Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-10-29

tiOns with the reds; they awaken SYM
pathy with the Indian and they furnish
ample reason for the bitter hatred
which Chariot bore to everything which
bore a Washington postmark, and to
everybody who hailed from the capital.
Governor Stevens understood the In
dian; he dealt with him as man with
man; he made promises which were
intended to be kept.
1t was in 1855 that Stevens conclud-
ed his treaty with the Flatheads and
their kindred tribes at Council Grove,
below Missoula. Victor, the father of
Chariot. had coded, in this treaty, a
large area in which is now western
Montana; upon yielding this region,
Victor had insisted that his people re-
tain that portion of the Bitter Root
valley above Lolo creek. But there had
been an alternative clause agreed to
which empowered the president to make
surveys and to determine from them
whether it was better for the Flatheads
to remain in the Bitter Root or to go
to the Jocko reservation. Until 1877
there had been no survey made nor had
the government kept its promise to
send carpenters, blacksmiths, artisans
and school teachers to the tribe as had
been promised In the treaty.
Consequently the Indians resisted a
presidential order, made in 1871, which
declared that the Indians should be
transferred to the Jocko valley. Con-
greSs appropriated $4,000 to defray the
expenses of removal and in 1872 Gen
eral Garfield was dispatched to the Bit
ter Root to arrange q treaty covering
the removal. 1t was in August, 1872,
that Garfield came to the valley. He
said In his official report that he found
the Indians unwilling to remove be-
cause for II years the government had
taken no step to carry out the provi-
sions of the He'll Gate treaty. However,
General Garfield prepared an agree
ment, which was published as having
been signed by Chariot, first chief of
the Fatheads-these as principals
and William H. Claggett. D. G.. Swain,
! w. F. Sanders, j. A. Vail and B. F.
Potts, then governor Of Montana, as
witnesses.
This treaty contained the provisions
that the Flatheads should move tc
Jocko; that the government should
build so houses for them; that 60(
bushels of wheat should be delivered
to the indians the first year; that lane
be broken and fenced for the Indians
and they be given agricultural nipple
ments; that the $4,000 appropriated fol-
their removal be given to the Indians;
that the sum Of $4,000 be paid to then
In ten annual installments and thai
the Indians should move as soon as the
houses were built for them at Jocko
except such as chose to take up lano
in the Bitter Root valley in the regular
manner.
Chariot was outraged when he learn
ed that it had been published that he
had signed the treaty. He declared he
had never signed it and that he haC
told the commissioner that he woulc
not sign it, but that he would never
go alive, to the Jocko. His sense Of
honor was wounded, his dignity wa
shocked; his last bit of trust in the
whites was shattered.
Meanwhile, the houses were bull
near the agency at Jocko. Arlee, witt
his personal following, who had rec.
ognized the Garfield treaty, moved Il
the reservation, and Arlee was des-
ignated by the government as the chief
of the Flatheads. This added to the
resentment Of Chariot. He persisted il
his declaration that he had never sign
ed the treaty and that he was not
bound by its provisions. And he helo
the fort at Stevensville.
Major Roman had become agent Of
the F1atheads; he sympathized with
Chariot, but he recognized the futility
of the continued resistance of the ole
chief, and sought to dissuade him from
his course. The Bitter Root was settl-
ing rapidly. The hunting grounds o.
the F1atheads were gone. They vert
starving. More than that, the crowd
ing of the settlers called for their re-
moval. The matter got to congress.
Senator Vest and Major Maginnis
Montana's delegate governor, wer'
named as a special commission to in
vestigate conditions. They visited TIN
Jocko agency and they went to Stevens
Vile. They investigated the conditions
They listened to Charlot's story. The.
heard Father Ravaln's account of thu
case. They concluded that Chariot wa