, 1866-01-12
atgalla avallag gtatesuat.
-TREATY WITH THE BLACKFEET.

r,ing and Isaac L. Stevens acting IS Commls-
,iouers on the part Of the United States,) by
vbich nearly the whole of what IS now Montana
was given over TO their exclusive USE the north
eru portion for dwelling place, ana the part
artb of the Muscle Shell river for hunting
nd Gold had not then been discovered
S,o and Government thought itself perpetra-
- = master-stroke of policy when it appropri-
- IN the Indians lands that it seemed would
-syer he good for anything TO the whites. no
80 needs be told that it has become desirable
81 ertinpuish the Indian title to these lahds,
sinra nearly fifty thousand whites nave setueu
unon them, attracted hither by tae magnetic in-
= Rnepce Of the precious metals. Realizing tne
necessity of this change, the General HC'e'n,
ment, in March las, specially eiHpCMe'eu SNI
a,,borized Major Cad E. Upson, the Indian
-, at This poiut to enter into new treaty
-;tb the Nation mentioned, and TO obtain, Il
rossibIe n cession of lands now occupied ana
iikeIv soon to be settled by the whites. ms
treatv. after the usual delays which are always
necessary when dealings are had win Tue Ia
diane was finally concluded, yesterday, at TINS
nIace Arriving there the day before the cere-
monies, found the place all alive Win preP"I-
alton for the morrow, the whites getlh6 IL
~eadiness tn astonish the natives, and the In
dians, back to their camps upon tue le'on anu
Missouri fully expecting to surprise the whites.
The morrow came, and with it, bright 6rac-
;,1 dav. and to the Council House, about noon,
went forty-three chiefs and head men, WIN 'hslr
wild retinues, delegates being present from 'Ic
Piepans. Gros-Ventres, Bloods and BlAchivet,
all embraced under :he general name OF the
Blackfoot Nation. With regard TO the bioolS'
it must be noticed that the hostile oand oy
whom the murder Of the eleven whites was per
petrated last spring, on the MarIas river, was
not reDresented these sayages, ever since lhe
murder. having outlawed themselves beyond The
British line. The Gros-Yentres came into the
place in fine style, the chiefs prancing along at
the head of quite a troOp of young warriors,
drawn out in line who chanted. a song OF peace
as tbcy advanced. The room selected for the
holding of the council had been finely decor
ated the whole interior beieg lined with cotton
cloth the white grOund-work upon WhlcA were
festooned the long stripslo red aud blue Iannel'
producing, with fine effect, the national colors
wherever the eve wandered. The four pillars
in the center of the room served as emolematic
columns upon which to arrange the insignia OF
both war and peace-the rifle, the bow, the
tomahawk and, as the opposite of all these, the
only olive branch to be obtained in these re-
gions, the evergreen bough.
Upon the blanket-covered seats the red dele
gates seated themselves and upon the platform
at the head of the room, and in front of the
beautiful national decorations, were seated the
Commissioner, Major Epson, and by his side,
General Thomas Francis Meagher, as Superin-
tendent of Indian Affairs for the Territory
United States Judge L. E. MunsOn, as legal
counsel for the Government. The interpreters.
and other whites having influence among the
natives, also occupied seats on the platform.
As the artillery firing ceased outside, the par
ley commenced within. The pipe Of peace was
passed, and was received with thanks. Perfect
harmony seemed to prevail, both the pipc-bearer
and the pipe being strOked Nilectionateiy, some
of the chiefs even going SO far as te pat each
other on the head in token Of Gmity.
The talk, which was carried on through the
means of French and BlackfOot interpreter,
was necessarily somewhat tedious, aud cannot
be repeated at length. The Indians were as
sured that we desired permanent peace, and
that we wished peaceful relations to exist be-
tween the various tribes. The treaty was then
read by Judge Muason, and interpreted. The
principle provision, and the one which will most
interest your readers is contained in Article Ill,
which provides for ccSSOn of all lands hereto
fore claimed by the 4ackfcet, excepting those
lying north of 4so north lattude-the Teton,
Marias and Missouri rivers, as far east as Mix
river-the Indians agreeing that other tribes
may be settled in this reservation. This Article
is somewhat modified by the next, which allows
the Government to build roads and tclcgraphs,
establish military posts agencies, mission
schools, etc, in the reserved territory, and per-
mits the whites free privilege to travel across it,
but whites are prohibited from making settle
ments or trading unless specially ljccnsed)
within the limits Of the reservation and intoxi
eating liquors, and all persons dealing in them,
are TO be strictly debarred entrance thereon.
The Indians acknowledge their dependence on
the United States and their obligation 10 obey
the laws thereof; and they agree to exert them
selves to the utmost Of their ability for the pur
pose Of enforcing them promising TO deliver all
offenders to the proper authorities Whenever
called upon so to DO. As a rccompense for the
lands ceded, the Unjted States agree to expeud
for the BackfOot Nation, in addition TO the goods
distributed at the time Of signing the treaty,
$4,000, annually, for twenty years such por-
tion Of this money rs may be deemed proper by
the President, to be used in promoting civiliza-
tion among the Blackfcet.
After the reading of the treaty, "Little Dog, ="
head chief of the Picgans arose, and spoke for
his tribe ms follows: " We are pleased with
what we have heard to-day. One reason why |
am glad to hear what you have had to say, is,
because there are three nations here to listen.
With regard to the Indians, the words are
strong that you have told us. The land here
belongs to us; we were raised upon il; we arc
glad to give portion to the United States, for
we get something for it. We doa't intend to
put aside the whites who have married in the
nation we want to give the half-breeds a share
of cur aunuites. They own the land as much
as ourselves, and we want them to get their pro-
portion Of what we receive for It. Am very glad
that you have told US to day that you aIc going
to send mechanics, physicians and teachers
among US. Everything told us to-day We are
willing to agree to we see nothing bad in the
treaty. Whatever we Piegans have promised,
we shall try to perform; so that the Great Father
below shall be pleased
"BulIs Back Fat spoke to the same effect
on behalf Of the Bloods
"Fish Child, - the sole representative of the
Blackfoot tribe present, sgrecd in seutimeu,
with " Little Dog and the Others
Major Upson, the Commissioner. EXPRESSED 70
them the pleasure that their pledges Of peace
aud amity had given him said he should expect
all agreements made to be fully performed by
them, in the same good faith that the promises
made by the Government would be kept He
hoped that the pipe they had smoked to-day
might indeed prove pipe Of peace, not only
between the tribes. but between the Indians and
the whites and that when they looked upon
the face represented on the medals about to be
presented to them, they would remember that
u was the portrait Of their Great Father at
washington, who would be displeased with them
II they did not keep the word they had given.