Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-03-18
THE MEMORIAL CONVENTION.


Pursuant TO call the citizens of the
counties adjacent to the Sisseton reser-
walton met at the court house in Web
ster, at II o'clock, Thursday March 18th.
and were called to order by ]. G. Adams.
A temporary organization was affected
by calling Hon. A. B. Smedley, of Grant
county, to the chair and the election of
w. q. Ashton, Of Roberts, as secretary.
Col. Smedley then in a few well chos-
en- and appropriate words, stated the
object of the meeting, and the impor-
lance Of securing some action looking to
the opening Of the Sisseton-W ahpeton
reservation for settlement.
On motion a committee on permanent
organization was appointed by tie chair,
consisting of d. NJ. Evans, of Grant; ].
II. Lang, Of Roberts; Judge Vail, Of Sar-
geant; Al. Lockhart, of Codington and
Hon. T. A. Bones, of Day.
On motion a committee on memorial
consisting of thirteen members, were APP
pointed by the chair, as follows:
+. Cook, A. Ii. Ingersoll, and C.. F.
Porter, of Roberts county.
J, G, Adams, w. G. Dickinson and
Geo. l.. Sharretis, of Day.
ID. NJ. Eyens, of Grant.
J. L. Bishop. of Sergeant.
II. r. Turner and d. I. Hindman Of
Marshall.
Marx w. Shefe, of C~odington.
]. O. Barrett, of Travare, MINI.
On motion Chairman Smediy was adj
ded TO the committee.
Adjourned to dinner.
2ocLocg p. N.
Convention was called TO order for
business
Committee on permanent organization
reported as follows;
We. your committee recommend for
permanent Offices Of the convention.
Hon. ALB. Smedly, of Grant, chairman
and VI. 6. Ashton of Roberts, secretary.
ard that IN executive committee, con
sisring of the officers Of the convention
and one delegate from each county ad.
jacent TO the reservation, appointed by
the chair, be formed, with a view to any
future action that may be necessary.
Respectfully submitted.
d. NJ. EVANS, chairman.
On motion, the report Of the commit
tee on permanent organization was a.
dopted.
The committee on memorial reported
as follows:
MEMORIAL.
We, the representatives of the counties
of C~odington, Marshall, Grant, Richland,
Day, Roberts and Sergeant, of Dakota,
and Traverse and Big Stone, of Minneso-
ia, all adjacent TO the Sisseton and
Wahpeton Indian reservation, respect
fully ask your honorable body to take
speedy measures to open for settlement
the Sisseton and Wahpeton reservation,
except such land as shall hereafter be
selected by the Indians under an act al
lowing them lands in seyeralty, for the
following reasons:
FIRsT-It is the desire of a large ma
jority of the Indians themselves that
they receive lands in severalty, and that
the residue of the reservation be opened
for settlement, the proceeds Of sales to
sach settlers to be covered into the Uni
ted States treasury as a perpetual fund
at interest in their behalf, and that the
said interest be paid to the several men,
bers of the tribe as their interests shall
appear, annually.
SECoND-The agent has reported all the
Indians of the Sisseton and Wahpeton
reservation as having adopted the rules
of civilization and as being a majority of
them settled on and ~cultiYating lands, as
shown by reports now on file in the de-
partment at Washington; and although
less than fifteen hundred of all ages and
sexes in number, they occupy nearly one
million acres of land, capable of support
ing an agricultural community of not less
than twenty-five thousand souls.
TmRp-These Indians desire a white
mans chance, which they feel is not al
present allowed them, because of their
being separated from the markets n
from all the advantages that civilized
communities offer.
FoURTH-This vast tract of land is To-
Gated it the midst of an old settled u
try, and every section of land available
for agricultural purposes within g hun
dred miles in each direction is occupied.
The reservation is therefore a bar to the
proper development. of the country as
veil as a detriment to the Ind aus them
selves.
FIFrH-There is no game on the reser-
vation upon which these Indians can
subsist, and consequently their onl
resource Is agriculture; and Isolated a.
they are IN the reservation, they are I'M
able to reap the advantages enjoyed by
the agricultural communities around
them. Hence, their desire for such an
arrangement as viii obviate the difficult
ties under which they labor.
SIxrH-The few Indians on this reser-
v~a:ion, as shown by the agents report,
are better qualified to assume the duties
and responsibilities of citizens than any
Of the other tribes of the Northwest.
Consequently we urge your immediate
atte1tion and action in the premises to
the end that both the interests of your
menlorialists and the well being of the
Sisseton Indians may be best conserved
and the difficulties under which both
labor fairly adjusted.
L. Cook, President.
]. G. ADAMS, Secretary.
Short speeches were made by E. Cook,
w. g. Dickinson, D. NJ. Evans, w. g.
Ashton, j. c. Adams and j. L. Bishop,
after which the memorial was unanimous
ly adopted.
The chair then appointed the following
gentlemen members of the executive
| committee:
John Munroe of Roberts; ID. NJ. Evans
of Grant; ]. L. Bishop of Sergeant, &c.
| McCumber of Richland; NJ. w. Sheafe Of
Codington; J.. c. Adams of Day, and J. O.
Barrett of Traverse, MINI.
A. B. Smedley, chairman.
w. G. Ashton, secretary,
On motion the secretary was instructed
to send a copy of the memorial to the
President of the United States and one
to our delegate in congress.
On motion the convention adjourned