The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-01-15

geous terms.
Negotiations with Indian tribes gener-
ally involve conflicting Interests and DEL
icate antagonsns. and sometimes con-
tend with unenlightened prejudice and
uninstructed politics. Ofall the presump-
tions INDUCED, that is one Of the rashest,
which looks for repeated and favorable
opportunities for their successful! con-
duct
1t behooves this Legislature, among
the first duties Of the session, to memo
rialiZe the President and Senate Of the
United States, for the early ratification
of these treaties; and also, in anticipa-
tion of their favorable final action, to ask
for an early survey of the lands acquired.
BY the treaty of Pembna, the Chippe-
wa Indians cede a district Of country six
ty-five miles in width by one hundred and
fifty in length, centrally interscctcd by
the Red river of the North. The 49th
parallel forms the northern line Of the
purchase, and Goose river, which flows
into Red river from the west, aud Buffa-
10 river, which ompties into it from tho
east, define the southern boundary.
The exigencies Of emigration do not,
perhaps, require the immediate acquisi-
ton OF this territory; bat to our fellow
citizens of mixed blood, fifteen hundred
OF whom reside upon the tract, its pur-
chase is of the utmost Importance. A.
present they are Incompetent to acquire
t'c simple in the soil, and not having
this incentive to its cultivation, depend
tor precarious subsistence upon tho
uncertain returns Of the chase. An Or
dinary regard for their interests, prompts
a speedy ratification of this treaty, and
the very existence of the Red Man seems
to demand it, II the hal.-breeds arc
Withdrawal from the buffalo plains, by the
attractions Of agriculture and fixed
homes, the Indian may yet, for few
years, gain a subsistence, by the craft
ofthe hunter, upon the immense prairics,
which stretch between the Shayenn- -oju
and the Missouri.
Should this treaty receive the appro-
baton Of the Senate, an American pop
ulauon Will, in short time, be attracted
10 the occupancy Of this region; and
with increased facilities oftravel between
the settlements north Of the international
line and the growing commerce. ial towns
OF the Upper Mississippi, the trade Of the
far north, yet in lis infancy, will attain
magnitude that the most sanguinc do not
now anticipate. 1t viii not be long before
the tedious and uncertain introduction
of goods, in British bottoms, by the way
of Hudson's Bay, will give place to their
cheaper, speedicr, more convenient tram
SIT by the Mississippi aud the Red river.
NOT let this be treated as q visionary
suggestion, Tho great currents oftraf-
tic, that have enriched cities, have sprung
from rlls In the first instance, as incon-
siderable as the present Red river trade.
Il becomes US, at this early day, to con-
slider the future importance Of the COM
merce of the factories and settlements
north of the international line; and by
sagaclous forecast secure 10 the trade Of
the Upper Mississippi, greater extension
and new spheres of employment, making
our thriving towns, centres from which
to draw the radii Of u vast circle Of in
tercoursc
The treaty Of Washington Of 1872,
which settles and defines certain por-
tons Of the line of boundary between the
United States and the British dominions
III North America, which, as described
in the second article Of the Treaty of
Peace Of 1873, had not up to that time
been ascertaincd and determined, thus
defines, in its second article, the line
Of boundary between the British possess
sions and that portion of the United
States, now known as the Territory of
Minnesota: Beginning at the mouth Of
Pigeon river, thence up said river to
and through the North and South Fowl
Lakes, to the lakes Of the height Of land
between Lake Superior and the Lake Of
the Woods; thence along the water COM
munication to Lake Saisaginaga, and
through that lake; thence to and through
Cypress Lake, Lac du Bois Blanc, Lac
la Croix, Little Fermllon Lake, and
Lake Namccan, and through the sever
al smaller lakes, straits, or streams con-
Meeting the lakes here mentioned, TO
that point in Lac la Pluie, or Rainy
Lake, at the Chaudiere Falls, from
which the commissioners traced the line
to the most northwestern point Of the
Lake fthe Woods; thence along the said
line to the said most northwestern point,
being in latitude 40 degrees, % minutes,
SIS seconds north, and IN long :tude 95
degrees, il minutes, 80 seconds west
from the observatory at Greenwich;
thence, according to existing treaties,
due south, to it's intersection with the
49th parallel Of north latitude, and along
that parallel to the Rocky mountains"
Now that our relations with the people
upon our northern border are becoming
each day more interesting, it is highly
desirable that the general government,
by some arrangement for Joint survey
with Great Britain, should authoritative
ly run and mark the line of the 49,h par
alel. At present, among the people
resident on either side, a disagreement
of many miles exists az tn the true line of