The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-12-26
Outline Of Minnesota Territory.

I
| scend from his imperial dignity"
Outline Of Minnesota Territory.
We publish the following extract Of a
letter from Capt. Pope, u. S. A., to Mr..
Rice, designed for publication in the papers
of Minnesota. 1t will be recollected that
Capt. Pope, made an exploration last year.
Of the mere camp details of which, we pub
lished "Canteen Sketches
Although it will be impossible for me,
within the limits Of letter of this charac-
ter to give you all the reasons which have
prompted my recommendations, yet hope
to convince you that they are founded upon
| good and sufficient reasons, and to enlist
your earnest cooperation in the plans
which have proposed. And first in i'm
portance, deem the immediate purchase
Of lands west of the Mississippi, their sur
vey and exposure in market to the emf
grants to this Territory The propriety of
extinguishing the Indian titles to the lands
west of the Mississippi, and within tie
Territory of Minnesota has been for some
| time acknowledged. but the extent of the
! EuiNHHSC Itio upt yet Decil uetcTJltiieu.
have recommended and strongly urged upon
The Government the prsoprieiy Of purchas-
/ ing all the lands west of the Mississippi, at
least as far north as the line of the Crow
Wing river, and as far west as the head of
the ST. Peters.
| This would embrace a belt of land ex-
/ tending from the Missouri in the Southwest
to the Upper Mississippi in the Northeast,
with an average width of one hundred and
fifty miles, and containing - square
miles.
This region | believe to be the most val
uahle in the Territory, and 10 include with
! in its borders sufficient area for the new
State Of Minnesota.
! shall give you very briefly the reasons
which have induced me TO recommend so
| large,a purchase Of lands, contrary to the
methods which have been usual in the ac-
QUESTION of Indian lands by the Govern
rnent of the United States. 1t is of course
admitted that the whole of these lands will
be eventually purchased and it is an equally
! well admitted fact that the Government in
a pecun,ary point Of view is entirely able to
effect The purchase at once The only Ques.
ton therefore to he considered is the rela-
tive advantage Of purchasing The whole oi
these lands at once, or as has been usual to
purchase small PORTIONS at successive pc.
RODS.
! The lands included within the limits
;! have mentioned above, are at present occu
pied Ivy the Sioux, Winnebagos and small
number of Chippewas; the former tribe are
at present preparing to negotiate the sale o.
considerable portion of their country ant
the very lands upon which they have usual
ly resided. There would be no difficult,
: therefore in inducing them to part with tho
additional strip of land between the mouth
of the St. Peters and the Wautab, tbs
northern limit of their Territory.
IAe Winnebagos occupying the country
between the Wautab and Crow Wing hav,
become very much dissatisfied with th.
country to which they have been assigned
and large numbers are even now in thei
) original country. No difficulty whateve
would be encountered IN prevailing upoi
them to remove TO such other lands as ma
, he provided for them by the United States
1t is plain to me, that now is the most ia
vorable period which has or will occur TO
, effectiDg this purchase easily and with econ
oiny. 1t is quite certain, that every da,
brings more and more to the knowledge O
/ the Indians the value Of their lands, an.
every day of postpOnement of this purcbas
will increase their demands. The willing
e ness of the Sioux TO treat, and the dissatis
g faction OF the Winnebagos, mark this as th
e most favorable period which may not agai
r occur for effecting the purchase of tbei
lands and their removal to the North o
West. These reasons present thernseIve
directly to the Government and are eniirel
independent of the immense advantage
a likely to accrue to the Territory of Mime
sofa. These will necessarily occur to you
4, and there will therefore be 10 necessity fo
= me to enlarge upon them at this time.
As soon after the purchase of these land
: as possible, have recommended tha, th
! military post Of Fort Smelling he abandon
!. ed, that the troops now stationed there, b
!. removed to some point along the wester
q extremity of the purchased territory, an
q that the whole military reserve of the fol
q be thrown into market. have always rs
: garied the military posts along the wester
= frontier of the United States, as the pronee
n parties to the march of emigration the nj
i clei around which congregate the first SCI
: dement's Of emigrants, and only necessar
!, until the settlements are strong enough I
a maintain themselves.
II Is undoubtedly the policy of abe Go,
ernment TO keep the frontier posts a iittl
:, ahead of the advance OF emigration and |
= retain military posts only long enough K
the protection Of those who msy have sc
;, tied near them. Had this policy been strict
< pursued, there can scarcely be doubt b,
/, that our western country would have nee
: far more rapidly and extensively settled.
~ have also recommended appropriation
:, for the construction Of good wagon road
: = one from ST. Paul along the east bank