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The Dakotian,
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE TERRITORY.
DAKOTIAN COMPANY, - EDITORS.

YANKTON, DAKOTA TERRITORY.
Tuesday, : : : August 11, 1863
A Talk With Copperheads.

The attempt through selfish of ambi-
tious motives to perpetrate a wrong
against a friend, or to fix a stain upon the
character of an individual standing in
that relation, would, very justly, in all
civilized society, be deemed most repre-
hensible. What distinction, in principle,
we would ask, is there between such a
case and that of a person or community
who would perpetrate a wrong upon a
State or Government? Except, in the
first instance, the wrong would affect,
perhaps, only a single individual, while
in the latter case, a whole community,
State or Government might asuffer; there-
fore, the latter is the more reprehensible,
in proportion to the increased ratio of in-
dividuals affected.

The cry of the new-fangled Democra-
cy now is—fight lightly in your efforts to
suppress the rebellion—do not regard the
demands of the loyal majority of our coun-
try—heed not the voice of humanity, that
comes to us from every corner of the civ-
ilized globe, against tyranny and oppres-
sion—do not regard the fact that it is the
appeal of the christian world to the Ad-
ministation and the People, to make un-
questionable the intent to declare, estab-
lish and maintain the moral and christian
principles set forth in the Declaration of
Independence, and secured to us as a peo-
ple in the adoption of our present Con-
stitution—regard not the undeniable fact
that not only politically, but morally and
pecuniarily, it will be for the lasting ben-
efit of our whole country, South as well
as North, to put down, at any sacrifice,
this unholy and causeless rebellion—re-
gard not the fact that this result is physi-
cally and Constitutionally within the pow-
er of the Government. But on the other
hand, hear our (Copperhead) demand for
peace, and help us, dear people, to save
our politial platform We, the sympa-
thizers, pray you to come forward, one
and all, and aid us to place men in power
whose only aim has been and still is to
subvert and destroy this blood-bought
fabric of Free Government.

Grant, for a moment, that no obstacle
stood in the way of the consummation of
these unholy purposes. Would any one,
but a Copperhead, argue that our Gov-
ernment should prostrate itself at the feet
of the worsted Chivalry, plead with them
to return, accompained by their peculiar
institution—the combustible material that
produced the present explosion? We
think not. Our safety, as a nation, de-
mands the final destruction of this dan-
gerous element of revolution—Slavery.

Will it, then, be less urgent upon the
Administation to secure the nation's safe-
ty, if it requires the destruction of a mor-
al and political wrong—a nation's shame
—a blighting curse upon a gree Govern-
ment, though acquiesced in for nearly a
century? Should not all other consider-
tions be second to that of our national
preservation?

These peace men insist that if the
South can be induced to return to the
Union as it was, that union will be last-
ing. We would ask, why were they not
contented to remain in the Union "as
it was?" Why have our legislative coun-
cils known no harmony since the day the
arch-traitor, John C. Calhoun, introduced
his damnable doctrine of nullification and
State rights?

Is not the present rebellion the legiti-
mate result of a persistent effor, on the

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part of the South, to fasten the curse of
human slavery upon every foot of free
Territory belonging to the Government [cut off]

Let our Northern sympathisers answer
these questions, that the people may judge
as to the cogency of their arguments
and the real motives that prompt their
unnatural opposition to the Govern-
ment.

We freely confess it as an article of our
political faith, that in time of peace and
national tranquility, it would be a high-
handed act of depotism to wipe out, by
Congressional enactment, an institution
peculiar to a State, recognized by the Con-
stitution of the United States.

So long as the institution of human
slavery affected only the relations of a
State government, with the people there-
of, it was and should have remained safe
under the Constituion; but when it step-
ped beyond its proper limit, and attempt-
ed, as it has in the rebellion, to destroy
the Constitution under which it existed,
and to overthrow the Government that
protected it, it is the imperative duty of
that Government to wipe it out forever.
This to-day is the position occupied by
that institution through the criminal acts
of its supporters, and its ultimate destruc-
tion in inevitable. The institution of slav-
ery aims at the life of this Government,
and for that reason can be Constitutional-
ly abolished. We therefore believe it to
be not only right, but the duty of the
Executive, as Commander-in-chief of the
army and navy, to declare the slaves free,
if, in his opinion, they, as slaves, add
strength to the rebellion.

The President's proclamation of free-
dom seems to be one of the stumbling
blocks in the way of our peace brethren;
indeed, it is about the only one remain-
ing. THe gloomy pictures presented by
the Northern sympathizers are unqualifi-
edly false, and only demonstrate the igno-
rance or corruption of those who hold
them forth.

When the rebels lay down their arms,
restore to the Government all Federal
property, and quietly submit to the su-
preme law of the land, and, we would add,
surrender for punishment the leaders of
the rebellion; then, and not until then,
will there be peace.

Surveyor General G.D. Hill.

We had hoped that the brief but plain
hints we dropped two weeks ago would be
sufficient to induce Gen'l Hill to change
his "base of operations," and make, at
least, one move in the right direction,
having for its object the good of Dakota;
but we have failed to discern anything
indicating a change of policy, or that
would offer the slightest grounds of hope
of official reformation; and as we have
looked in vain for even a blush of shame
upon his sin-soaked visage; however dis-
agreeable the task, we feel it our duty
again to allude to a line of official policy
that has been so prolific of political scan-
dal.

If the Surveyor General had been con-
tent with bringing to the Territory his
Chief Clerk and Draughtsman (as these
two positions are the only one requiring
a high order of ability, and we might
add, were filled by gentlemen combining
the qualities of thorough and obliging bu-
siness men and useful citizens)—after
which, in the appointment of his deputies
and employees, to have given the prefer-
ence, or at least an equal chance, to resi-
dents of the Territory, the people would
have been entirely satisfied with his ad-
ministration, and his office would have
been as deservedly popular, as it is now
universally odious.

As an excuse for his conduct, he al-
leges that no work was solicited by resi-
dent surveyors, (but this we know to be
false) and, therefore, he employed exclu-
sively strangers.

There was litte encouragement held

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out for a resident surveyor to apply for
work, for from the first day of General
Hill's arrival in the Territory, his office
was surrounded by a double picket guard
of non-residents, to whom he had given
contracts prior to their importation, and
to satisfy which the appropriation was ab-
sorbed; hence there was nothing left to
apply for.

So odious has been the course pursued
by the Surveyor General, that, rather
than himself and his yearly imported dep-
uties chould [could] monopolize the profits of the
Government surveying to the utter exclu-
sion of competent citizens, the peo-
ple of the Territory would oppose
any further appropriations by Congress
for that purpose, during the administra-
tion of the present incumbent. And so
strong was the popular feeling on this
matter that at the Territorial Rebuplican
Union Convention, convened at Vermil-
lion, in July, 1862, it was deemed neces-
saru to make pledges touching the case,
to satisfy the people. We copy the follow-
ing extract from the 4th Resolution,
unanimously adopted by said convention.
They pledge themselves to a policy "that
shall favor the expenditure, in the Territo-
ry of all moneys in future appropriated
for the public purposes of the Territory by
the general Government, and the disburse-
ment of the same to actual and bona fide
residents of Dakota."

And to show what was intended to be
understood by said resolution, we make
the following extracts from an editorial in
the DAKOTIAN of date July 22d,
1862:

"We place the platform adopted at
Vermillion by the Republican and Union
Convention at the head of our columns
again to-day, and we intend to float it
there as our banner through the cam-
paign. * * * * The
language is plain—the avowals are expli-
cit—the pledges are clear and earnest.—
The candidates who accept this platform
now, must live by it until the policy it in-
dicates shall be established.

"What stronger pledges can the people
of Dakota demand than are embodied in
these resolutions? What men are enti-
tled to the suffrages of Dakotians, if not
those who march under such a standard,
whose banners are inscibed [inscribed] with "Lands
for actual settlers," "a fair division of
te unclaimed timber," "a railroad up
the Missouri Slope," "schools and colle-
ges," and this disbursement of public mo-
neys to residents of the Territory." Where
such mottoes lead, we must follow; to the
tune of such progress we must march.—
What Dakotian will lag behind?"

The Surveyor General's office was ably
represented in that convention by his
Chief Clerk and Draughtsman, and it
would seem that Gen. H. was bound by
the resolution quoted, and that he owes it
to the party and to the Administration to
make good the pledge. Has it been done?
Hear the facts, and there can be but one
answer.

Last winter Congress appropriated
$10,000 for the public surveys in Dako-
ta. Last month Gen. Hill returned to the
Territory from his home in Michigan, ac-
companied by his son, a lad of sixteen
years, without experience or business
qualifications, whom he has given a clerk-
ship in his office, worth $1,100 per an-
num. He, at the same time, imported a
party of deputies to whom he gave a con-
tract amounting to over 7,000. These
contractors were accompanied by a fill
complement of chainmen, axemen, cooks,
scullions, &c. &c., all imported. To one
of his clerks (also from Michigan,) he
gave a contract of surveying, amounting
to over 2,000, which contract has since
been disposed of to another individual,
on terms entirely satisfactory—to the Gen-
eral. This leaves less than one thou-
sand dollars of the appropriation undis-
posed of.

The General claims that we have not
competent resident surveyors, and there-
fore must procure his deputies from
abroad. Is this true? Last year he im-

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ported one of his competent surveyors, to
whom he gave a large contract; but from
some inexplicable cause, this said compe-
tent surveyor could not perform the work,
and had to sub let a large portion of it to
two of our incompetent surveyors—Messrs.
Betts and Armstrong, who finished the
worked assigned them in a way complimen-
tary to them and satisfactory to the Gov-
ernment.

Saturday last the General left for his
home in Michigan, proposing to return in
a month, accompanied by another clerk
for his office, doubtless also from Michi-
gan.

This is the manner in which General
Hill has redeemed the pledges of the
party to which he owes his position. This
is an evidence of his regard for the plight-
ed faith of a convention in which his of-
fice was represented by two votes; and
these are just the reasons why we utterly
and unhesitatingly repudiate him.

Let the facts be known to our friends
abroad, and they will readily perceive why
SURVEYOR GENERAL GEORGE
D. HILL is so odious to the Republican
party, and why he is an official stench in
the nostrils of the whole people.

After the Wiseman Murderers.

By request, Capt. Tripp has furnished
us with the following account of his pur-
suit of the Indians who committed the re-
cent massacre near St. James. It will be
remembered that at the time the Captain
started, nothing had been ascertained con-
cerning the direction taken by the In-
dians. The fact that they had taken a
horse, and all the household portable
goods they could find, was unknown to
him; and he was compelled to rely solely
upon the meagre information gleaned from
"Dakota." He fell upon the trail by the
exercise of unceasing vigilance, and in
prosecuting the scout, has proved t our
citizens, that no want of energy or thor-
oughness, has been the cause of his fail-
ure to overtake and chastise these mur-
derers and marauders:

MR. EDITOR:—Thinking that a sketch
of the recent patrolling expedition, made
by a detachment of Company B, Dakota
Cavalry, might not be altogether uninter-
esting to the readers of your paper, I pro-
ceed to state the leading facts connected
with it.

About the hour of noon, July 27th, I
learned, through rumor, that two Indians
had been at the house occupied by "Da-
kota," (a well known citizens of this coun-
ty.) on the east bank of James river, on
the night of the 25th July, about one
o'clock. Immediately upon hearing this,
I repaired to the place, and received from
"Dakota" a statement to this effect:—
Two Indians, sometime during the fore-
part of the night of the 25th July, came
to his house and called him by name, and
asked for and obtained supper. They re-
fused to give any information from whence
they came, or where they were going.—
They remained about two hours, and then
left in the direction of Greenway's ferry,
which course led up the James river.—
Although the Indians knew "Dakota,"
and called him by name, he did not know
them, and could not form any satisfactory
opinion as to what tribe or nation they be-
longed. They told him that they should
travel all night.

After listening to this statement, I took
two of the best trailers in my company,
and aided by "Dakota," consumed the re-
mainer of the 27th in a fruitless search
for some trace of the Indians. I then
agreed with "Dakta" to meet me early
on the following morning, and accompany
me in pursuit of the Indians—I was to
furnish him stating that he could not go on
account of sickness.

ON the morning of the 28th I started,