Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-04-08
REPORT OF TUE COMMITTEE on INDIAN
AFFAIRS, IN THE CASE OF ALEXANDER
RAMSEY.
FEE 81, is5i--subn,ted, considered, and agreed to.


The Committee on Indian Affairs, 10 whom
was referred the testimony taken by Inc
commissioners appointed By the President
Of The United States 10 investigate certain
charges preferred against Alexander Ram
sy, late Governor Of, and Superintendent
Of Indian AHais for he territory of Min
nesoia, in reIalionto to the payments made 10
the Indians aud others, in pursuance Of the
treaties of Tlaveise Dis Sioux and Mendo'
tai and also the testimony taken by The
said Committee at the last session oil the
Senate, beg leave 10 report
That they have carefully examined all the
testimony taken hy The commissioners, dur
lng nearly three months which they were in
session at ST. Paul. In the Territory Of Min
uesola, and have arrived al the conclnsiou,
lhat The conduct Of Governor Ramsey was
no, only free from blame, but highly com.
mendable aud Iutrilorious Not one of the
charges preferred against him has been sus.
tanned 10y the testimony. On The contrary,
the witnesses of The companants them.
selves, in almost every instance, have mega
lived ,hem-proving, concusively, that he
never violated the siipuIaions OF the treaties
as understood by the parties 10 them, nor
was governed in his conduct by motives
other than sncA as entitle him TO commenda-
tion both as q man and an officer.
In the disbursement of The funds arising
under The treaties, he acted in accordance
with the understanding between The commits.
>ioners who negotiated them, the Indians
and the traders for " hnm provision had been
made The payments of the moneys was
made by him under the direction OF, and in
strict accordance with, the views and instruc
tions of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
The payments, The proprieiy Of which
have been questioned, were those made Of
that portion Of the money which was appro-
praied in pursuance Of the FIRST clause of the
fourth article of the treaties Of Traverse des
Sioux and Mendolah respectively. AT the
lime the treaties were negotiated, at the
pressing instance Of the Indians themselves,
rs appears from The testimony, the commits
sioncrs, Governor Ramsey and Luke Lea,
consented 10 set aside The sum of Si95, 900
them to their Traders. The indeb edness
oG the Indians 10 their traders has never been
denied; and, indeed, they refused TO irea,
unless provisions were made in the treaty
for the payment Of their debts.
That the Indians fully understood the ma
ture Of The provisions made in behalf of their
traders, and were satisfied afterwards with
he payments made 10 them, is clearly appa
, rem, from the testimony. 1t may be true
that subsequently 10 the time the payments
were made, individuals amongst The chiefs
excited by The hope which Interested people
encouraged them 10 cherish, that their com
plants would be listened to by the govern
, meni, may have stated that their debts were
not as large as the Traders pretended. Blu,
:, however this may be, the claims of the ira
ders were verified by their oa,hs, and previ
ously admitted 10 be just by the Indians
: themselves.
Under shese circumstances, il was III,
e duty of Governor Ramsey, and he woul,
: have been culpable, had he neglected, to pa,
he money to the traders, for whose bsnefi
" the stipulation contained in the first clause O
" he fourth article of the treaty was principal
= Intended. Had the money been paid the In
{ diaus, who. u, all acquainted with their hab
, i!s, aud the influences surrounding them
5 doubts that i, would have been improviden,
= used Indeed the Commissioner, Mr.. Young
1t admits that this would necessarily have bee
the case. II was, therefore, in the jude
u nlent of the committee the duiy Of Governo
= Ramsy TO prevent, as far as was in his powe
= these funds (rom being diverted from ihe
, legitimate Object
- Amoug, The accounts vouchers, &c, {
i Gov. Ramsey, referred 10 tho commilIe,
81 were those OF the chiefs, au,horizing the pay
g menl Of the money To the traders. Thes
! vouchers are signed by the proper chiefs
y the respective hanjs, aud conferred amp
nnwer on Governor Ramsey, 10 app'opria'
j. rhe money as he did The eommlllee cal
! not, therefore, perceive wherein his eoudu'
> is IN any respect blnmeab'e,
No wrong was done 10 The Indians in n
=, respect; bul Il lhs lunds designed by n
,realirs ior tho benefit Of the Traders hs
/, been paid 10 the Indians themselves,
y. - would have subjected himself 10 the iusi al
= madyefsion OF h,s supe,ors
D. That p,oy,ssion was made in tho lteali
of lar the payment Of the debts due by ,he !
. dams 10 the lradv,s was known To every ho'
- eon,eisanl with The matter, II MAS the su
Al joe, OF remark in tbs senate, when the b
{, making appropriations 10 carry The ueal'
of lalo effect Was unaeT consideration AMI
,s one, a. lai a. The eoRmliiee aie aware, qls
a. t,ansi lhs pfoPr's'y OF sneh P'es's'aa q
"A van lhp eommlilee ssv sny lmp'oPlplN eo
A. elihsf Ia lhe psasislnas VI The Treaties o. 81
a. maauef ln ahirh ihsy Neis eauled 'nlo
lsel BY Gusslnai Ramsey,
O.s ai lhs eha'ess P'sis'Ist ey The eoi
al o aisaais sssiasl 0sysinef Aaiassi, Sa', a
q. "a isPas.ilua lhs money 'sssissd l'aa :
~, rssasasy IA esllals backs IA the cay u NJ
4, yes, sai slsss hsse, he bad violated
ss y sslslsas ~ he ssi pssssi Aasas, ., VI
A. a.llasl tka ns4k. All