St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-05-19
CHIPPEWA 1Np1AN TREATY.
HOUSE,. OF REPRESENTATIVES,,

- OhlTEE wa ANnAaN ANcSAA -
| = HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WAsnlxGroN. D. c. May I'd, 1864.
Hon. TAa,.tsus S'rens Chairman Comm;ttrc cf Ways
and Means, IT. r., Wusts,igton, D.. C. :t's.f
Sir: On the 27th ult> there was referred
|3to the Committee Of Ways and Means q let
ter from the Secretary Of the Interior trans.
mitting estimates Of amounts required to
carry out the stipulations of the Chippewa
treaty Of March, 1868. "'.
Although tie Indians referred to live al
toge thcr in the District which have the
honor to represent in the House, and al
though the appropriations asked for are
very large, l have never been notified that
sucl, steps were being taken or such appro-
priation asked for, and it was only by &C
cident that my attention was called to the
same. .... /.
l feel that would be false to the plain:
est dictates tf l'',}y, if I did not regard
less Of the consequences to myself, inter
pose an earnest protest against the appro-
pr,ations ASKED for, It's proposed. at this
time, when the nation is struggling for its
life, and when every dollar of needless ex-
penditure should be carefully avoided, to
pay $157, $50 for what your. Committee
| have already estimated would be worth
$1,000, being difference of sl5o,sso.
Some of these items arc erercharges of
the grosscst kind. Take the first: T..
Ting t|s;es fSahfsa hefss for
sissippi Indians. per fourth article treaty
1868 $50 pcr acre $1,000 ~
Why gruhbing: Is it pretended that
three hundred acres Of prairie land cannot
DC found in that region, but That land must
be .:clcaycd and gr,tbbcd?'
The price asked is $50 pei acre for
..breaking. clearing, and grubbing.''' In
the most dcnscly settled parts Of Minnesota
tLe most valuable farm land can be bought
broken, fenced, and with buildings on it
for $25 per acre-one half what it is here
asked should be given for breaking, clear
ing, and grubbing alone. >.- ,~
There can be no difficulty in finding
abundance OF prairie land, and it can be
.broken'' for So per acre; making for the
I three hundred acres 5000; difference o.
$l4.lO ..
The next item which particularly no:
tice is this:
! "For railroad from Gull lake te Lcacl
lake ! ..E ) .f<.'4 $4,000.
| am at loss to understand this, ant
suppose it to be a n,isprint. Surely til,
Government is not about to build railroads
! For these Indians? If 1t means the con
strucion Of a wagon road the amoun
seems to me TO be enormous, and I thinl
it viii bs so considered by any frontic
Ipeople. .*l*. ,,'~t 49, .. - - - u.
The next item is as follows: +
"For removing agency to new locatiat
- - ( i ! ( &@S25, 900.
What cass ttsss refer to? fit means tn
9 bodily removal Of the buildings Of the pres
ent agency to the new agency it is an5un
necessary absurdity.. If it means the re
moval Of the agent and his family, books
chairs and tables, it is agross fraud. III
means the construction ofshea building
at the new agency, it is an enormous oyei
Charge. The sum Of $25, 900 would bull
palace, rather than an agency.
The next item is rs follows:
8 z..Transportatisn and subsistence to the
new homes, 1000 Indians at $40 p,
!; head $50, ,OO0
How do Indians travel? With their p
y nies carrying their tents and luggage, Il
women on foot carrying their: infants {
their backs, and the men and the hal
grown children :on foot. In this way tn,
r. will make journeys of hundreds Of mile
10 The average distance which they are to I
g removed is, l am informea, but about ol
= = handred and fifty miles. Is it proposed
= furnish stages ard ambuiances for then
~ Certainly not. They will make the journ
= in the same manner in which they, ha
travelled from time immemorial. and 4
= United. States, out 81 its depletedatreasur
1t is asked to pay $50, 600 to the men who s
A. perintend this movement. s''SA'; IT, - u
" The next and last item is as follows: y
~ = ...subsisteuce for 1900 Indians for s
- merths at fifteen cents per, head, ca
sss dsy, $54, ,OOO
,: .a It. is hard TO- analyze this item, as it
/ impossible to say what kind and amour
!. Of food will be furnished them, but the su
g. charged Is very large, and I have no dou
The saino number Of Indians. part Of the
raj -a-.res7.~* IT,. r. Ne.;as~~esan9 srtGs.