The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-26
PAINTING FOR CAPITOL
Treaty at Traverse Des Sioux Is Sug.
gested as a Fitting Subject
Historic Event Recalled in a Letter
BY Gen. J. H. Baker.
State Historical Society Unanimously
in Favor of the Plan.
How Nineteen Million Acres of Land
Opened to Settlement.
From Wednesdays Daily.

OSh. IL Ddhtls CldD VI
committee of the state historical so.
citey, has written the following letter
to Claiming Seabury, vice president OF
the state capitol commission, outlining
the suggestion of the historical society
to commemorate the treaty at Traverse
des Sioux in 1851 with a mural painting
in the new state capitol Gen. Bakers
letter follows:
The undersigned has been instructed
in behalf of the historical society, to pre-
sent to your honorable commission a
proposition for a great mural painting
with which to adorn the new capitol
building. The society has had the mat
ter under consideration, and has unani-
mously reached conclusion which is eX-
pressed in the following resolution, as in
PRODUCED to the writer at the council
meeting of that body May IL, 1908:
Whereas, The great treaty of Tray
erse DIES Sioux, consummated July %,
1851, opening to civilized settlement over
nineteen millions of acres of land now
embraced in the fairest portion of our
SLaiCs was lllC IllOSl lpOtIstll CNChI III
our annals. opening wide the gates to
immigration, and in the place of bar
barbic people, with savage habits and in
stincts, gave us thousands of noble farms,
and a region dotted with towns and
cities, which make our state an empire
OF wealth and Christian civilization;
Therefore, be it resolved, That this
society appoint a committee of five,
charged with the special duty of pre-
senting to the next legislature of our
state request that steps be at once
taken to appropriately commemorate so
great an event by the erection of mon
umental shaft on the precise ground
where the treaty was made; also by a
mural painting to be placed in the new
capitol building, which shall present the
faces and figures of the leading actors,
both white and Indian, who took part
in the proceedings of that memorable
day"
Spot Definitely Located.
On consideration, and by your own
suggestion, it was thought the proper
way was to present the matter to your
commission, so far as the mural decora-
ton is concerned
The idea of having one or more notable
pictures of some events in our his
tory presented in the mural decorations
of the capitol will surely meet with gen.
eral approval. The only question would
seem to be that of choice among the
many notable events in Minnesota his
tory. So far as the historical society is
concerned, they have no alternative as a
first choice to the one herein recommend
ed.
As expressed in the resolution, the
most important event in our history was
the great treaty with the Sioux Indians
at Traverse DIES Sioux, consummated
July %, 1851.
This treaty was held at a spot, recent
ly definitely located, on the banks of the
Minnesota river known as the Traverse
des Sioux 1.-THE "Crossing") which long
before had been an important trading
and mission point. Indeed, it was the
natural capital of the Sioux country.
There were several log buildings, occu-
pied by traders, school building be-
longing to the church mission, and the
frame residences of two missionaries.
The fur company also had two buildings,
and there were two or three cabins be-
longing to old French voyagers. Not a
vestige of these buildings now remains.
At this selected spot the commission
who were to treat with the Indians ar
rived June 80, 1851. They pitched seven
tents, and a council chamber was erect
ed with poles and covered with the green
branches of the trees. A platform of
boards was provided for the commission,
where they sat in great dignity, while
board seats were arranged around for
the Indian chiefs and warriors. There
were several thousand Indians, of both
sexes. present on the ground. For an In
dian treaty the equipment was extraor-
binary. The government was represented
by Alexander Ramsey, governor of the
territory, and Luke Lea, commissioner of
Indian affairs, while DIR. Thomas Foster,
their secretary, sat at rude table. The
savages were represented by all the
chiefs and leading warriors of the differ
ent Sioux bands. They were arrayed in
ali the paint and feathers characteristic
of that day.
Great Sioux Chiefs Present.
Among the great Sioux chiefs present
were Sleepy Eye. Red Iron, Curley Head
Big Gun. Orphan and other high poten-
tates Nearly all these were orators and
some had Websterian heads.
There, also, were such powerful bor-
der barons as Henry Hastings Sibley
Joseph R. Brown, Henry NJ. Rice, Ma
thaniel Mclean, Hugh Tyler, Martin
Mcleod, Nathan Myrick, H. L. Dous-
man, William G. LIE Due, William H
Forbes, Henry jackson, Richard Chute
Louis Robert, Alexander Faribault and
others, who, as traders interested or as
onlookers, gave Importance to the scene
The pioneer editor of Minnesota, James
M. Goodhue, and the Missionaries, Rev
S. r. Riggs and Rev. L. S. Williamson
were present. French and Scotch voy
aoeurs were also there; whose pictures
que costumes enlivened the remarkable
group. Never before in the history Of
America was there such a grand assem-
blage to consummate an Indian treaty.
Does an artist wish more noble sub
iect? With such faces and figures az
were actually present at the signing
white and red men, among the most no
table interviewer with our history, TIN
picture of Minnesota's most memorable
day would be complete indeed.
We claim the event as the most i'm