The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-24
HISTORY IN FRISCO
Gen. James H. Baker Suggests Sub
ject for Mural Painting in
New Capitol.
Signing Of the Treaty at the Trav-
erse des Sioux July %,
1851.


state capitol commission a suggestion for
a great natural painting to adorn one of
the inner walls OF the new capitol. The
society has agreed that the most notable
event in the history Of Minnesota should
be perpetuated in this way, and there Is
no division Of opinion as to the event
the signing Of the treaty Of the Traverse
des Sioux, July 30, 1851. It was this
treaty that secured from the Indians all
of Minnesota west Of the Mississippi
river, and parts of Iowa and South Da-
kota in all 10, 100000 acres. This was the
largest tract acquired from the Indians
up to that time. and it made possible the
settlement Of Minnesota. The treaty was
negotiated for the government by Alex
| ander Ramsey, with Luke Lee, commits
sioner of Indian affairs.
Great Chiefs Were There.
Among the great Sioux chiefs present
were Sleepy Eye, Red Iron, Curly Head,
Big Gun, Orphan and others. Nearly all
these were great Indian orators.
There, also, were such pioneers as
Henry Hastings Sibley, Joseph r. Brown,
Henry M. Rice, Nathaniel Mclean, Hugh
Tyler, Martin Mcleod. Nathan Myrick,
H. L. Dousman. William G. LIE Due. Wal
| liam III. Forbes, Henry jackson, Richard
Chute, Louis Robert Alexander Faribault,
and others, who. as traders interested OF
| as onlookers, gave Importance to the
| scene. The pioneer editor Of Minnesota
James M Goodhue, and the missionaries
Rev. S. R. Riggs and Rev. T. s. William
son, were present. French and scooter
l voyageurs were also there. Rarely, II
ever. had such an assennblage been pres.
ent at the signing Of an Indian treaty.
An Artist Sketched Scene.
The scene was preserved in sketches by
1 Frank Blackwell Mayer, an artist OF ab1l'
ity who had studied in Paris, and beine
in the west, accompanied the expedition
His sketches are in the possession or the
Historical society, and from them the
scene could be reproduced in grea
painting. General Baker says:
| "Much has been said of William Penn:
treaty with the Indians in Pennsylvania
June %, 1888 That treaty has been vast
! ly overrated It. derives Its great motor
iety from the purely imaginery scen'
painted by Benjamin West, an artist o
rare distinction. Historically, the picture
is all wrong Careful investigation by tn
X Historical Society of: Pennsylvania ha
shown that nothing represented IN tn
picture ever took place under the spread
ing elm The treaty, so-called, wa
never engrossed on. parchment, and wa
never signed by either of the parties. I
was a purely verbal transaction, with few
or no imposing accessories. The LAM
that he purchased, at three d1fferen
1 times, was scarcely equal, In each pur
: chase, to the area Of Ramsey county.
Governor Ramseys treaty involves
nearly an entire empire state. It wa
formally made. and was most solemn!
conducted, with ofations and covenants
It was duly engrossed on parchment, an
was signed by all the signatory parties
PENIS treaty was an informal affair. &C
companied by some good Quaker talK
So. likewise, Alexander Ramsey IS repre-
scented by those present as having .give1
the Sioux chiefs several good talks; an
there were tIndfSh- Orators; too, of tn
Ciceron1an Style West merely guesse.
at the scene he supposed took place
Ramsey's treaty was as formal as meet
ing Of the Roman senate, and was marke
by all the negotiations Of solemn con
tract between Independent nations. VIII
liam Penn was most fortunate In his art
: list; we await the genius Of our artist t
perpetuate the scene @of a greater treaty
on the walls Of the most noble structur
vet reared in the west.
|, II think that fairly voice the senti
ment of the people of our state when
say that we want no Greek or Roma
antiques, however classic no dancin
nymphs or goddesses; ION the walls of tn
I capitol. The desire is to have our ow
local history illustrated, our own bal
j. ties, our cwn heroes. our own barbarian
. our own lakes and rivers.
l. Other Subjects.
;. THAT there are other noble subject
l.. besides the one presented, Is fully al
preciated There Is the gallant defen!
: Of New Ulm in the Sioux massacre
|; 1862; there is Camp Release, Of Sibley
Indian expedition in the same. war; tt
l. view Of old Fort Smelling, before tt
' tower was torn away by vandal hand
the original Falls of St. Anthony, b
t; fore trade and commerce had impair
o. their primitive beauty; and the coureu
des bois and voyageurs, those pioneers
C. the commerce of Lake Superior, glidil
along the blue bosom of the great lax
II in the twilight Of our history. Sor
S grand scenes could be gathered duri
h, the reign Of the American Fur compani'
d, One Of the most remarkable would be
re Grand Portage in 1776, which was t
:. first settlement on the soil Of Minnesot
n, where 1900 people and 800 canoes we
/ gathered for the interchange of furs a.
e. supplies. Schoolcraft, the noted sava
: and explorer, discovering the source Of
m Mississippi, presents an exalted subje
10 for the painter. A herd Of buffaloes, nj
10 almost extinct, but once the lords of Q
prairies, would recall primitive scenes
Sc Sc FARM SCHOOL SITUATION