great Spirit I 
 trust for the right. 
 
 In a few weeks the fires of war blazed along the entire length of 
 this new route. So far from securing emigrant travel the forts 
 themselves were besieged ; the mountains swarmed with Indian 
 warriors ; the valleys seemed to be covered by them. Wood and 
 hay were only procured at the end of a battle. Matters grew worse 
 until the 21st of December, when a wood party being attacked, a 
 reinforcement under Lieutenant- Colonel Fetterman was sent out, 
 and a light ensued in which every man of our forces was killed. 
 This is called the massacre of Fort Phil. Kearney. 
 
 As we have already stated, the Indians yet demand the surren 
 der of this country to them. But they have agreed to suspend 
 hostilities and meet commissioners next spring to treat of their 
 alleged rights, without insisting on the previous withdrawal of the 
 garrisons. Whether they will then insist on the abandonment of 
 the route, we cannot say. Of one thing we are satisfied that so 
 long as the war lasts the road is entirely useless to emigrants. It 
 is worse than that, it renders other routes insecure, and endangers 
 territorial settlements. It is said that a road to Montana, leaving 
 the Pacific railroad further west and passing down the valley west 
 of the Big Horn mountains, is preferable to the present route. 
 The Indians present no objection to such a road, but assure us that 
 we may travel it in peace. 
 
 If it be said that the savages are unreasonable, we answer, that 
 if civilized they might be reasonable. At least they would not be 
 dependent on the buffalo and the elk ; they would no longer want 
 a country exclusively for game, and the presence of the white man 
 would become desirable. If it be said that because they are 
 savages they should be exterminated, we answer that, aside from 
 the humanity of the suggestion, it will prove exceedingly difficult, 
 
114 
 
 and if money considerations arc permitted to weigh, it costs less to 
 civilize than to kill. 
 
 In making treaties it was enjoined on us to remove, if possible, 
 the causes of complaint on the part of the Indians. This would bo 
 no easy task. We have done the best we could under the circum 
 stances, but it is now rather late in the day to think of obliterating 
 from the minds of the present generation the remembrance of 
 wrong. Among civilized men war usually springs from a sense of 
 injustice. The best possible way then to avoid war is to do no act 
 of injustice. When we learn that the same rule holds good with 
 Indians, the chief difficulty is removed. But, it is said our wars 
 with them have been almost constant. Have we been uniformly 
 unjust? We answer, unhesitatingly, yes ! We are aware that the 
 masses of our people have felt kindly toward them, and the legis 
 lation of Congress has always been conceived in the best inten 
 tions, but it has been erroneous in fact or perverted in execution. 
 Nobody pays any attention to Indian matters. This is a deplora 
 ble fact. Members of Congress understand the negro question, 
 and talk learnedly of finance, and other problems of political 
 economy, but when the progress of settlement reaches the Indian s 
 home, the only question considered is, "how best to get his lands." 
 When they are obtained the Indian is lost sight of. While our 
 missionary societies and benevolent associations have annually 
 collected thousands of dollars from the charitable, to be sent to 
 Asia and Africa for purposes of civilization, scarcely a dollar is 
 expended or a thought bestowed on the civilization of Indians at 
 our very doors. Is it because the Indians are not worth the effort 
 at civilization? Or is it because our people, who have grown rich 
 in the occupation of their former lands too often taken by force 
 or procured in fraud will not contribute ? It would be harsh to 
 insinuate that covetous eyes have possibly been set on their re 
 maining possessions, and extermination harbored as a means of 
 accomplishing it. As we know that our legislators and nine-tenths 
 of our people are actuated by no such spirit, would it not be well 
 to so regulate our future conduct in this matter as to exclude the 
 possibility of so unfavorable an inference ? 
 
 We are aware that it is an easy task to condemn the errors of 
 former times, as well as a very thankless one to criticise those of 
 the present ; but the past policy of the Government has been so 
 
115 
 
 much at variance with our ideas of treating this important subject, 
 that we hope to be indulged in a short allusion to it. 
 
 The wave of our population has been from the east to the west. 
 The Indian was found on the Atlantic seaboard, and thence to the 
 Kocky mountains lived numerous distinct tribes, each speaking a 
 language as incomprehensible to the other as was our language to 
 any of them. As our settlements penetrated the interior, the 
 border came in contact with some Indian tribe. The white and 
 Indian must mingle together and jointly occupy the country, or 
 one of them must abandon it. If they could have lived together, 
 the Indian by this contact would soon have become civilized and 
 war would have been impossible. All admit this would have been 
 beneficial to the Indian. Even if we thought it would not have 
 been hurtful to the white man, we would not venture on such an 
 assertion, for we know too well his pride of race. But suppose it 
 had proved a little inconvenient as well as detrimental, it is ques 
 tionable whether the policy adopted has not been more injurious. 
 What prevented their living together ? First. The antipathy of 
 race. Second. The difference of customs and manners arising 
 from their tribal or clannish organization. Third. The difference 
 in language, which, in a great measure, barred intercourse and a 
 proper understanding each of the other s motives and intentions. 
 
 Now r by educating the children of these tribes in the English 
 language these differences would have disappeared, and civiliza 
 tion would have followed at once. Nothing then would have been 
 left but the antipathy of race, and that too is always softened in 
 the beams of a higher civilization. 
 
 Naturally the Indian has many noble qualities. He is the very 
 embodiment of courage. Indeed at times he seems insensible of 
 fear. If he is cruel and revengeful it is because he is outlawed, 
 and his companion is the wild beast. Let civilized man be his 
 companion, and the association warms into life virtues of the rarest 
 worth. Civilization has driven him back from the home he loved ; 
 it has often tortured and killed him, but it never could make him 
 a slave. As we have had so little respect for those we did enslave, 
 to be consistent this element of Indian character should challenge 
 some admiration. 
 
 But suppose, when civilized, our pride had still rejected his asso 
 ciation, we could at least have removed the causes of war by giving 
 him a home to himself, where he might, with his own race, have 
 
116 
 
 cultivated the arts of peace. Through sameness of language is 
 produced sameness of sentiment and thought ; customs and habits 
 are moulded and assimilated in the same way, and thus in process 
 of time the differences producing trouble would have been gradu 
 ally obliterated. By civilizing one tribe others would have fol 
 lowed. Indians of different tribes associate with each other on 
 terms of equality ; they have not the Bible, but their religion, 
 which we call superstition, teaches them that the Great Spirit 
 made us all. In the difference of language to-day lies two-thirds 
 of our trouble. 
 
 Instead of adopting the plan indicated, when the contact came 
 the Indian had to be removed. He always objected and went with 
 a sadder heart. His hunting grounds are as dear to him as is the 
 home of his childhood to the civilized man. He too loves the 
 streams and mountains of his youth ; to be forced to leave them 
 breaks those tender chords of the heart which vibrate to the softer 
 sensibilities of human nature, and dries up the fountains of bene 
 volence and kindly feeling without which there is no civilization. 
 
 It is useless to go over the history of Indian removals. If it had 
 been done but once, the record would bo less revolting ; from the 
 eastern to the middle States, from there to Illinois and Wisconsin, 
 thence to Missouri and Iowa, thence to Kansas, Dakota and the 
 plains ; whither now we cannot tell. Surely the policy was not 
 designed to perpetuate barbarism, but such has been its effect. 
 The motives prompting these removals are too well known to be 
 noticed by us. If the Indians were now in a fertile region of 
 country the difficulty would be less ; they would not have to be 
 removed again. But many of them are beyond the region of agri 
 culture, where the chase is a necessity. So long as they have to 
 subsist in this way civilization is almost out of the question. If 
 they could now be brought back into the midst of civilization 
 instead of being pushed west, with all its inconveniences it might 
 settle the problem sooner than in any other way ; but were we pre 
 pared to recommend such a scheme, the country is not prepared to 
 receive it, nor would the Indians themselves accept it. 
 
 But one thing then remains to be done with honor to the nation, 
 and that is to select? a district, or districts of country, as indicated 
 by Congress, on which all the tribes east of the Rocky mountains 
 may be gathered. For each district let a territorial government 
 be established, with powers adapted to the ends designed. The 
 
Ill 
 
 governor should be a man of unquestioned integrity and purity of 
 character ; he should be paid such salary as to place him above 
 temptation ; such police or military force should be authorized as 
 would enable him to command respect and keep the peace ; agri 
 culture and manufactures should be introduced among them as 
 rapidly as possible; schools should be established which the 
 children should be required to attend ; their barbarous dialects 
 should be blotted out and the English language substituted. 
 Congress may from time to time establish courts and other institu 
 tions of government suited to the condition of the people. At first 
 it may be a strong military government ; let it be so if thought 
 proper, and let offenders be tried by military law until civil courts 
 would answer a better purpose. Let farmers and mechanics, 
 millers and engineers be employed and sent among them for pur 
 poses of instruction ; then let us invite our benevolent societies 
 and missionary associations to this field of philanthropy nearer 
 home. The object of greatest solicitude should be to break down 
 the prejudices of tribe among the Indians ; to blot out the boundary 
 lines which divide them into distinct nations, and fuse them into 
 one homogenous mass. Uniformity of language will do this 
 nothing else will. As this work advances each head of a family 
 should be encouraged to select and improve a homestead. Let the 
 women be taught to weave, to sew and to knit. Let polygamy be 
 punished. Encourage the building of dwellings, and the gathering 
 there of those comforts which endear the home. 
 
 The annuities should consist exclusively of domestic animals, 
 agricultural and mechanical implements, clothing, and such sub 
 sistence only as is absolutely necessary to support them in the 
 earlier stages of the enterprise. Money annuities, here and else 
 where, should be abolished forever. These more than anything 
 else have corrupted the Indian service and brought into disgrace 
 officials connected with it. In the course of a few years the 
 clothing and provision annuities also may be dispensed with. Me 
 chanics and artisans will spring up among them, and the whole 
 organization, under the management of a few honest men, will 
 become self-sustaining. 
 
 The older Indians at first will be unwilling to confine themselves 
 to these districts. They are inured to the chase and they will not 
 leave it. The work may be of slow progress, but it must be done. 
 If our ancestors had done it, it would not have to be done now ; 
 
118 
 
 but they did not, and we must meet it. Aside from extermination 
 this is the only alternative now left us. We must take the savage 
 as we find him, or rather as we have made him. We have spent 
 two hundred years in creating the present state of things. If we 
 can civilize in twenty-five years it will be a vast improvement on. 
 the operations of the past. If we attempt to force the older 
 Indians from the chase it will involve us in war. The younger 
 ones will follow them into hostility and another generation of 
 savages w y ill succeed. When the buffalo is gone the Indians wiJ . 
 cease to hunt. A few years of peace and the game will have dis 
 appeared. In the meantime by the plan suggested we will have 
 formed a nucleus of civilization among the young that will restrain 
 the old and furnish them a home and subsistence when the game 
 is gone. 
 
 The appeal of these old Indians is irresistible. They say, We 
 know nothing about agriculture. We have lived 011 game from 
 infancy. We love the chase. Here are the wide plains over which 
 the vast herds of buffalo roam. In the spring they pass from 
 south to north, and in the fall return, traversing thousands of 
 miles. Where they go you have no settlements ; and if you had, 
 there is room enough for us both. Why limit us to certain 
 boundaries beyond which we shall not follow the game? If you 
 want the lands for settlement come and settle them. We will not 
 disturb you. You may farm and we will hunt. You love the one, 
 wo love the other. If you want game we will share it with you. 
 If we want bread, and you have it to spare, give it to us ; but do 
 not spurn us from your doors. Be kind to us and we will be kind 
 to you. If we want ammunition, give or sell it to us. We will 
 not use it to hurt you, but pledge you all we have, our word, that 
 at the risk of our own we will defend your lives." 
 
 If Congress should adopt these suggestions, the only question 
 remaining is, whether there shall be one or two territories. Under 
 all the circumstances we would recommend the selection of two, 
 and locate them as follows, viz : 
 
 First, the territory bounded north by Kansas, east by Arkansas 
 and Missouri, south by Texas, and west by the 100th or 101st me 
 ridian. 
 
 In this territory the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, and others of 
 the civilized tribes already reside. In process of time others might 
 
110 
 
 gradually be brought in, and in the course of a few years we might 
 safely calculate on concentrating there the following tribes, to wit : 
 
 Present population. 
 
 Cherokees 14,000 
 
 Creeks 14,390 
 
 Choctaws 12,5CO 
 
 Chickasaws 4, COO 
 
 Seminoles 2, 000 
 
 Osages 3, 000 
 
 Wichitas, (various tribes) 3, H08 
 
 Kiowas and Comanchcs 14,800 
 
 Cheyennes, Arapahocs, and Apaches 4,000 
 
 Pottawatomics 1,092 
 
 Kansas Indians, (various tribes) 4,039 
 
 Navajoes of New Mexico 7, 700 
 
 Total . . 80,435 
 
 It will be seen that we include in this estimate the Kansas Indians 
 and number them at their full population. We learn that treaties 
 are now pending before the Senate for the removal of all the 
 Indians in that State. Among these Indians are many upright, 
 moral, and enlightened men, and our policy, as already indicated, 
 would be to have them take lands in severalty on their present 
 reservations, selling the remainder and becoming incorporated 
 among the citizens of the State. 
 
 The second district might be located as follows, viz : the terri 
 tory bounded north by the 40th parallel, east by the Missouri river, 
 south by Nebraska, and west by the 104th meridian. 
 
 If the hostile Sioux cannot be induced to remove from tho 
 Powder river, a hunting privilege may be extended to them for a 
 time, while the nucleus of settlement may be forming on the Mis 
 souri, the White Earth or Cheyenne river. To prevent war, if in 
 sisted on by the Sioux, tho western boundary might be extended 
 to the 100th or even the 107th meridian for the present. 
 
 The following tribes might in a reasonable time be concentrated 
 on this reservation, to wit : 
 
120 
 
 Present population. 
 
 Yancton Sioux 2, 530 
 
 Poncas 980 
 
 Lower Brules 1,200 
 
 Lower Yanctonais 2, 100 
 
 Two Kettles 1,200 
 
 Elackfeet 1,320 
 
 Minneconjoux 2,220 
 
 Uncpapas 1, 800 
 
 Ogallallas 2,100 
 
 Upper Yanctonais 2, 400 
 
 Sans Arcs 1,G80 
 
 Arickarees 1, GOO 
 
 Gros-Veiitres 400 
 
 Mandans 400 
 
 Assinaboines 2, G40 
 
 Flatheads 558 
 
 Upper Pcnd d Oreilles 918 
 
 Kootcnays 287 
 
 Blackfcet 2,450 
 
 Picgans 1,870 
 
 Bloods 2, 150 
 
 Gros-Ventres 1,500 
 
 Crows 3,000 
 
 Winnebagoes 1, 750 
 
 Omahas 998 
 
 Ottoes 511 
 
 Brule and Ogallalla Sioux 7,8G5 
 
 Northern Cheyennes 1,800 
 
 Northern Arapahocs 750 
 
 Santee Sioux 1,3,:0 
 
 Total 54,126 
 
 It may be advisable to let the Winnebagoes, Omahas, Ottoes, 
 Santee Sioux, and perhaps others, remain where they are, and 
 finally become incorporated with the citizens of Nebraska, as sug 
 gested in regard to the Kansas tribes. 
 
 The next injunction upon us was to make secure our frontier 
 
121 
 
 settlements and the building of our railroads to the Pacific. If 
 peace is maintained with the Indian, every obstacle to the spread 
 of our settlements and the rapid construction of the railroads will 
 be removed. To maintain peace with the Indian, let the frontier 
 settler treat him with humanity, and railroad directors see to it 
 that he is not shot down by employes in wanton cruelty. In short, 
 if settlers and railroad men will treat Indians as they would treat 
 whites under similar circumstances, we apprehend but little trou 
 ble will exist. They must acquaint themselves with the treaty 
 obligations of the Government, and respect them as the highest 
 law of the land. Instead of regarding the Indian as an enemy, let 
 them regard him as a friend, and they will almost surely receive 
 his friendship and esteem. If they will look upon him as an un 
 fortunate human being, deserving their sympathy and care, instead 
 of a wild beast to be feared and detested, then their own hearts 
 have removed the chief danger. 
 
 We were also required to suggest some plan for the civilization 
 of Indians. In our judgment, to civilize is to remove the causes 
 of war, and under that head we suggested a plan for civilizing 
 those cast of the mountains. But as it is impracticable to bring 
 within the two districts named all the Indians under our jurisdic 
 tion, we beg the privilege to make some general suggestions, which 
 may prove beneficial to the service. 
 
 1. We recommend that the intercourse laws with the Indian 
 tribes be thoroughly revised. They were adopted when the Indian 
 bureau was connected with the War Department. Since that time 
 the jurisdiction has been transferred to the Interior Department. 
 This was done by simply declaring that the authority over this 
 subject, once exercised by the Secretary of War, should now bo 
 exercised by the Secretary of the Interior. Some of the duties en 
 joined by these laws are intimately connected with the War De 
 partment, and it is questionable whether they were intended to be 
 transferred to the Secretary of the Interior. If they were so trans 
 ferred, the military officers insist that the command of the army 
 is, pro tanto, withdrawn from them. If not transferred, the Indian 
 department insists that its powers are insufficient for its own pro 
 tection in the administration of its affairs. Hence the necessity of 
 clearly defining the line separating the rights and duties of the two 
 departments. 
 
 2. This brings us to consider the much mooted question whether 
 
122 
 
 the bureau should belong to the civil or military department of 
 the Government. To determine this properly we must first know 
 what is to be the future treatment of the Indians. If we intend 
 to have war with them the bureau should go to the Secretary of 
 War. If we intend to have peace it should be in the civil depart 
 ment. In our judgment, such wars are wholly unnecessary, and 
 hoping that the Government and the country will agree with us, 
 we cannot now advise the change. It is possible, however, that, 
 despite our efforts to maintain peace, war may be forced on us by 
 some tribe or tribes of Indians. In the event of such occurrence 
 it maybe well to provide, in the revision of the intercourse laws or 
 elsewhere, at what time the civil jurisdiction shall cease and the 
 military jurisdiction begin. If thought advisable, also, Congress 
 may authorize the President to turn over to the military the ex 
 clusive control of such tribes as may be continually hostile or un 
 manageable. Under the plan which we have suggested the chief 
 duties of the bureau will be to educate and instruct in the peaceful 
 arts in other words, to civilize the Indians. The military arm of 
 the Government is not the most admirably adapted to discharge 
 duties of this character. We have the highest possible apprecia 
 tion of the officers of the army, and fully recognize their proverbial 
 integrity and honor; but we are satisfied that not one in a thou 
 sand would like to teach Indian children to read and write, or 
 Indian men to sow and reap. These are emphatically civil, and 
 not military, occupations. But it is insisted that the present 
 Indian service is corrupt, and this change should be made to get 
 rid of the dishonest. That there are many bad men connected 
 with the service cannot be denied. The records are abundant to 
 show that agents have pocketed the funds appropriated by the 
 Government and driven the Indians to starvation. It cannot be 
 doubted that Indian wars have originated from this cause. The 
 Sioux war, in Minnesota, is supposed to have been produced in 
 this way. For a long time these officers have been selected from 
 partisan ranks, not so much on account of honesty and qualifica 
 tion as for devotion to party interests, and their willingness to apply 
 the money of the Indian to promote the selfish schemes of local 
 politicians. We do not doubt that some such men may be in the 
 service of the bureau now, and this leads us to suggest : 
 
 3. That Congress pass an act fixing a day (not later than the 1st 
 of February, H69) when the offices of all superintendents, agents, 
 
123 
 
 and special agents shall be vacated. Such persons as have proved 
 themselves competent and faithful may be reappointed. Those 
 who have proved unfit will find themselves removed without an 
 opportunity to divert attention from their own unworthiiiess by 
 professions of party zeal. 
 
 4. We believe the Indian question to be one of such momentous 
 importance, as it respects both the honor and interests of the na 
 tion, as to require for its proper solution an undivided responsibil 
 ity. The vast and complicated duties now devolved upon the Sec 
 retary of the Interior, leave him too little time to examine and 
 determine the multiplicity of questions necessarily connected with 
 the government and civilization of a race. The same may be said 
 of the Secretary of War. As things now are, it is difficult to fix 
 responsibility. "When errors are committed the civil department 
 blames the military ; the military retort by the charge of ineffici 
 ency or corruption against the officers of the bureau. The Com 
 missioner of Indian Affairs escapes responsibility by pointing to 
 the Secretary of the Interior, while the Secretary may well respond 
 that, though in theory he may be responsible, practically he is 
 governed by the head of the bureau. We, therefore, recommend 
 that Indian affairs be committed to an independent bureau or de 
 partment. Whether the head of the department should be made 
 a member of the President s cabinet is a matter for the discretion 
 of Congress and yourself, and may be as well settled without any 
 suggestions from us. 
 
 5. We cannot close this report without alluding to another mat 
 ter calling for the special attention of Congress. Governors of 
 Territories are now ex officio superintendents of Indian affairs with 
 in their respective jurisdictions. The settlements in the new Ter 
 ritories are generally made on Indian lands before the extinguish 
 ment of the Indian title. If difficulties ensue between the whites 
 and Indians, the governor too frequently neglects the rights of the 
 red man, and yields to the demands of those who have votes to 
 promote his political aspirations in the organization of the forth 
 coming State. Lest any acting governor may suppose himself al 
 luded to, we take occasion to disclaim such intention. We might 
 cite instances of gross outrage in the past, but we prefer to base 
 the recommendation upon general principles, which can be readily 
 understood. And in this connection we deem it of the highest 
 importance that 
 
124 
 
 G. No governor or legislature of States or Territories be per 
 mitted to call out and equip troops for the purpose of carrying on 
 war against Indians. It was Colorado troops that involved us 
 in the war of 1864-65, with the Cheyennes. It was a regiment 
 of hundred-day men that perpetrated the butchery at Sand Creek, 
 and took from the treasury millions of money. A regiment of 
 Montana troops, last September, would have involved us in an al 
 most interminable war with the Crows but for the timely interven 
 tion of the military authorities. If we must have Indian wars, let 
 them be carried on by the regular army, whose officers are gen 
 erally actuated by the loftiest principles of humanity, and the 
 honor of whose profession requires them to respect the rules of 
 civilized warfare. 
 
 7. In reviewing the intercourse laws it would be well to pres 
 cribe anew the conditions upon which persons may be authorized 
 to trade. At present every one trades with or without the author 
 ity of the bureau officers, on giving a bond approved by a judge 
 of one of the district courts. Corrupt and dangerous men thus 
 find their way among the Indians, who cheat them in trade, and 
 sow the seeds of dissension and trouble. 
 
 8. New provision should be made authorizing and positively 
 directing the military authorities to remove white persons who 
 persist in trespassing on Indian reservations and unceded Indian 
 lands. 
 
 9. The Navajo Indians in New Mexico were for several years 
 held as prisoners of war at the Bosquc Redondo, at a very great 
 expense to the government. They have now been turned over to 
 the Interior Department, and must be subsisted as long as they re 
 main there. We propose that a treaty be made with them, or 
 their consent in some way obtained, to remove at an early day to 
 the southern district selected by us, where they may soon be made 
 self-supporting. 
 
 10. We suggest that the President may, at times, appoint some 
 person or persons in the distant Territories, either civilians or 
 military men, to make inspection of Indian affairs, and report to 
 him. 
 
 11. A new commission should be appointed, or the present one 
 be authorized to meet the Sioux next spring, according to our 
 agreement, and also to arrange with the Navajocs for their re 
 moval. It might be well, also, in case our suggestions are adopted 
 
125 
 
 in regard to selecting Indian territories, to extend the powers of 
 the commission, so as to enable us to conclude treaties or agree 
 ments with tribes confessedly at peace, looking to their concentra 
 tion upon the reservations indicated. 
 
 In the course of a short time the Union Pacific railroad will havo 
 reached the country claimed by the Snakes, Bannacks, and other 
 tribes, and, in order to preserve peace with them the commission 
 should be required to sec them and make with them satisfactory 
 arrangements. 
 
 Appended hereto will be found 
 
 1. The journal of our meetings, and councils held. 
 
 2. The detailed mass of evidence taken and reports collected, 
 illustrative of the objects embraced in the act creating the com 
 mission. 
 
 3. The treaty made and concluded with the Kiowas and Co- 
 maiiches. 
 
 4. The supplementary treaty made and concluded with the 
 Apaches of the plains. 
 
 5. The treaty of peace made and concluded with the Cheyennes 
 and Arapahocs. 
 
 G. The account current of all moneys received and disbursed by 
 authority of the commission. 
 
 In conclusion, we beg permission to return our thanks to the 
 officers of the military posts everywhere within the limits of our 
 operations, for their uniform courtesy and kindness. The officers 
 of the railroad companies on the plains especially are entitled to 
 our thanks for kind co-operation in the objects of our mission, and 
 attention to our convenience and comfort. 
 
 Respectfully submitted : 
 
 K. G. TAYLOR, President, 
 
 J. B. HENDERSON, 
 
 W. T. SHERMAN, Lieut. Gen., 
 
 WM. S. HARNEY, Bvt. Maj. Gen., 
 
 JOHN B. SANBORN, 
 
 ALFRED H. TERRY, Bvt. Maj. Gen., 
 
 S. F. TAPPAN, 
 
 C. C. AUGUR, Bvt. Maj. Gen. II. S. A., 
 
 Commissioners. 
 WASHINGTON CITY, D. C., 
 
 January 7, 18C8. 
 
YB 2060! 
 
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 LOAN DEPT. 
 
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 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
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