Waupaca County WI Archives History - Books .....Chapter I 1890
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 19, 2007, 4:05 am

Book Title: History Of Waupaca Co., WI

HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.

WAUPACA COUNTY—THE INDIANS—HERE THEIR HUNTING GROUNDS—THEIR DEGENERACY—THEIR
INHUMANITY COMPARED WITH THAT OF THE WHITES.

  The territory embraced in the present limits of Waupaca County was but
recently the home of the red man. Here were his favorite hunting grounds. Here,
on every side, were found the bear, the wolf, the elk, the deer, and other
valued game. The numerous lakes, the ponds, the rivers, and smaller streams were
stocked with almost every variety of fish; and no-white men were here to rob him
of his heritage, or to circumscribe the limits of his hunting grounds. He was
happy— happy in his innocence—happy in his ignorance of the many wants which
render the man of civilization discontented and miserable. He may have had his
vices, but they were virtues in comparison with those taught him by the
civilized whites.

  From being the type of a manly, noble race, he is but the weak, degenerate
relic of a race just passing into oblivion. But a few more years and the last
Indian will have disappeared—a few more, and all that will be known of him will
be what little may be learned from tradition. The Indian has no history.

  Has the Indian been benefited by contact with civilization? We think not. Even
Christianity could not avert the doom of the poor red man. Strip him of his
barbarism, and there would be nothing left. His nature is wild, and you can not
change it. He can not be tamed, he will not be civilized. He may be
"Christianized," but that is unnatural. His destiny is to pass away—to make room
for a superior race, that, perhaps, in turn to be supplanted!

  We are apt to blame the Indian for his inhumanity in war, for his murdering
and scalping of helpless women and innocent children, for his torture of
defenceless captives, and for other atrocious acts, and are ever ready to charge
it to his barbarism. But is the barbarism of the aborigine peculiar? Has he
been, is he now, any worse than the civilized white races? The Indian is cruel.
The wars of Christian races are simply unjustifiable, unnatural, devilish! The
Indian tomahawks and scalps all, without regard to age or sex. The shot and
shell of the Christian tear and mangle the quivering flesh of manhood, age,
beauty and infancy, in the beleaguered town or city. The excuse is "necessity."
That is a barbarian's excuse. But, it is said, the Indian tortures his captives,
and burns at the stake those of his enemies who are unfortunate enough to fall
in his power. That is cruel; but what tortures are inflicted by those whose
creed teaches them better things! How many poor, bleeding, moaning victims are
taken from every Christian battlefield, to linger for days, perhaps weeks, or
even months in mortal agonies scarce exceeded, if equalled, by those felt by the
victims of Indian cruelty and revenge!

  We do not justify or excuse the Indian. We condemn him for his cruelties, and
wonder why humanity is permitted to fall so low. But we also condemn the
barbarity of the whites. It is not in accordance with the true spirit of
Christianity. It is quite a different spirit which governs the Christian as well
as the pagan world. Will the time ever come when nations as well as individuals
shall learn to love and practice the "golden rule?" Perhaps; but present
appearances do not indicate a speedy millenium!

  "Love your enemies" was the noblest, the grandest doctrine taught by our
Saviour. The doctrine of universal love is the best, the most attractive part of
Christianity. But how few practice it! War is cruel, horrible, unchristian. It
can be conducted only in blood and rapine. It arouses and sets in action all the
baser passions in the human breast, whether in that of a heathen or of a
Christian, and all the logic in the world can make it only what it is—an
unmitigated curse!

  How long have the Indians inhabited this continent? Were they the original
owners of the soil, or did they take possession, perhaps thousands of years ago,
of a country formerly held by a different race, long since extinct? If they were
not created here, where did they come from, and how long have they been here?
They were powerful once, and must have possessed a sort of civilization. But, as
we said before, they have no history. No hieroglyphics will ever give the
antiquarian an excuse for guessing anything about their past. Their mounds tell
us nothing definite, and even tradition has but little to say, and evidently
lies when it does attempt to speak. In short, we know all we ever shall know of
them, and that is that they are now what they ever will be—Indians!


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY, WISCONSIN.

By J. WAKEFIELD,
Historian of Old Settlers' Society of Waupaca County.

WAUPACA, WIS.: D. L. STINCHFIELD,
1890.

COPYRIGHT, 1890, BY J. WAKEFIELD AND D. L. STINCHFIELD.

Printed by D. L. STINCHFIELD, Waupaca, Wis. 
Bound by W. B. CONKEY, Chicago.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/waupaca/history/1890/historyo/chapteri199gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/

File size: 5.5 Kb