The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-06-12
ANCIENT
A Link In the History or he Maha
Indians-

Omaha Be-.
With the permission OF the chief o
the Omahas, who is at present In thil
city, and through the kindness Of Judg,
Savage, we were shown some interest
ing documents which have been held b,
the tribe for several generations, and
are yet In an excellent condition.
Que is dated July 27th, 1906, and /.
from James Wilkinson. commander
in-ehief OF the army OF the United
States, governor Of the territory Of
louisiana. and superintendent OF Indi-
n affairs" This was three years after
the purchase Of the territory Of Lonisi-
ana by the United States from Napo-
leon Bonaparte, then first consul Of
France. At that time. 1t viii be re-
membered, the territory of Louisiana,
comprised nearly all Of the present states
OF Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Min
nesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Dako-
IA territory and Indian Territory, part
OF Colombo, most Of Wyoming. and
the whole Of Idaho, Oregon and WASH
ington territory. Over this vast terri
tory a government Was placed BY the
president.
The British still had an envious eye
on the Mississippi, and Gov. Wilkinson
no doubt knew the value Of the good
will Of the then powerful tribe Of red
men, and the expression OF his appre-
citation embodied in the document,
which Ne give below. is equivalent TO
nm assurance of their forefathen. which
then, as now, occupied a large range in
the northeast CORNER Of the state, and
a guarantee that the transfer OF the
territory Of Louisiana 10 the United
States should in no way affect their
title.
Following Is a correct copy OF the
body Of the document:
sin consideration Of the fidelity, zeal,
and attachment testified by Washing
ga-sa-be, CHEF Of the Mahas, TO the
government Of the United States, and
by virtue OF the power in me vested, |
do hereby confirm the said Washing
ga-sa-be a chief OF the Mahas aforesaid,
having bestowed upon him the great
medal, willing all and singular, the In
dams and Inhabitants thereof, TO obey
him a n chief and all officers and 9TH
ers in the service OF the United States
to treat him accordingly.
Given at st. Louis, etc., by his excel
lency's command,
JOSEPH BROWNE. Sec.
This document is executed by hand,
upon a large sheet of parchment. ut the
top of which is the representation Of a
spread eagle c~lutching the stars and
stripes Half OF the sheet is devoted
to n verbatim translation, in French. Of
the above.
Another Of the relics dates back to
1895, when the territory was under
Spanish rule. 1t is signed by the lieu.
tenant OF the Spanish governor, and is
substantially the same as the one subse.
quently given by Wilkinson. 1t is not
so deliberately gotten up, and is written
in French alone. We give below n cor.
rect translation: 1
Dunzenon iTrudeau, lieutenant to the
governor, and commander n-chief OF
the part east Of Illinois.
We certify that the herein named
Wa-gin-gas-sa-bet grand chief of the
village Of the Maha nation, has come
to us and given the hand. We have
welcomed him as a good Indian, and in
consequence we have solicited OF TIT
grand chief Of the Spanish n medal. fol
the purpose of giving in the hope that
he will conduct himself like a good
chief, who would join his father after
the father Of life shall have called
him.
In faith of which we have set our hant
and seal at st. Louis, of Illinois, the
3rd Of the month Of June, in the yeal
seventeen hundred and n~inety-fve.
ZENoN TRUDEAU.
The documents have been preserves
by the Omahas in a stout walnut box
and are almost as bright and fresh n
when first executed.
Judge Savage considers them of con
siderable historical Importance and pc
culiarly valuable to him, as he has be
come much interested in the history o.
the tribe, and contemplates writing til,
| cnna