A SKETCH

OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S DEALINGS

WITH SOME OF THE INDIAN TRIBES

Maria Fiske Hunt

BY HELEN JACKSON (H. H.),

AUTHOR OF “RAMONA," "VERSES," "BITS OF TRAVEL," "BITS OF TRAVEL AT HOME,"
**BITS OF TALK ABOUT HOME MATTERS," "BITS OF TALK FOR YOUNG FOLES,"
"NELLY'S SILVER MINE," H. H.'s CAT STORIES, ETC.

“Every human being born upon our continent, or who comes here from any quarter
of the world, whether savage or civilized, can go to our courts for protection—except
those who belong to the tribes who once owned this country. The cannibal from the
islands of the Pacific, the worst criminals from Europe, Asia, or Africa, can appeal
to the law and courts for their rights of person and property—all, save our native
Indians, who, above all, should be protected from wrong"

Gov. HORATIO SEYMOUR

NEW EDITION, ENLARGED BY THE ADDITION OF THE REPORT of
THE NEEDS OF THE MISSION INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA

BOSTON

ROBERTS BROTHERS

JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBridge,

PREFACE, BY BISHOP WHIPPLE..

INTRODUCTION, BY PRESIDENT JULIUS H. SEELYE....

INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

V

1

V. EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION SENT TO TREAT

WITH THE SIOUX CHIEF SITTING BULL, IN CANADA........... 386

VI. ACCOUNT OF SOME OF THE OLD GRIEVANCES OF THE SIOUX...... 389

VII. LETTER FROM SARAH WINNEMUCCA, AN EDUCATED PAH - UTE

WOMAN......

395

VIII. LAWS OF THE DELAWARE NATION OF INDIANS..

396

IX ACCOUNT OF THE CHEROKEE WHO INVENTED THE CHEROKEE AL-

PHABET...

404

X. PRICES PAID BY WHITE MEN for Scalps......

405

XI. EXTRACT FROM TREATY WITH CHEYENNES IN 1865.

406

XII. WOOD-CUTTING BY INDIANS IN DAKOTA....

407

XIII. SEQUEL TO THE WALLA WALLA MASSACRE.......

407

XIV. AN ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBERS, LOCATION, AND SOCIAL AND IN-

DUSTRIAL CONDITION OF EACH IMPORTANT TRIBE AND BAND OF

INDIANS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.....

411

XV. REPORT ON THE CONDITION AND NEEDS OF THE MISSION

INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA..................

458

PREFACE.

I HAVE been requested to write a preface to this sad story of "A Century of Dishonor." I cannot refuse the request of one whose woman's heart has pleaded so eloquently for the poor Red men. The materials for her book have been taken from official documents. The sad revelation of broken faith, of violated treaties, and of inhuman deeds of violence will bring a flush of shame to the cheeks of those who love their country. They will wonder how our rulers have dared to so trifle with justice, and provoke the anger of God. Many of the stories will be new to the reader. The Indian owns no telegraph, employs no press reporter, and his side of the story is unknown to the people.

Nations, like individuals, reap exactly what they sow; they who sow robbery reap robbery. The seed-sowing of iniquity replies in a harvest of blood. The American people have accepted as truth the teaching that the Indians were a degraded, brutal race of savages, whom it was the will of God should perish at the approach of civilization. If they do not say with our Puri"tan fathers that these are the Hittites who are to be driven out before the saints of the Lord, they do accept the teaching that manifest destiny will drive the Indians from the earth. The inexorable has no tears or pity at the cries of anguish of the doomed race. Ahab never speaks kindly of Naboth, whom he has robbed of his vineyard. It soothes conscience to cast mud on the character of the one whom we have wronged.

The people have laid the causes of Indian wars at the door of the Indian trader, the people on the border, the Indian agents, the army, and the Department of the Interior. None of these are responsible for the Indian wars, which have cost the United States five hundred millions of dollars and tens of thousands of valuable lives. In the olden time the Indian trader was the Indian's friend. The relation was one of mutual dependence. If the trader oppressed the Indian he was in danger of losing his debt;