St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-23
S|SSETON INDIANS.
History of the Tribes and
Their Reservations in
Dakota.
Were Not Implicated in the
Massacre, But Suffered
From It.
The Most Honest and Viptu-
GUS Community to Be
Found Anywhere.
Furnish an Example Of the
Solution Of the Indian
Question.


offal floats or is thrown away and
Wahpeton Village of leaves) tribes
made treaty with the government.
in which they coded all their lands in
the state of Iowa and territory of Min
neSota, the consideration being reser-
Walton on the upper waters of Mime
sofa river, on the extreme western por-
ton of the ceded lands, and designated
as the Upper agency. They were to re-
ceive $4,000 annually for period of
fifty years. The Lower agency, desig-
mated the lower reservation, on the Min
neSota river, was occupied by two
tribes, of which Little Crow was the
leading spirit. The unparalleled, in
discriminate and horrible butchery of
defenseless men, women and children
in the Minnesota massacre of 1862 was
undoubtedly instigated by Little Crow
but | believe that the true history as to
the cause of the outbreak remains to be
written. 1t is well established fact
that
STANDING BUFFALO,
chief of the SiSSetOn'S, with very few
exceptions of his tribe and Wahpetons,
remained loyal to the government and
assisted in the capture of hostile Siouxs.
1868, passed an act abrogating all treat
les with the annuity SiouXS Of Mime
soto. declaring all their claims and an
nuities forfeited. All Indians were
promptly removed from their reServa-
tons, and most of the guilty Indians, or
those implicated in the massacre, were
hanged or imprisoned. Thus the Sisse-
ton and Wahpeton tribes lost every
thing, although there was no evidence
duplicating them in the massacre.
In February, 1867, our government
made treaty with these two tribes,
and the following is a portion of the
treaty: "Whereas, Congress, in con-
fiscating the Sioux annuities and reser-
vationS, made no provision for the sup
port of these, the friendly portions of the
SisSeton and Wahpeton bands. and it is
believed that they have been suf-
fered to remain homeless wanderers
frequently subject to intense suffering
from want of subsistence and clothing
to protect them from the rigOrS of
high northern latitude, although at all
times prompt in rendering service when
called upon to repel hostile raids, and
to punish depredationS committed by
hostile Indians upon the persons and
property of the whites"
In article 2 of said treaty they cede
to the United States a large tract of
land in Eastern Dakota, bounded on the
north by Goose river, on the west by
jim river, on the south from the mouth
of Moccasin river to Kampeska lake.
In Article 3 a description of the
boundary lines of their present reServa-
ton is given, which they received in
consideration of above tract of land
ceded to the government. The follow
ing is the description: beginning at
the head of Lake Traverse, and thence
along the treaty line of 1851 to KAN
peska lake; thence in direct line to
Reipan, or the northeast point of the
Coteaus DIES prairieS, and thence pass
ing north of Skunk lake on the most
direct line to the foot of Lake Traverse,
and thence along treaty line of 1851 to
the place of beginning"
Article states ''That it is agreed that
congress will, in its own discretion, from
time to time make such appropriations
as may be deemed requisite to enable
said Indians to return to an agricultural
life under the system in operation on
the Sioux reservation in 1862" This
treaty is signed by twenty-one Indians,
headed by Gabriel Renville, chief of the
Sisseton and Wahpeton tribes; also by
n. q. Taylor, commissioner of Indian
affairs, and eight other witnesses. Pres
ident Andrew johnson and Secretary of
State William II. Seward attached their
signatures April Is, 1867. This reserva-
ton is seventy miles long and twenty
miles wide on an average, and contains
nearly 100000 acres. There is an eX-
tensive and fertile valley extending
along the eastern side of the COteauS,
crossed by numerous cOuleeS rising in
the CoteauS. These cOuleeS are in many
rla ayyi1
Der and contain living springs. A large
majority of the Indians located their
farms along these cOuleeS in the valley
and back up the cOulees to the top of
the COteaus. The COteaus contain some
rough, stony land, and much that in time
will make excellent farming land.
Skunk lake in the northern part, Buff
falo lakes and Dry Wood lake in the
central part north and south, with Pick
erel and Enemy Swim lakes north of
the Chicago, Milwaukee 81 st. Paul
railroad are about all the lakes of any
importance; the latter two lakes are
well stocked with pickerel and wall
eyed pike, and are resorts for fishing
parties during the summer from Web
ster, BrittOn and Langford. The above
lakes are surrounded by more or less
pretty good timber and farming lands,
which are occupied by farmer Indians.
GOVERNMENT.
The Indians adopted constitution in
1884. The government of the reServa-
ton consists of legislature, compriS-
ing council and house of representa-
tiveS, all chosen by the people. The
reservation is divided into ten districts.
Each district is entitled to one council
l.