The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-12-13

| atlu al AL ALlCcI VIZ" VIVID Wiz ~
ish commander at 'Mackinaw Is
land, 1T that time Canadian terri
tory, he voiced the attitude OF his
people in 10 uncertain terms. The
incideat is relatad in Warren .
History of the Ojibwsys, and men
toned ag.in in ''Winchell's His.
toy of the Aborigines of Mime
so,a.'
Under the treaty Of September
8, 1915, inserted therein was, that
all the Chippewas were associated
with Great Britain, but restored
to them we're treaty rights. but
the Indians seemed never to have
received them.
1t is not charged here that the
government deliberately failed to
keep it's promises. The reasons
were probably physical, and here
we are referring to the Chippewas
who were numerous and scattered
along the shores of the Great
Lakes, and also inland to the
regions OF the Mississippi River
and to Leech Lake, Red Lake and
North Dakota.
Detroit, Mich, was the place
designated as the Agency where
annuities should be paid. This
point was at 100 great a distance
for the annuitants to approach for
the sole purpose of receiving the
very small per capita shares to
which they were entitled, and the
Indians not receiving them, the
gross sums reverted annually to
the Treasury of the United States.
This was likewise the case in
nearly all tho treaties made with
Cbippewas prior to 1885. In the
meantime, the Chippewa Lation,
mum boring probably sixty thops-
and people, occupied the territory
of Michigan which extended as far
north as the International bound
ary line between the United States
apd Canada. In the course'of the
advance of civilization westward
they were forced north and west
ward step by step. And in this
connection it is worth mentioning
as matter of, history among
these, that the United States at
tempted to induce the chiefs and
head men of the nation to join the
Michigan Chippewas in ceding the
whole Of the northern portion of
the State of Michigan in che treaty
of July 81, 1855. But this they
refused to do principally probably,
because of their reluctance to
travel such long distance from
their homes by birch bark canoes,
to Detroit. Michigan, where they
we're requested to come and make
the treaty. Up to this date the
Chippewas as a nation have never
coded their rights of occupancy to
the territory they occupied in
Michigan, and to which the United
States acknowledged the right of
ownership under the Prairie du-
CHEN treaty of 1925, which we
have heretofore referred to. But
priur to the treaty of 1855. the
United States had commenced to
make treaties with certain CON-
munities of Chippewas they desig-
mated as bands, no doubt in order
to take the sting from a doubtful
transaction. The first tr eaty made
with a community was bat of May
8, 1886. By the terms of this so
called treaty, the communities Or
bands ceded to the United States
their right of occupancy which
had been retained by the Chippe-
wa Nation under the treaty of
Nov. II, 1907 with the United
States. The last treaty which
was made with the Chippewas as a
nation was concluded at St. Peter,
Minnesota, on July 20, 1887.
But SO much dissatisfaction was
caused by this treaty, because a
large portion of the nation had not
authorized il to be made. that the