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第35章

indian heroes and great chieftains(印第安英雄)-第35章


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taken by him to call upon certain of his mother's relatives。 

     The   ascendancy   of   Hole…in…the…Day   was   not   gained   entirely   through 

the consent of his people; but largely by government favor; therefore there 

was strong suppressed resentment among his associate chiefs; and the Red 

Lake and Leech Lake bands in fact never acknowledged him as their head; 

while they suspected him of making treaties which involved some of their 

land。    He was in personal danger from this source; and his life was twice 

attempted;      but;   though     wounded;      in  each    case   he    recovered。      His 

popularity with Indian agents and officers lasted till the Republicans came 



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                        INDIAN HEROES AND GREAT CHIEFTAINS 



into power in the sixties and there was a new deal。                 The chief no longer 

received the favors and tips to which he was accustomed; in fact he was in 

want of luxuries; and worse still; his pride was hurt by neglect。                  The new 

party had promised Christian treatment to the Indians; but it appeared that 

they  were   greater   grafters   than   their   predecessors;   and   unlike   them   kept 

everything for themselves; allowing no perquisites to any Indian chief。 

     In   his   indignation   at   this   treatment;   Hole…in…the…Day  began   exposing 

the   frauds   on   his   people;   and   so   at   a   late   day   was   converted   to   their 

defense。      Perhaps he had not fully understood the nature of graft until he 

was in a position to view it from the outside。              After all; he was excusable 

in seeking to maintain the dignity of his office; but he had departed from 

one of the fundamental rules of the race; namely: 〃Let no material gain be 

the motive or reward of public duty。〃              He had wounded the ideals of his 

people   beyond   forgiveness;   and   he   suffered   the   penalty;   yet   his   courage 

was   not   diminished   by   the   mistakes   of   his   past。   Like   the   Sioux   chief 

Little Crow; he   was called   〃the betrayer   of his people〃; and   like him  he 

made a desperate effort to regain lost prestige; and turned savagely against 

the original betrayers of his confidence; the agents and Indian traders。 

     When the Sioux finally broke out in 1862; the first thought of the local 

politicians     was    to   humiliate     Hole…in…the…Day        by   arresting    him    and 

proclaiming       some    other   〃head    chief〃   in  his  stead。    In   so  doing    they 

almost forced the Ojibways to fight under his leadership。                   The chief had 

no   thought   of   alliance   with   the   Sioux;   and   was   wholly   unaware   of   the 

proposed   action   of   the   military  on   pretense   of   such   a   conspiracy   on   his 

part。    He was on his way to the agency in his own carriage when a runner 

warned him of his danger。           He thereupon jumped down and instructed the 

driver to proceed。        His coachman was arrested by a file of soldiers; who 

when they discovered their mistake went to his residence in search of him; 

but meanwhile he had sent runners in every direction to notify his warriors; 

and   had   moved   his   family   across   the   Mississippi。        When   the   military 

reached the river bank he was still in sight; and the lieutenant called upon 

him   to   surrender。     When   he   refused;   the   soldiers   were   ordered   to   fire 

upon him; but he replied with his own rifle; and with a whoop disappeared 

among the pine groves。 



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                       INDIAN HEROES AND GREAT CHIEFTAINS 



     It was remarkable how the whole tribe now rallied to the call of Hole… 

in…the…Day。      He   allowed   no   depredations   to   the   young   men   under   his 

leadership; but camped openly near the agency and awaited an explanation。 

Presently     Judge    Cooper     of   St。  Paul;   a  personal    friend   of   the   chief; 

appeared; and later on the Assistant Secretary of the Interior; accompanied 

by Mr。 Nicolay; private secretary of President Lincoln。                  Apparently that 

great   humanitarian   President   saw   the   whole   injustice   of   the   proceeding 

against a loyal nation; and the difficulty was at an end。 

     Through   the  treaties   of  1864;   1867;   and   1868   was   accomplished   the 

final   destiny   of   the   Mississippi   River   Ojibways。      Hole…in…the…Day   was 

against their removal to what is now White Earth reservation; but he was 

defeated     in  this   and   realized   that   the  new    turn   of  events   meant     the 

downfall   of   his   race。   He   declared   that   he   would   never   go   on   the   new 

reservation; and he kept his word。           He remained on one of his land grants 

near    Crow    Wing。     As    the  other   chiefs   assumed     more    power;    the  old 

feeling   of   suspicion   and   hatred   became   stronger;   especially   among   the 

Pillager   and   Red   Lake   bands。     One   day   he   was   waylaid   and   shot   by   a 

party of these disaffected Indians。          He uttered a whoop and fell dead from 

his buggy。 

     Thus died one of the most brilliant chiefs of the Northwest; who never 

defended his birthright by force of arms; although almost compelled to do 

so。    He succeeded in diplomacy so long as he was the recognized head of 

his people。      Since we have not passed over his weaknesses; he should be 

given     credit   for  much     insight   in   causing    the  article   prohibiting     the 

introduction of liquor into the Indian country to be inserted into the treaty 

of   1858。     I   think   it  was   in  1910    that   this  forgotten    provision     was 

discovered and again enforced over a large expanse of territory occupied 

by whites; it being found that the provision had never been repealed。 

     Although he left many children; none seem to have made their mark; 

yet it may be that in one of his descendants that undaunted spirit will rise 

again。 



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