Waupaca County, Wisconsin - Chapter 1, 1890

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 ever^^ 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 w^hite men were here to rob him of his heritage, or to circumscribe the limits of his hunting grounds. He was happ^^ - 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 w^ar, 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 w^orse 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 da^^s, 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 speed^^ 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 !