Masthead of the North Star (Danville); published by E[benezer]. & W. [William?] Eaton. The newspaper was published from 1807 to 1891. Ebenezer Eaton died in 1859. The paper’s motto, “Where liberty dwells, there is my country,” has long been attributed to Benjamin Franklin. But there is no evidence that Franklin wrote or uttered these words. 1823 James Monroe - Defeat of the Ricaree Indians. In 1823, General William Henry Ashley, one of the most wealthy enterprising and distinguished citizens of St. Louis took his first fur-trapping expeditions up the Missouri River to the Rocky Mountains General Ashley embarked on his expedition in the early summer and had already lost one-fourth of his men in violent accidents and war when he met up with the A'Ricaree Indians on the Yellowstone river. In a bloody battle, 14 of his men were killed, while one died later from battle wounds. The A'Ricaree Indians (also known as Arikaree or Arikara) were a semi-nomadic group of Indians, descendants of the Pawnee who migrated up the Missouri River to the Great Plains. Reports of the attack were sent by Major O'Fallen and Major Foster to General Atkinson along with reports of additional "outrages of a similar character" committed by the Blackfoot Indians. In response Colonel Leavenworth gathered 220 regular troops and 80 men from the trading companies to join a "large party of Sioux warriors" to march against the Ricareees. The Ricaree village was strongly fortified high above Council Bluffs, and said to have contained up to 700 warriors. If true, the attempt would be very dangerous and could lead to disaster but according to Major General Brown U.S. Army Commander of Washington City, the effort was needed to send an "exemplary punishment" to the "unprovoked outrages of the Ricarees". To assist, Major General Brown ordered General Atkinson to support Colonel Leavenworth along with six companies of men (a company is 100-250 men). Steamboats were being readied to transport the men. It was the first Indian war west of the Missouri. The Ricaree warriors retreated to their fortified villages. By time Colonel Leavenworth and his men approached the village, the warriors escaped at night, while the angry fur traders set the village on fire. The attack was condemned by some in the Christian community as reported in an 1823 article in the Christian Spectator. The event was described as "the late unhappy affair with the Ricarees terminated". In 1823, the event was compared to "all our wars with the Indian tribes" that devastated their country and caused widespread hatred and bigotry of the Indians, or "fresh odium on their race and name". The article described their accusers as "unprincipled persons" who consider the Indians to be a "men who have cast away the habits of civilized life', to savage and wild to be civilized and Christianized. Indian outrages like General Ashley encountered were being repeated in the newspapers over and over giving way to a general hysteria and prejudice against the Indians, imputing them with a long history of violence, ancient wars and murder. The article recounted a letter from one of the Ricaree Chiefs who expressed desire to provide redress for the attack which took place. The Ricarees sought redress, but received nothing but a contemptuous and menacing reply from the U.S. The chief complained of the hypocrisy of the white men, who fail to provide redress for their the vengeance, but demand redress for the Indians until every last 'farthing' of the loss is paid. In the letter, the chief shared a very prescient look at the future of the Indian tribes. President James Monroe outlined this event in his State of the Union Address. Monroe was very measured in his words, but there is no doubt that he chose to side with those on the side of fierce action to punish the Indians. In his report, he stated that "General Ashley and his party" were trading "peaceably trading with the Indians at their request" when several of his men were killed. Then, he described the response as "measures to check the evil". Finally, he described the actions taken as measures that would leave "such an impression" to "prevent a recurrence of future hostility". "During the month of June last General Ashley and his party, who were trading under a license from the Government, were attacked by the Ricarees while peaceably trading with the Indians at their request. Several of the party were killed and wounded and their property taken or destroyed Colonel Leavenworth, who commanded Fort Atkinson, at the Council Bluffs, the most western post, apprehending that the hostile spirit of the Ricarees would extend to other tribes in that quarter, and that thereby the lives of the traders on the Missouri and the peace of the frontier would be endangered, took immediate measures to check the evil. With a detachment of the regiment stationed at the Bluffs he successfully attacked the Ricaree village, and it is hoped that such an impression has been made on them as well as on the other tribes on the Missouri as will prevent a recurrence of future hostility. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. 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