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

extending from the Mississippi 10 the Des-
MONIES, and the Sacs and Foxes agreed 10 ccde
an equal quantity Of land on their northern
boundary and adjoining the Sioux, TO be held by
The United States, neutral territory, to which
neither party could set up an exclusive claim
In violation of this agreement by the United
States, as understood by the tribes who made
The cession IN 1891 the largest portion of these
lands were assigned 10 the Winnebegoes in the
treaty Of 1892, as has already been stated The
Winnebagoes were TO be al liberty TO take pos
session of the neutral ground as early as the
month of June, 1893, and they were not per-
united 10 plant fish or hunt upon the lands
coded by them after that time The policy Of
the treaty Of 1892 was evidently to procure a
ine tract OF country for settlement The assign
ment OF part OF the neutral ground, on the
other side OF the Mississippi was made the pre-
text only for making treaty, and Ia comply
with the act of 1890 only so far as TO provide
that the Indians should go 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
Wlnnebagoes as intruders if they attempted to
occupy the ''neutral ground y and as there had
| been no good feeling between them and either
OF those tribes IN time past, they refused TO oc-
! capy it. They nevertheless retired from riIe
country coded by them IN the treaty of 1882 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
| 10 Illustrate common source OF these Indian
wars, in which the country has been recently
engaged, al 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 il was expressly represented by
the advocates OF the measure, at the time, that
the Winnebagoes would probably agree TO treat
upon the basis of their removal south of the
Missouri river In the fall of that year, 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 cesslon of all their lands
east OF the river Mississippi but they declined
positively TO treat upon any terms. In 1927 il
| appears, by the evidence of Satterlee Clark that
| a delegation of the different bands OF the tribe
was prevailed upon TO visit Washington upon
the express and repeated assurance Of their
friends, on whom they had most confidence, that
| they would not be expected or required to make
a treaty. Satteree Clark states that he gave
this assurance to the Indians himself, and upon
m other condition would he have recommended
them 10 come to Washington, and under no
Other circumstances could they have been pre-
vaded upon TO make the visit. The same wit
ness also testlhes that Gov. Dodge applied TO
HIM TO use his influence to get them to 90 To
| Washington, and directed him 10 assure them
that the object was not TO make treaty with
the United States. There is no evidence To
show any inslncerlty on the part OF Gov. Dodge
aud the part he took IN sending the Indians TO
| Washington, Is stated to show that the Indians
were influenced to make a treaty after they ar
rived in Washington. They sci out from Pral-
rie.du Chen in charge of ], A. b. Boyd their
agent, Clark and others. They were joined on
the way by Nicholas Boyin, a son of one Of
Their former agents. who was thereupon EN-
poyed by Boyd, 10 proceed with them TO Wash
lpc.on, ond fsess. ,t,o. forward ~ acted
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 gradual, dc
clned, though some continued reluctant TO 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
4 opposed to making treaty, was soon superseded
A by the address and management of Boilvin and
! Boyd, AT length they made the treaty of Nov.
| ], 1897, by which il will be found that Boilyin
secured TO himself and family connexions, and
the other persons connected with the expedi
ton donations amounting To about Slu,OOO,
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 Sl50,-
600 provided for distribution among the creditors
of the Indians 1t will appear in the sequel that,
| although the donations above referred 10 were
expressly given for services and supplies already
rendered, and thereby excluding the idea Of any
further claims upon the Indians, they had the
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 $23,400 out of the hafbreed fund
making together nearly $4,000!
That this treaty was made chiefly in reference
10 private interests; and that the Indians were
prevailed upon to yield reluctant consent by
advisers, actuated alone by their own cupldity,
is sufficiently manifest by what has been already
stated. But the evidence will shew that pri
rate interests atone have been promoted by it.
1t is proved, TO the satisfaction of the Com
mlttee, that the lands ceded 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 1t 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 OIL the treaty, and IL VIII appear that the
I 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 moneyed
consideration may now be added sixty five thou
sand six hundred and forty five dollars already
expended by the Government in carrying tn,
treaty into execution.
When the further fact is stated that the In
dians, in this new position assigned them, vii
be more exposed to collisions, both with the sur
In, ~ or Ind In citi A