East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-03-21
THE TREATY OF SAGINAW.
Indian and Pioneer Incidents Of Saginaw Valley.
BY HON. c. p. AVERY OF FLINT.

Valley & published BY Thomas GalSslSJ ' ' '''' y sA"'
various Indian nations within the United States having
been always independent powers although living
within boier and after the Revolutionary War; well
after the War of 1872 helpless and their tenure fa
tenants sueance negotiation agreement with the
nations would have deemed valid unless entered by
the President approved by Senate the
the treaty making and the treaty -ratfyng powers
The action of the President and Senate indispensable
prerequisite any valid disposition of their possesory rights
and power delegated by the States under the national Con-
stion il took precedence of all action their part.
Although living within borders and answerable
criminal law for all violations of the peace and for crimes
have always granted them the right Of internal domestic pol
y and time when they have lived in bands according
the custom of their fathers have sought throw them
civil code Where individuals of those have separated
themselves from their tribal associations and have lived isolated
they have been generally treated citizens and made amenabe
civil code regulating the rights Of property real and per-
sonal, its descent and distribution
As fact in the history of nations it is certainly
and singular that there should have been and distinct
and independent governments within the limits of national
sovereignty-instances of an Ibperum impnro
But such has been at all times the fact from the early history
Of the Republic down the present time of action
and treatment of that unfortunate and fast disappearing
people, naugurated upon by great
good Washington with his refined high sense of national
equity, i--!1..g ~ -, .f i1t.,J sol. 3t4a
BY this view which he and administrators
national affair took of their condition. recognized the posses
sorry rights of the Indians They substantial rights which
could only be parted with treaties fairly made public and
open councils of the natives where the General Government
should be represented by agent and everything done fairly
freely and without the least ant of authority duress
This the theory of those councils and the ard
humane intention of Washington and of the Government If
violated any instance to the injury of the weaker parthere
were doubtless exceptional instances of such volation
should attributed corrupt individual and the
and well instructions of the proper department.
of our Government. al.l el.tt
The first treaty of Importance which made for tho
ngpismen of the Indian title the soil of what compr
Mohiean. William
Hull then Governor of Michigan territory, and erec0
Superintendent of Indian Affairs with the natives Detroit
1907 when of land the southeastern part of the State
was ceded by them to Government
Detroit and belt of land adjacent it, lying along the river
and lake, six miles width not affected by this grant,
having before that ohe possesory rights of
Britain to the District Detroit called which she had held
for series of years. with the claims of her prede
cesor France and which by the Treaty of Greenv made by
General Wayne behalf of Government n 1895, had
been re-assured to and made perfect in
With that exception, the title the south easery part Of
State obtained from the natives by the treaty of 1907
of what the of Lapeer aud Genesee and
little north of their southern boundaries thus leaving the Sag
River and its principal auents the Flint the Cas &C.,
entirely unaffected by the provisions of that treaty m
This portion of the State remained in Indian possession with
the rights of the and unaffected until the Treaty
of Saginaw of 1919. tU .aI fu, a-e
In that treaty particularly Interested for the cession of
lands then made by the natives with the reservations therein
provided for include the rich and ourhng valleys of the Sag
inaw and its tributaries i
General was commissioned to act as the agent of the
General Government securing this important addition
our territory
He then in the ygor of his manhood with audable
ambition to achieve notona reputation and identify himself
by his exerons with the acquisition of such valuable body of
and and feeling that the influx of emigration then beginning
be felt at Detroit and its vicinity required wider domain for
it to spread and with the greater security would give
life and property of eters upon the domain which had been
acquired by the previous treaty. he felt the Importance of the
enterprise which he about embark and that if
cessu it would be achievement upon which any statesman
might well ground claim for the gratitude of those then living
and Detroit and might be excused if he looked to such
achievement the ground work of future national hoors
He appeared upon the Saginaw, upon the site of what
Saginaw City, the 10th of September A. D. lsl9 with his
staff of interpreters and assistants. geA ~
They made the journey the whole distance upon horseback
from Detroit by way Flint and thence by the
way what until lately the Indian Reservation of Pc
which that time the tribal home of the Chic
Noome and his in the Cheanshp Tonedoka-ne.
Before starting from Detroit the General had directed Mr.
Louis Campau had been 1916 established Inr
Trader point upon the Saginaw build the Csunc
make the arrangements for the reception
the Commissioner and his company No other could hav
been appropriately selected meet the Commissioners
tatons and aid him in the details of the enterprise
Mr.. Campau yet survives, aged gentleman but with al
accurate memory fine representation of the better class
early French pioneers liberal public spirited and worth
= citizen.
Two vessels laden with for the subsistenc