The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-18
PROMISES TORED MEN
How They Have Been Broken
by the Government.
RESERVATIONS NOT PROTECTED.
r-termination of Game-How Can In.
dams support Themselves Where
whites Cry With Hunger?
Warrington City Letter in Omaha Bee.

| s;.nr If the government would maintain
sh<oIute good faith and fulfill all treaties
nth them, 10 the secretary of the interior.
x;th 4 request for information as to VIOLA
<;ons of treaties in times past. A reference
4 fhe official records reveals wanton dis
..ozrd of solemn agreements on the part
Il The government which is quite surpris-
/ ING. Without entering into the question
! 4 misconduct of the Indians in times
| mast. IT is made very clear that they have
| IA grievances which would make any
sp;rited nation appeal to arms. The first
srssty with the Sioux was one of friend
sbjp and anity made in 1926, when each
hish contracting party expressed unlimit-
"A confidence and very warm affection for
she other. In this treaty the Indians
FIRST formally recognized the supremacy
III the United States and placed themselves
uuder the protection of the government.
No treaties of any consequence were made
srom 1s25 until in that at Fort Laramie
made in 1851 with the Sioux and seven
ether tribes appears the first restriction of
The Sioux to any special territorial limits.
Nv that treaty the Indians agreed to be at
peace among themselves, to allow roads to
h established across their territories, and
ito recognize and acknowledge as their
territories" certain described tracts. The
tract assigned to the Sioux was bounded
on the east by the Missouri river, from the
mouth of Heart river, near the present
uts Of Bismarck, n. D., to the mouth of
White Earth river, near the present site of
Chamberlain, S. D., thence southwest to
the forks of the Platte river, thence
along the north fork of the Platte to
Red Buttes, or Fort Casper-a point some
what southeast of the center of Wyoming
thence TO and along the Black Hills range
to Heart river and along that river to its
mouth. It was, however, expressly stipu-
lated that the s'Indian nations do not
thereby abandon or prejudice any rights
or claims they may have to other lands;
and further, that they do not surrender
iheprivilege of hunting, fishing, or passing
over any of the tracts of country hereinbe-
fore described"
This treaty did not contemplate the set
flement of the Sioux at any special point
They we're expected TO roam and hunt and
take eaee of themselves as before but emf
grafton to California had brought the In
dams of the plains into new relations with
the whites and it was of the utmost i'm
portance that they should maintain friend
~ relations not only with the whites, but
with each other
The consideration which the United
States agreed to gay the eight tribes of
Indians who were parties to this treaty
was goods, supplies, etc., annually to the
value of $50 900 for fifty years. This would
probably not have been more than ST. per
capita. The treaty was ratified by the
Senate with an amendment which sub
stituted for fifty years" the words '.ten
years with the right to continue the same
at the discretion of the president of the
United States for q period not exceeding
I've years thereafter" The records show
this amendment to have been accepted by
the Indians, but the names of the Sioux
thus asserting are not the same names as
those signed TO the treaty, and it has
baen stated that the Indians did not know
OF this change in their treaty.
immigration increased; railroad was
lad through the center of the buffalo land;
military stations were established in terri
tory hitherto exclusively occupied by the
Indians; pushing alien race ignored
their past and their prejudices, killed and
wasted their buffalo for sport and even dis
puted their rights in territory TO which
tnelr claim had never before been ques-
toned. Conflict was inevitable, and it
came
:. In 1855 separate treaties were made at
Tort sully with nine individual bands of
SIOUX, I'D which they agreed to be at peace
With the United States and to try to keep
peace among themselves, and to withdraw
nom overland routes established through
inelr country. The United States agreed
i.opay annually for twenty years to two
bands, 5000 each, TO three bands, $4,000
eaen; TO another $1,000, and TO the re-
naming three bands $50 per capita. Most
o them were promised that if they would
ocaie permanently on land for agrlcui-
i'irai purposes they would be protected
nom molestation by whites or Indians and
would receive help in the way of agricul-
taral implements and improvements to
the extent of SIS annually for each family
lor I'VE years, and 10 every hundred lodges
Or families would be given farmer and
olacksmith and Eat the option of the Sec
Ietary If the interior deemed necessary"
teachers.
his foreshadowed the treaty of 1868,
oat these treaties with scattered portions
" tne Sioux seem 10 have produced little
result and prolonged war with the tribes
over large sections of the country was
brought TO close only by the well-known
treaty made at Fort Laramie in 1868 with
representatives. of the Sioux nation as
sl"sys remained in the region of Montana.
~ TINS treaty the Indians agreed not TO
Hloiest white persons or their cattle, not to
oppose or obstruct the building of wagon
tvaas, railroads or mail stations.
~ OF military posts outside the
faopoSed reservation. What was
loAg known as the Great Sioux
sseservauon' was set apart for the
.aosolate and undisturbed use and occupa-
aoh Of the Indians" upon which none but
sosefninent employees were TO be allowed
~ pass, settle or reside; the Indians re-
naqulshed all claim to occupy permanently
shy territory outside the designated reser-
sslien, but reserved 1.-The right 10 hunt on
any lands north of North Platte and on
sne republican fork of the Smoky Hill
.tt'a, 50 long as the buffalo may range
chase
u was also agreed:
M mat the country north of the North
p1ste rlver and east OF the SUBMITS OF the
~ morn mountains shall be held and con-
ss'UsFed 10 be unceded Indian territory and
no white person or persons shall
permitted 10 settle upon or occupy any
porton OF the same with or withoutthe con-
.satoi The Indians first had and obtained.
Pass through the same; and the military
hoslS now established in the territory IN
sA4s article named shall be abandoned,
,la Tue road leading 10 them and by them
otAe settlements in the territory of Mon
'@na shall be closed
the government agreed 70 establish an
SsealSSy, furnish employees, erect employees
evenings, a sawmiIl. griStmill and
rr.n99So1hoase; for thirty years 10 give an
,~aAiy suit OF clothes TO each Indian ana
- purchase goods and supplies 10 the
,Ase OF 500 for each indian ''foam-
,s aud $50 for each Indian engaged IN
s ssr,rsalhg' FOR four years to furnish 10 ev-