The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-04

extending from the Mississippi TO the Des
MONIES, and the Sacs and Foxes agreed 10 ced.
an equal quantity of land on their northern
boundary and adjoining the Sioux to be held b,
the United States, as neutral territory, TO whicl
nether party could set up an exclusive clam -
III violation OF this agreement by the United
states as understood by the tribes who mad,
,he cession in 1881, the largest portion Of thes.
lands were assigned TO the Winnebegoes in the
treaty OF 1882, as has already been stated The
Winnebagoes were 10 be al liberty to take pos
session OF the neutral ground as early as the
month OF June, 1888, and they were not per
mitied TO plant, fish or hunt upon the lands
ceded by them after that time The policy OF
lhe treaty of 1882 was evidently to procure a
llne tract OF country for settlement. The assign
ment Of part of the neutral ground, on the
o'her side OF the Mississippi was made the pre-
text only for making a treaty. and to comply
with the act of 1890 only so far as to provide
hat the Indians should 60 from one side of the
river to the other.
but II was soon ascertaned that both the
Sioux, and Sacs, and Foxes would consider the
Winnebagoes us intruders if they attempted 10
occupy the 'sneutral ground y and as there had
been no good feeling between them and either
OF those tribes In time past, they refused to oc-
eapy ~ Fhcy nevertheless retired frc.s, the
country ceded by them in the treaty of 1892 TO
the remaining portion Of their own country east
of the Mississippi
The committee have been more particular in
making these preliminary statements, in order
TO illustrate common source of these Indian
wars, in which the country has been recently
engaged, at so much sacrifice of blood and trea-
sure.
As between the Winnebagoes and United
states things remaining in the situation already
described until 1886, when Congress made an
appropriation for holding treaty with them on
the ground, as II was expressly represented by
the advocates OF the measure at the time that
the Wlnnebagoes would probably agree to treat
upon the basis OF their removal south of the
Missouri river. In the fall Of that wear, General
Dodge, Governor Of the territory Of Wisconsin.
acting under the direction of the Executive,
called council of their chiefs and proposed to
treat with them for cession of all their lands
east OF the river Mississippi, but they declined
positively to treat upon any terms. In 1927 it
appears, by the evidence of Satterlee Clark. that
delegation of the different bands of the tribe
was prevailed upon to visit Washington upon
me express and repeated assurance of their
trends, on whom they had most confidence that
they would not be expected or required to make
treaty, Satterlee Clark states that he gave
thus assurance to the Indians himself, and upon
no other condition would he have recommended
them TO come TO Washington, and under no
vaded upon to make the visit. The same wit
ness also testifes that Gov. Dodge applied TO
HIM 10 use his influence to get them TO 90 to
Washington and directed him to assure them
that the object was not to make treaty with
The United States. There is no evidence to
show any insncerity on the part of Gov Dodge.
and the part he took in sending the Indians To
Washington Is stated TO show that the Indians
were influenced to make treaty after they ar
rI,nI IN, Wac d.
rie.du Chen in charge Of J. A. b. BOYD, their
agent, Clark and others. They were joined on
the way by Nicholas Boilvin, son of one of
Their former agents, who was thereupon EN-
ploye by Boyd, to proceed with them TO Wash
lPstoss, cna fr~rsi thos tirn~ forward he noted q.
most prominent and effective part in all that
grew out Of their visit TO Washington In all,
there appears to have been seven attendants
when they reached Washington.
Sometime after their arrival, the opposition Of
most OF the Indians to a treaty gradually de-
clned though some continued reluctant 10 the
last. The influence of Satterlee Clark who
possessed their confidence in higher degree
than any one else when they set out from their
own country, and who was himself decidedly
opposed to making treaty, was soon superseded
by the address and management of Boilvin and
Boyd. AT length they made the treaty Of Nov.
], 1887, by which ii will be found that Bovn
secured 10 himself and family connexions, and
the other persons connected with the expedi-
ton, donations amounting To about 100000,
which was so much in hand, so soon as the
treaty should be ratified, and an equal prospect
with others for securing portion of the $780,
600 provided for distribution among the creditors
of the Indians. 1t will appear in the sequel that,
although the donations above referred to were
expressly given for services and supplies already
rendered, and thereby excluding the idea Of any
fur 81 tha nd tb.v hal ho
address to secure among them upwards of forty
six thousand dollars of the debt claims provided
for in the same article of the treaty, and the fur
ther sum of $685. out of the half-breed fund
making together nearly $4,000!
That this treaty was made chiefly in reference
TO private interests and that the Indians were
prevailed upon to yield reluctant consent by
advisers, actuated alone by their own cupidity,
is sufficiently manifest by what has been already
stated. But the evidence will shew that p1i-
rate interests alone have been promoted by it.
1t is proved, TO the satisfaction of the Com
mttee that the lands coded to the United States
by the treaty consists, in the most part, Of pine
hills, valuable only for the timber, and not more
than one-fourth thereof being arabic land. And
although it is perhaps more than three times
greater in extent than that part Of the "Neutral
Ground to which they were required to remove
by the treaty, yet that the latter would be far
more valuable acquisition to the United States,
being fine body Of land for settlement and cul-
tivation. Take this fact, in connexion with the
terms of the treaty, and it will appear that the
Government agreed to pay one million and an
half of dollars as compensation TO the Indians
for agreeing to accept and occupy lands Of much
greater value than those surrendered by them
under the treaty. To the original moneycd
consideration may now be added sixty -ive thou
sand six hundred and forty five dollars already
expended by the Government in carrying the
treaty into execution.
| When the further fact is stated that the In
dams, in this new position assigned them, vii
be more exposed to collisions, both with the sur