The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-12-25
The Sioux Treaty.

This the long session Of Congress; and
whether that august body will do any thing
until the 9TH of March next, but intrigue
AMI plan aud arrange for Presi,ient-naking,
is uncertain. After the 9TH of March, COM
mences the summer session. AS the Presi
,!ential Conventions will he over and the
candidates for that office nominated in the
spring, or early in the summer, we may ex-
pect that some time in the summer, if mol
sooner, the business Of the ratification oil
treaties will come up and be acted upon by
the Senate. The intervening period, will
be one OF suspense and extreme anxiety to
Minnesota, to ST. Paul, and we may well
say, to the whole valley Of the Mississippi
river; every foot Of which, from the Lakes
to the Gulf Of Mexico, is deeply interested
in its ratification, and in the early develope-
ment Of all the resources and trade Of this
river to its sources. 1t is also question OF
deep and intense interest, to the multitude
Of hardy settlers upon the frontiers of the
Sioux lands, and we may say Throughout,
the United States, who are, even now, res
trained with the utmost difficulty, from en-
terng these choice lands, for the purpose OF
cultivation, mining and trade. The OPEN
ing of the coal banks alone, upon the Blue
Earth river, to supply the demand for coal,
and especially for the consumption of steam
boats, renders the early, nay the immediate
possession Of the lands embraced in the
treaties, indispensable to the steamboat bu-
siness Of the river. GaIena, Dubuque, ST.
Louis, Burlington, New Orleans, every
town on the river, as well as St. Paul, has
a vital interest at stake in the ratification of
the Sioux treaties. 10 the Indians them
selves, it is Indispensable. To the Govern
ment, it is vastly important, in an economi-
cal view. With the treaty ratified, with the
possession and occupancy and settlement OF
these lands, Minnesota will soon be State,
say in two or three years. Without these
lands, Minnesota will remain dwarfed and
blighted Territory for years, an annual tax
upon the Treasury Of the United States.
With that territory, Minnesota will NOT only
soon come into the Union as State, but
the whole Of il, except the portion reserved
for a permanent Indian possession, will
come i,I as one State. If the west side be
settled up simultaneously with the east side
Of the Mississippi, our population will be
homogeneous, united now and forever, in
their relations with each other, as Que State
hut if the east side first harden into the girls
tie and frame and shape of State, by itself,
the west side, when it shall be settled, will
never be united with the east side, as por-
ton Of the same State; the Treasury will
then be taxed for years with the support OF
another Territorial Government west of the
river, embracing the lands for which these
treaties are made. again, there is not only
great deal Of money expended, to sffec,
these treaties, but the terms Of the treaties
are far more favorable to the Government,
than the Indians will ever again consent to,
and the amount they are to receive, is actu.
ally less than the Government ought to lie
willing to pay to the poor wretches. Blu,
aside from all this, it will be impossible, we
speak aivisedty, it will he utterly impossi.
bile ~ dam outthe white population another
year. They must and will go in; ami IN.
less the treaties be ratified, Government
willslaave TO witness the humiIating specta-
Gle Of sss,ng these Indian lan.ls over-run
with farmers and mechanics who cannot be
kept out, or attempt their iorcible expulsion
by military power.