The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-26
portant in our early history by reason

as territorial governor, he found his ney
empire a "pent-up Utica" with littl
land open to settlement That was re
stricted to the narrow strip between tn
st. Croix and Mississippi rivers, abou
one third of the present state. All south
ern Minnesota and the lands west of hi
Mississippi river were in possession o
the Sioux Indians. Gov. Ramsey a
once saw that the Indian titles to thes'
fertile lands must be eXtinguished, if WI
were to have the great state he had pic
tlIred in his Dreams He often ant
urgently represented this to the genera
government, and the result was the au
thorization of this treaty. By the terms
OF the treaty, the Sioux nation cedeC
all of Minnesota west of the Mississippi
river, and a portion of South Dakota
and Iowa.
Nineteen Million Acres.
In this tract were more than nineteen
million acres lying within the present
borders of our state. 1t embraces fifty.
| three of our richest and most prosperous
counties, each republican empire in it.
self, dotted with opulent cities and pros
porous towns, in all, today, miracle OF
wealth and civilization. The result of
this treaty fixed the destiny of our state
The lands thus coded were so inviting
that immigration poured in stream
upon the fertile soil. No other single
treaty made by the government of the
/ United States, with Indians, ever before
secured SO large and so valuable body
OF land.
Much has been said of William PENIS
! treaty with the Indians in Pennsylvania,
June %, 1858. That treaty has been
vastly overrated. 1t derives its great
notorietyfrom the purely imaginary scene
painted by Benjamin West, an artist of
rare distinction. Historically, the pic
ture is all wrong. Careful investigation
by the Historical society of Pennsylvan-
ia has shown that nothing represented in
the picture ever took place under. the
spreading elm" The treaty, so called,
was never engrossed on parchment, and
, was never signed by either of the parties.
with few OF no imposing accessories. The
land that he purchased, at three different
times, was scarcely equal, in each pur-
chase, to the area of Ramsey county.
Gov. Ramsey's treaty involved nearly
an C;ltilc culplc IL was
made, and was most solemnly conducted,
with orations and covenants 1t was
duly engrossed on parchment, and was
signed by all the signatory parties
PENIS treaty was an informal affair,
accompanied by some good Quaker talk.
So, likewise, Alexander Ramsey is rep
resented by those present, as having
given the Sioux chiefs several good
talks; and there were Indian orators, too,
of the Ciceronian style. West merely
guessed at the scene he supposed took
place Ramsey's treaty was as formal as
a meeting of the Roman senate and was
marked by all the negotiations of a
solemn contract between independent ma.
tiens. William Penn was most fortu-
nate in his artist; we await the genius
OF our artist to perpetuate the scene of a
greater treaty, on the walls of the most
noble structure yet raised in the west.
Memorable Scene Preserved.
1t is exceedingly fortunate that we
have this memorable scene, at Traverse
DIES Sioux, preserved by sketches made
by an artist of much merit, who was
there present. Frank Blackwell Mayer
was born in Baltimore, Nd, Dec. %,
1927, an died in his home, in Annapolis,
July %, $780, After studying in this
country and in Paris, under the best art
lists, he took trip to the far west, to
study Indian faces and figures. Coming
to st. Paul, he obtained permission of
Gov. Ramsey to go with him to the great
treaty. On the ground, he sketched in
a small picture the scene of the treaty,
just as it was, with the intention of
making larger picture later on. His
purpose was never accomplished, but the
sketch was purchased by the Historical
society and now hangs in our rooms.
This picture can be made the correct
basis for the great mural painting we
are here considering. Mayer also, at
that time, sketched the heads of several
of the most prominent Indian chiefs,
and these sketches are still in the pos
session of the artists family, at Anna
polls, and can be obtained.
To reproduce this great historical
event, to stamp it with the face of truth,
presenting to us the veritable barbarian
chiefs, and the important white person
ages, parties to the great compact, all as
it was when they first started the infant
state on it's journey of life-such a pic
ture, it seems to me, should fill a true
artist with Joy and ambition at his
opportunity.
| think that 1 fairly voice the senti-
ment of the people of our state when L
say that We want no Greek or Roman
antiques, however classic, no dancing
nymphs or goddesses, on the walls of the
capitol. The desire is to have our own
local history illustrated, our own bat
ties, our own heroes, our own barbar-
ians, our own lakes and rivers.
Many Other Noble Subjects.
That there. are other noble subjects,
besides the one presented, is fully APP
preciated There is the gallant defense
of New Ulm in the Sioux massacre of
1862; there is Camp Release, of Sibley's
Indian expedition in the same war;; the
view of old Fort Smelling, before the
tower was torn away by yandal hands !;
the original Falls of st. Anthony, before
trade and commerce had impaired their
; primitive beauty; and the coureurs des
/ bois and voyageurs, those pioneers of the
commerce of Lake Superior, gliding along
the blue bosom of the great lake in the
twilight of our history. Some grand
scenes could be gathered during the
reign of the American Fur companies
One most remarkable would be at Grand
Portage in l776, which was the first set
| Element on the soal of Minnesota, where
| /, 200 people and 800 canoes were gather
ed for the interchange of furs and sup
plies. Schoolcraft, the noted savant
and explorer, discovering the source OF
the Mississippi, presents an exalted sub
ioat ho int A hard of huff lonc