Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
This object (gain) must be superseded by an equivalent and the idea of
honor transferred to other sources. Take, for instance, the Blackfeet,
who are the most numerous and bloodthirsty nation on the upper
Missouri. Assemble them in treaty and make a distribution of $25,000
or $30,000 in merchandise among them and the deputations of other
nations with whom a peace is to be concluded. How would this operate?
The soldiers of the camp who would be appointed to distribute this
merchandise are the most powerful party, have generally the raising and
leading of war parties, and would take a liberal share of the presents
for themselves. The chiefs and heads of families would also receive a
large amount and the rest be divided among the young men, warriors,
women, etc. The peace would be made, all would be satisfied for the
present; but unless these payments were continued for a number of
years, or until the benefits of peace were realized and acknowledged,
nothing would be gained. An Indian does not reflect upon what he has
received but what is yet in store for him. The prospects of an annual
repetition of these presents would induce them to keep the treaty
stipulations. Why and how? The soldiers, chiefs, and heads of families,
whose voices only could make war, are held in check by the prospects
of gain, and should any parties be raised would be paid to stop, or if
they continued and stole horses, or killed a few of the nation with
whom peace had been made, the affair would be paid for and hushed up on
both sides, on account of the coming presents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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