The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-06-03


that, though now but private citizen, VIII
be constant in my efforts to deserve this mani
IfestatiOn OF your favor. by still dong all lnmy
feeble power to advance the best interests OF our
common territory just the same as though was
vet public officer, and bad 10 risk in carrying
out some measure of vital Importance to your
prosperity, encountering once more clamor
and abuse for honest cndeavors to serve the
community at large. the government by which
| was commissioned. and not the less benefit
the Indians who were under my guardianship
and care.
1t is five years now since came to this terri
tory-and recognize around Inc some whom
saw here in that early time-when st. Paul
was Il collection of Il few houses; and the whole
of Minnesota open and tit for settlement, was
restricted to the trifng extent of country be-
! tween the Mississippi and the st. CroiN-a re-
gion entirely inadequate to the reasonable OK
pectalions four emgratug public. found
the people earnestly anxious to extend the area
ofsettlcmcnt across the Mississipp: deeming
the acquisition gilmore land from the Indians
Of the first Importance to the growth and pros
perity of the whole territory aud particularly
to the growth and prosperity of the city of St
Paul, sympathized with the people in their
desires | saw with their eyes: my feelings
corrcspOndcd with their wishes: and as their
chief magistrate, bent all my efforts to graft
fy them.
the 0OO0, 900 acres of land, which were sub
scqucntly acquired, became with me the lead
ing, cardinal, important duty and measure of
my administration of affairs here. The first
step towards its ace omplishmcnt wa. to get the
Indians in good temper: to gain such influence
over them as would induce them to listen with
confidence and respect to any Ovcrturcs for the
sale of their lands, which government might
commission me to make TO them. ] believe
succeeded. | believe did obtain their conf
dcncc; and often thank God that was there
by enabled to maintain peace. unntcrruptcdly
between them and the Whites and. to Il great
extent, peace amongst their different tribes:
and that, comparatively speaking, so few MUIR
ders, scalpings, and war parties. occurred with
in the four years in which, AS eX-olficio Super
intcndcnt OF Indian affairs it was my lot to adj
minister the Indian Policy of our territory.
But, however much might possess the good
will ofthe Indians, you all know. that with the
Indian tribes, the influence of their traders,
who live amongst them, many intcrmarrying
with them at all times supplying their wants,
and occasionally their EXTREMIST necessities. is
paramount,-and, gentlemen, in view of the
great end to be obtained, upon which depend
ed the veal or woe of our territory. felt il al
so my duty to cOncilate this important iniu-
ence, and obtain its aid likewise in the propos-
ed negotiations with the Sioux for the dispos-
al of their lands.
You remember. gentlemen. how at last. after
much urging. the national government respon-
dcd to our solicitations. and in 1851 associated
Col. Luke Lea with myself. with instructions to
make the desired purchase. When we went
upon the treaty ground, we found the Indians
there and we found the traders there and We
found also, that without the active assistance
and consent of the traders. We could not make
treaty with the Indians at all.
Under this state of things, what was to be
done! To abandon the ground and all hopes
of making a treaty. was not to be thought Of
We would have been censurcd by both people
and government as imbccile and incompetent
No-instead of abandoning the work set before
us. we made an agreement. a compact, with
those trad rs. We said to them You claim
that the Indians owe you so much and the In
dams say they do owe you that much and want
to pay it !; now. we pledge the faith of the Uni
ted States. that if you ill aid US to make a
treaty on this occasion, We will set apart in one
OF the articles of the treaty. i sum sufficient to
. pay about half what YOU claim, if you will take
that half in full satisfaction of all your demands
, against the Indians To this the traders a.
, greed: and a compact. upon this basis. was
1 fairly made and fully understood on all hands
. and in consequence OF it. and it alone. were
those great and important treaties succo ssfully
1 negotiated.
Y Say. admit, however. for Tie sake of argtl-
mcnt, that those traders debts were not due to
the extent allegcd--though Ircligiously believe
. they were. and the high character and stand
, Ing of the men before this community forbid
the idea that they would alleec under oath
. aught but the trutli-and what then? The
United States was not the less bound to keep
its pledged faith inviolatc. Statesmen. cmhas-
/, sailors, commissioners, governments in their
, operations, are compelled to deal with mankind
as they are, not as they should he: with cir
~ Sf.lnf 4 h.,,..
them and they often find themselves ncccss-
tated to bestow gratuites upon third parties,
for the sake OF securing the success of great
public interests. There is probably not trca-
ty with the Indians our statute books, in
which analogous provisions and stipulatons do
not recur. And did not President Polk during
the Mexican war. grant pass to Santa Anna
into Mexico, because it was thong hit his presence
In that country would facilitate the termination
of the war, and advance the interests of the
L nltcd States: Has not President Pierce re-
Gently in the Gadsden treaty with Mexico. stp-
ulated largely for the holders OF the Tchuante-
pee grant, because it was probably necessary to
satisfy that Interest in order to accomplish re-
suits deemed Of vital Importance for us to attain
With what face could we stand up before ma
tons, when this treaty is ratified on all hands
and refuse to keep our pledged faith with those
interested in the grant alluded to: - refuse on
any pretcyt whatever.
So of these traders. 1t was set apart for
them by solemn compact. 1t was we'll under
stood that the Indians had no property in it
whatever. 1T was fund pledged to these trad
ers by the United States, through US its com
missioncrs, when We at Xed our names to the
treaties. 1t was pledged to them by the United
States through the National Senate when (as
one of its Committees has since declarcd) that
body ratified the treaties, with the full knowl-
edge and understanding that the funds in qucs-
ton were to go to the traders and not to the
Indians. And after all this, would not the gov
eminent have acted little. mean and unwor-
thy part had it failed to redeem its promises
and pledged faith. And would not |. we'll
knowing the purpose for which the money was
set aside, and as one OF the Agents Of the United
States in making the pledge, have been false
f and unjust. had shrunk from awarding it, and
. paying 1t into the hands Of those traders to
whom it was pledged and due:
In all these trans act ions gentlemen