The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-09-14


The article in question conveys the idea that the
United States acted in bad faith with the tribe
in assigning them lands which did not agree
with its solemn treaty stipuIa,ions. To make
the mater clearer, we give the Democrats
words:
The Winnebagnes, by the treaty Of lSi6, ce-
ded TO the United States, for ir,h:ng consid-
GRAFTON, the rich and valuable lands which they
then held in the Stale of Iowa, and were, in
the language of the treaty. (artcle 3d) 10 have
IS a tract OF country north OF the ST. Peters and
west of the Mississippi river of MT less than
eight hundred thousand acres, which shall be
suitable to their habits, wants, and wishes. -
The government, after an Intellectual attempt To
purchase for them from the Sioux such trac,
was suitable to their 6 habs, wants, and
wishes, finally procured from the Chppewas
the land which they now occupy on the south
side OF the Crow Wing river.
The country purchased for them from the
Chippewas was entirely unsuited 10 their /" ha-
bits from The fact that it was destitute Of
prairie, being almost entirely covered with
lakes, swamps and inpenetrable th cket, which
with the paucity of game, rendered it entirely
repugnant TO their 'wants and wishes" In
the spring of 1913, however, the whites hav-
ing commenced entertainments on their lands
in Iowa to such an extent that the Department,
considered their emigration expedient, an order
was issued for their removal, and a majority oi
the tribe were, in the course of the summer, un-
der charge of Agent Fletcher, removed to theil
S new home"
A mere narrative of the matters connected
with this removal as verified by the national ar
cheves will be quite sufficient.
The final convention, as the Democrat OBJ
serves, was made in lS46. To show, however
the spirit Of equity in which the General Gov
ernmeht dealt with them, we may remind our
selves that prior to this time, three separate eff
forts to treat had been made by the United
States, the first two by Governor Doty ant
Governor Chambers, under the administration O
Tyler, and the third by Governor Dodge, unde
that Of Polk. These attempts at negotiation
were Unsuccessful At this time the savage
were committing continual depredations on tn,
property and the persons of the Americans, an,
| day after DAY, an Indian war drew near. Ye
the National Government, acting with gener
osity which no other nation in the world cal
match, refused to make any movement whc
nigh, by any remote construction seem a coer
cion to treaty. But in 1846, the Chiefs an
head men met at Washington, and at their ow
request in open council, TO which every perso
whom even curiosity might prompt, was admit
ted, made a treaty, ceding their lands to tn
United States for certain considerations, o
which, among others, the clause quoted by tn
Democrat was one. On this occasion, Gov
Paris, of Maine, and then Comptroller Of tn
Treasury, and Col. J J. Albert, the head of tn
Typographical Bureau, were Commissioners o
the pant of the General Government.
/ The treaty was accordingly consummatet
and the Indian title extinguished to the lands i
question. In IS45, t,oo gears subsequent, tim
was given them to comply with the requisi,io
of the treaty, and a free choice of th
lands of the United States to settle on. Tt
necessity for their removal became imperiou.
The lands granted had been surveyed, and wer
undergoing the process of settlement with as
tonishing rapidly. II vas, if the past forme
a basis for sound judgment, certain annihilation
to the tribe, to remain where they were. The
were called on to make their selection In az
cordance with the suggestions Of Mr.. Ric,
then very popular trader among them, the
themselves selected the lands, no,c spoken Of b
the Democrat as unsuited to their habits N,
satisfied merely with the assurances of Mr. Rice
a depu,a,ion of the tribe went up to view tn
lands in question. They were entirely Statistic
with the location, and accordingly remove
thi,her as already observed.
Such is plain succnct statement of tn
transactions with this tribe, a statement sustain
ed by the records, and which, in our opinion
can not but rebound to the credit Of our coun
try whenever and wherever related If it wa
found afterwards that the country chosen wa
not suitable for them and their :. habits" W
conceive that il is impossible to charge thi
mistake upon the Government. IL at leas
made no error. And it is gratifying to see tina
the humanity which distinguishes its earle
transactions with the savages, loses nothing b
time, since it SO readily allowed them to max
a second choice.
Weare certain that we do no, count too muc
on The fairness Of the Democrat in expectn
that it will make the correction which is obyi
Gus. That paper must be aware that it is max
ing serious charge against our Government
a charge which, if true, should disgrace it il
| the eyes Of the world. If true, it would be
transaction which would stand unrivalled for i,
combination of oppression and fraud The fact
however, are all the ''other way"
Here We might pause. But we will not re:rai
from noticing various allegations of the JUNO
wing organ of this city, the Herald, which form
sort OF ridiculousIy false comment on this sam
article of the Democrat. "Three years aeo, >
says this Bombas,es Furioso of quilts and ink,
Three years ago last December if we recollec
right, the senior editor Of this paper procluin,e,
through the columns Of the Miners Expres
with which paper he was then connected, tina
the Winnebago Indians had been imposed upor
by the government, that they had been forced I,
sell their lands and to receive as part paymen
therefor region of country which was insult
ed 10 their habits and modes of life, and that not
wilhstahdng the remonstrances of the Indian.
not live in water, alludng to the marshy char
acter OF the country, they were forcibly remov
ed to this inhosptable region.
This tremendous proclamation to the world
unfortunately never existed On the contrary
three years ago" the Government was allowed
every praise for its transactions, both edtorialIy
and by correspondents. Speaking of this very
subject, under date of Nov. Goth lS49, and pub
lshed Dec 10Th of the same year, the Minnesota
correspondent of the Express said:
There is no nation Of Indians in the west who
receive larger annuities in money and clothing
than the Winnebagoes.
An editorial based on these statements of
this correspondent followed this letter, in which
the editor thus speaks:
y We believe that in all its intercourse with them
(the Ninnebagoes) the Department has had in
rtcto the best interests of tie Indians, and while
1t has very properly sought to reclaim from the
desolaion IF Indian occupancy the vast do
mains originally held by them, it has at the
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