558 APPENDIX. 



of this river, between the St. Croix and Chippewa Rivers. No 

 other tribe has now, or has had, within the memory of man, a 

 village or permanent possession on this part of the shore. It is 

 landed on in fear. It is often passed by other nations by stealth, 

 and at night. Such is not an exaggerated picture. And with a 

 knowledge of their geographical advantages, and numbers, and 

 distribution, on the tributary streams, slight causes, it may be 

 imagined, will often excite the young and thoughtless portion of 

 them to raise the war-club, to chant the war-song, and follow the 

 war-path. 



To remove these causes, to teach them the folly of such a 

 contest, to remind them of the treaty stipulations and promises 

 solemnly made to the Government, and to the Sioux, and to induce 

 them to renew those promises, and to act on fixed principles of 

 political faith, were the primary objects committed to me ; and 

 they were certainly objects of exalted attainment, according as 

 well with the character of the Government as with the spirit and 

 moral and intellectual tone of the age. To these objects I have 

 faithfully, as I believe, devoted the means at my command. And 

 the Chippewas cannot, hereafter, err on the subject of their hos- 

 tilities with the Sioux, without knowing that the error is disap- 

 proved by the American government, and that a continuance in 

 it will be visited upon them in measures of severity. 



Without indulging the expectation that my influence on the 

 tour will have the effect to put an end to the spirit of predatory 

 warfare, it may be asserted that this spirit has been checked and 

 allayed ; and that a state of feeling and reflection has been pro- 

 duced by it, which cannot fail to be beneficial to our relations 

 with them, and to their relations with each other. The messages 

 sent to the Sioux chiefs, may be anticipated to have resulted in 

 restoring a perfect peace during the present fall and ensuing win- 

 ter, and will thus leave to each party the undisturbed chase of 

 their lands. The meditated blow of Steenaba was turned aside, 

 and his war-party arrested and dispersed at the moment it was 

 ready to proceed. Every argument was used to show them the 

 folly and the insecurity of a continuance of the war. And the 

 whole tenor and effect of my visit has been to inform and reform 

 these remote bands. It has destroyed the charm of their seclu- 

 sion. It has taught them that their conduct is under the super- 



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