Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-09-02

Alter waiting nall an hour ana none OF the /
other chiefs having spoken, the Governor a
gain took occasion to urge upon the Chippe-
ways the necessity of being at peace with the
Sioux. |
Several chiefs came forward to ask ques-
tons respecting the map of the country wish
led to be purchased, and seemed to understand
ed till tomorrow.
THURSDAY, July 9th.
The Council met at II o'clock, A. M.
Ma-ghe-ga-bo, rThe Trapper) and Pa-goona,
lpe-shig, crhe hole in the Day. came forward
as speakers in behalf of their nation.
/ Ma-ghe-ga-bo, was dressed in the full In
dian costume, naked, with the exception Of his
lleggings, breech cloth and fapp, highly paint
ed with red, his hair hanging loosely on his
shoulders, coronet of the feathers of the bald
eagle placed on his head by the chiefs, and se-
veral medals hung around his neck. He adj
yanced TO the Governor, and with the map be-
fore him, pointing to it with his finger, said:
NV father, this is the country which is the
home of your children. l have covered it with
paper, Che had done SOY and so soon as | re-
move that paper the land shall be yours. l
have listened closely to the words the chiefs
have told me to say to you.
My father, when we first met here, we smo-
ked and shook hands together. Four times we
have gone through the same ceremony, and
now, on the fifth, we have come to give you
an answer. stand here to represent the chiefs
of the different bands Of my nation, and to tell
you that they agree to sell you the land you
want.
My father, in all the country we sell you,
we wish to hold on to that which gives us
1,l ,x,bo Gcha nd
the tree from which we make sugar. have
hut few words 10 say, but they are the words
of the chiefs, and very important. The being
who created us, made us naked. He gave you
and your people knowledge and power to live
we'll. Not so with MS; we had to cover our
selves will, moss and rotten wood, and you
must shew your generosity towards u.s. The
chiefs will now shew you the tree we wish TO
preserve. This is it (placng an oak sprg up
on the table.) 1t is a different kind of tree
from the one you wish to get from US. Every
time the leaves fail from it, we will count it
as one winter past
NV father You have told us what you
want, and answer you in the name OF the
chiefs. am no chief, bu,a warrior, and the
badge that / wear is to make me respected by
my people.
We have understood you will pay US in
goods and money for our lands, and we wish
! to know now how much you viii giyt us for
them.
Gov. Dodge then directed the Interpreter
to say to them: AS the lands belong to you, |
wish you TO tell me what you wish me to pay
you for it. If your cannot come to concu-
sion among yourselves, would recommend
you to ask aid of your fathers (the sub-agcn's
/ Vineyard e. Bushnell.) But ifyou can deter
mine among yourselves, do so.
/ Maggie ga-bo-- My father, If you offer us
money and goods we will take both. You see
me count my fingers, Counting six.) Every
finger counts ten. For SO many years we wish
you to pay US an annuity. After tina. our gray
children, who will have grown up, can sPeS
for themselves. We viii consult with our faN
Tiers, (the sub-agents) and ask them what is
the value of the land, and what annuity we
ought to receive for sixty years.
My father, take the land you ask from u.s.
Our chiefs have good hearts. Our women have
brought the half breeds among us, They are
poor, and we wish them to be provided for.
They are here, and have left many OF their chill
behind them. We wish TO divide with
VI. This is the decision Of the chiefs.
We have met here this morning we have
kade up our minds TO comply with your
"eA"'s ~
what has happened before, but will begin our
business anew with you from this day. What
you propose to give us, we wish to share only
with our half breeds, that our people may en-
lioy the benefits Of it. We will hold firmly
what you give us that nobody may get 1t from
us. NV father, we once more recommend
our half breeds to your kindness. They are
very numerous. We wish you TO select
place for them on this river, where they may
live and raise their children, and have their
lioys Of life. III have we'll understood you,
we can remain on the lands and hunt there.---
We have heretofore got our living on them.
We hope your people will not act towards ours
as your forefathers did towards our own, but
that you will always treat US kindly as you DO
now.
My father, we understand you have been
told that our country is not good to cultivate.
1t is not true. There is no better ground 10
cultivate than it until you get up to where the
pine region commences.
1 My father, you will now see all your chill
dren in whose behalf speak. All the chiefs
who agree TO sell you the land will now rise.
They did 80, to the number Of thirty and up
wards.) Ma-ghe-ga-bo, then raised the paper
he had placed over the map, took Gov. Dodge
by the hand, and continued. My father, will
not let go your hand until have counted the
number Of our villages. The Great Spirit
first made the earth thin and light, but it has
now become heavier. We do not wish to dis
appoint you and our great father beyond the
mountains in the object you had in coming here.
We therefore grant you the country you want
from us, and the chiefs who represent all the
villages within its limits are now present, the
number Of the villages (nineteen) is marked
on this paper, and present it to you in ac-
knowledgment that we grant you the land.
This piece OBTAINING in his hand another piece
! ofpapeD we will keep. because we wish TO