The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-09-13


tanning paper ON the Treaty of Ira,
verse des Sioux and Its Results was
read before the State Historical Society
in St. Paul Monday night by Attor.
ney Thomas Hughes of this city. The
paper deals with an event that was
important in its character.
One of the most important events in
the annals of our great northwest was
the opening to settlement of the Sioux
lands west of the Mississippi river,
which was effected by the treaties of
Traverse DIES Sioux and Mendoza in
1851. Ten years prior Gov. James
Duane Doty of Wisconsin, under COM
mission from the government, had
concluded a treaty with the same In
dams for the cession of this same ter
ritory. This Doty treaty was signed
by the Sissetons, Wahpeton and Wah-
pekuta bands at Traverse DIES Sioux,
then the territory of Iowa, on July 81,
1871, and by the Medawakontons at
Mendoza on the 18th day of August
following.
By its terms these tribes sold all
their lands TO the United States, except
small designated portions thereof re-
served for their homes. They were to
receive therefor stated annuities and
to be taught the arts of civilization,
since their nomadic habits were to be
exchanged for those of an agricultural
character lands were to be allotted to
them in severalty-a hundred acres to
each family-and citizenship could be
conferred upon them after two years
probation. They were to have con-
stitutional form of government, with
a legislative body elected by themselves
and a governor appointed by the gen.
eral government. The traders and
half breeds among them were, also, to
receive certain privileges and to have
their claims paid.
The object of this treaty, however,
was not to open the country for settle
ment, but primarily to provide loca-
ton for the Winnebago Indians, who,
since the cession of their lands in
1887, had been on the government S
hands under promise of a permanent
home; and secondarily, to furnish
reservations for a number of other
tribes similarly situated. In short,
to create of the Sioux country a second
Indian Territory, into which to dump
dl Iuc OuuS anu euuS VI 1uuldu IIlDtS
still left east of the Mississippi river.
Fortunately, this treaty failed of
confirmation by the senate, and thus
this vast and fertile territory was
saved to a grander destiny. Prior to
1850 very little was known by the peo-
pie generally about the Sioux country.
No one but few traders and an &C.
casional explorer or missionary had
Re info Tn
railroad days the key to the whole
region was the Minnesota river, which
was supposed to be unnavigable, except
to the bark canoe of the Indian and
the mackinaw boat of the trader.
The year 1850 was noted for a num-
Der of steamboat excursions up this
river, which gave to the hundreds of
people participating and through them
to the whole country a practical dem
OnstratiOn of both its navigability and
of the wonderful beauty and fertility
of the country it drained. The press
of the country east and west was full of
glowing accounts of this western para
disc. Everybody was talking about it,
and thousands of hOmeseekers all over
the land were eager to go up and possess
it but to the people of the newly Great
ed territory of Minnesota, circumscribed
within the narrow and not over fertile
land between the Mississippi and the
ST. CrOiX, the rich country beyond the
river was indispensable.
The Indians alive to their own in
terests and perhaps melted thereto by
the greater foresight of the traders,
with the aid, also, of the military,
guarded their lands with the utmost
vigilance, and almost daily chased
some daring squatter back over the
Father Of Waters The situation at
st. Paul and st. Anthony was grow
ing daily more acute as the streams
Of immigration came pouring into
them and there found their progress
arrested.
The voice of the people Numbered
through Gov. Ramsey and Congress-
man H. H Sibley and others at last
awoke the Washington authorities to
action, and in the spring of 1851 a
commission, consisting of Gov. Alex
ander Ramsey and Col. Luke Lea, the
then commissioner of Indian affairs,
was appointed to treat with the Sioux
for their lands. Both commissioners
were men eminently fitted for the trust
reposed in them because of the conf
dence in their ability, experience and
honesty elected in both white and red
men.
Traverse des Sioux, on the Mime
sofa, because of its central location,
was chosen as the principal place for
the treaty, and the steamer Excelsior
was chartered to transport the COM
misssioners with their attendants and
supplies to this designated spot DIR.
Thomas Foster of ST. Paul was ap-
pointed secretary of the commission,
and Alexis Bailey, of Priarie du Chen,
had charge of the commissarv depart
ment.
On Saturday, June %, 1851. the
Excelsior with Commissioner Lea on
board arrived at st. Paul, and next
morning proceeded to Mendoza, where
the party was joined by a number of
traders and Sioux chiefs of the Lower
bands. Here also drove of cattle |
and other things necessary for the sub
sistence of the commission and the |
many Indians expected at the treaty
were taken on board. At Fort Smelling
Gov. Ramsey joined the party, but |
company of dragons, who were to !
accompany the commission as a guard, |
were not ready, and the boat departed
without them, nor, owing to the good !
behavior of the Indians, were their
services once needed
The river, in consequence of recent |
heavy rains, was exceptionally high
overlooking all the low lands, so that
its true channel in many places was
hard to follow. At sunrise of Monday
June 30) the boat reached it's destina-
ton and quickly unloading passengers
and cargo, departed down stream.