The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-01-26
The Winnebago Treaty.


OF tlennepn county, held the Court House, Janus
ry 2is', Charles Hoas, Esq, called to the chat,
and John II. Stevens appointed Secretary.
ne object OF the meeting was, as stated by job
II. Stevens, Ia take into consideration the yariou
matters which now affect the county Of Hennepn
both IN the National and Territorial Legislatures
more particularly the iunebaso Treaty on the on
hand, and the permanent location Of the County Sea
On the other.
DR.. Fletcher was then called upon, and addresse,
the meeting at length, in which he gave clear an,
impartial statement OF the proceedings of the mem
bers oil the Legislature from the Sikh Council Dis
trict thus Tar, aud the course they had pursued
la''on TO the Winn-la.o Treaty. DR.. +. gave mucl
credit TO air. Brown, of the Council, and Mobiles, O
tue House, and he said that too much praise coull
not be given to Mcssrs. Ste;rns, Gardner and Plum
n,er, OF the Third Council District and other mem
beers oi The Legislature who came forward against the
/ Treaty. In "A conference DIR. +. and the other mem
bers rom the Sixth District had with Gov. German
| in the presence of Messrs. Stea,ns, Gardner and
fIu.nmer Gov. German stated that II DIR, +. would
not press his motion through the House memorializ
ing the United States Senate 10 reject the Treaty
and would draw up statement N writing, contain
ing all their opposition to The Treaty in question, he
gov Germany would Withdraw that docum, mt iron,
the Indian Department at Washington. According
y, the following correspondence tooa place, which
Dr.. Fletcher read to the meeting:
Sr. PAUL, NJ. T., jan 10, 1854.
His Ercel'eney Coz. w. 4. Guman:
Strive, the representatives from the Sixth
Council District, would respectfully call your
ton to conference we had with yourself few days
since, IN which you expressed your willingness TO
JOIN with us IN any measures necessary prevent the
ratification OF the treaty concluded with the Winnie
bago Indians, at Watab, on the Sth day Of August.
1853, il the provisions OF said treaty would material
" conflict witt. the prosperity OF Territory, or
large portion of its population.
We would again respectfully assure YOU that the
ratification OF the treaty referred would lead to
consequences most ruinous 10 the interests Of the
habltants ot the Sixth Council District, and al the
last election that question cons dered PAL amount
TO all others by a large portion OF the electors.
he TACT that the treaty was made within the Win
nebaso country, and attended by but few whose inter-
ests would be affected by it, viii readily suggest IA
reason why It did not call forth Il ,emons,,ance
against ii during the negotiations. Since the neso-
tia,ion however, it has been objected to by most, if
not all, If those whose interests drcc,l conpro-
nised by lis PROVISIONS
lst Because it places Indians sustaining the
worst character for drunkenness and ether evil aud
disordery propcnslties OF any in Territory upon
lands already partially settled by whites, adjoining
some of the most tlousshing settlements within our
Territory within some twenty-five miles OF ST. An
hony, IA tourlshn, town OF fifteen Ell hteen hun
bred inhabitants the distance from the County
Seat o. liennepn county, and not forty miles ilo,n
81. fiul, the Iapitai OF tAe Territory.
2nd. Because the location is such as would o
necessity become surrounded by white settlements on
every side; situation that III the natural OF
events would lead to diSasreenens, and probably 10
tloodshed, and could only result III i necessity for
another Treaty and another removal within d lew
y,ars.
Sid. Most of the settlements on Lake Minnetonha
and at other points by coonists from the East were
made IN good faith and under the belief that The sur
rounding country TO which the Indian title had been
recently eXtinsuished would be relieved from lis In
dian populatoni instead ot which they lind tina, by
THIS treaty other and Objectionable Indians are
to be located IN their vicinity, which, if consumlnaed
would cause an abandonment to great extent Of
thos" ouriShing settlements by that vrtuous and
terprIzing class of persons which has recently made
homes in those beautiful portions OF our Territory
Ac,uatcd by these views, and confident that your
desire to promote the Interests and prosperity the
Territory and its Inhabitants will prompt you to join
Us in asking the Department allow the Treaty to
be Withdrawn, that it may not reach the Senate for
its action,
We remain respectfully,
Your ohsd't servants.
JOSEPH Il. BROWN,
Mealber Of the Council
HEZ. FLETCHER,
WM. II. MOBILES.
Member # Tie House II Representatives.
We, the undersigned, members Of the Leg i,la,ure
from the Third Council District, iully concur in the
foregoing statement and Recommendations.
(SsncD L. l. STEAENS,
Member q the Council.
CEPHAS GARDNER,
HENRY 5. PLUNMER,
Mealbaa cftse iLnse Of Relmeseataiu,s.
The undersigned, members of the Legislature from
the Fifth Council District, fully in the fore
COIN. statement and recommendation.
(Signed) ). Il. OLMSTEAD,
Pes,de,.t q Tie Council.
We, the menbers fem the Second Council Dis.
tic, fully the foregoing statement and rr-
coai.ue uualIon.
(Ssned) WILLIAM MOOT,
WIN. \. DAVIS,
LOUIS BARTLETT.
To this. Dr.. Fletcher sad Gov. German returned
the following answer:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
D..I OIL ?