Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-02-16
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cd
A MAKER OF HISTORY

A MAKER OF HISTORY
A recent Yankton dispatch give
Interesting details of the early acti
les of territorial Governor Newto
idmunds. whose death occurred Sc,
raj days ago, as. follows:
Newton Edmunds, second ter
Titorial governor of South Dako-
ia, who died of paralysis in this
city, had the distinction of ne
gotiating the first treaties with
the Indians on behalf of Dakota.
These treaties, for which Mr..
Edmunds is entitled to almost
the entire credit, really begin the
HISTORY af ssouth Dakota.
Mr.. Edmunds was appointed
territorial governor in 1863 by.
President Lincoln. serving three
years. He succeeded Governor
Jayne. who resigned his Office to
take his seat in congress. At
that time there were but 600 vot-
ers in all the territory. These
whites were at the time trror-
lied by the massacres at New
Ulm and Redwood, MINI. In 1853
two separate expeditions were di-
rected against the Indians in Da-
kota. under General Sibley and
!. General Sully, and each admin
istered a severe defeat to the
redskins.
Governor EdMunds' first mes
sage to the legislature was char
acteristically sensible and prac-
tical; He made suggestions for
education, revenue, immigration,
and railway legislation and pro-
!: posed defense for the whites by
smeans of a line of small posts
along the frontier.
Carrying out plan he had
long had. in mind, Governor Ed
munes visited Washington in Feb
ruary, 1865, just as congress was
drawing tc a close, and, calling
upon President Lincoln, convinced
him that, with small appropria-
ton a commission could effect a
treaty of peace with the hostile
Indians that had been terrorizing
the territory ever since its estab-
iishment. Mr.. Lincoln gave Gov
ernor Edmunds note to the CON-
mittees of congress upon Indian
affairs. suggesting that they take
MIR. Edmunds' advice. A bill was
quickly passed allowing $40, 900
Tor the expenses of the treaty
commission and the president a
few days later appointed Govern.
or Edmunds, Edward B. Taylor
Superintendent of Indian Affairs
Major General 8. r. Curtis, Brig
adler General Henry H.Sibley and
Henry w. Reed and Orrin Guern-
sey as members of the commits
sion.
But,toGovernor Edmunds' great
disappointment, General Pope
would not permit the commission
to enter the Indian territory or
negotiate for peace. A bitter cor
respondence followed, and James
A. Harlan, secretary of the inter
Tor. finally secured a revocation
OF the military order. It was not
until October that the Edmunds'
commission met the hostile Indi.
ans at. TT. Sully, below Pierre.
There, after negotiations from
October IA to October 20, treaties
OF peace were signed with the
Yanktons and the seven tribes OF
Teton. Both with the exception
OF Hump and Two Kettles, none
of the prominent Indian chiefs at.
tended the conference or signed
the treaty. II Governor Edmunds
could have reached Red Cloud
Spotted Tail, Crazy Horse and q
few others. the history of the sub.
-sequent fifteen years might not
have been blood stained.
Mr.. Edmunds was born in Nj.
agara county, New York, in 1919
At the age of IL he removed. to
3 Washtenaw county, Michigan
where he lived until he was an
pointed chief clerk of the survey.
or generals Office of Dakota ter
ritory.
Mr.. Edmflnds was married Al
1S4S. his wife dying in 1904. II
q Is survived by two sons, Charles
P. Edmunds, vice president, and