Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-10-10

to the present boundary of the ter
ritory of Washington Summit of the
Rocky mountains; then north along
said boundary to the 49th parallel to
the point of beginning
An interesting story of the history
and conditions of the country en-
braced within the territory of Dakota,
in which an optimistic view of the
future of the territory and especially
of that portion now constituting the
state of Montana was exhibited, was
published as preface to the book OF
general laws passed at the first session
of the territorial legislature, which
commenced at Yankton, March II, 1862,
and concluded May Is, 1862, to which
the writer signed only the initials
u. L."
Neglected Public Domain
From it the following extracts are
taken:
The territory of Dakota is but a
remnant of what it was formerly, and
for many years. laid down on the maps
and known as the Great Northwest
territory. The great states of Iowa,
ritory of Nebraska, have, from time
to time, been carved from the vast
region comprised under that name, and
yet the Great Northwest territory is
| little more than half exhausted.
Minnesota. while a territory, en-
braced all that portion of Dakota east
of the Missouri river; and the boun-
daries of Nebraska prior to 1861, en-
braced all that portion lying west of
the Missouri. The admission of Mime
/ sofa as a state in the union in May,
| 1858, with its present boundaries, left
| all the country situated between the
/ Big Sioux and the Red River OF the
North. on the east, and the Missouri
river on the west, unincluded in any
organized state or territory. This neg
| lected fragment of the public domain
was. by general consent, designated by
| the name of Dakota, from the nation
of Indians by that name who claimed
and possessed the soil.
The last cessation of lands was
made in 1858 by the Yankton and
/ Poncas tribes of Indians BY this pur-
chase the government eXtinguiShed the
Indian title to over $4,000 square miles
of land lying along the Missouri, Mo-
brara and Big Sioux rivers. White set
I tiers were admitted in 1859, and a
/ great portion of the land was immedi-
ately occupied. On account OF the
critical and disturbed state of public
affairs, and the prevailing prejudice
/ in regard to creating more territories,
| the organization of Dakota was de-
| layed until 1861, when, by law of
! congress, she was declared a territory
| in common with her sisters, Colorado!
and Nevada The organic act was APP
proved March 2, 1861. The first legis-
/ lature convened in March. 1862.
Reds Hunting Grounds
Dakota extends from Minnesota on
the east to the Rocky mountains oni
the west, and from the Niobrara river
on the south to the British possessions
on the north, comprising degrees of
| latitude and Is degrees of longitude
upwards of $4,000 square miles of land.
Except the ceded land, this vast tract
is occupied and roamed over by dwin
ding tribes of the red man. With the
exception of the Crows of the Yellow
stone, the Blackfeet of the upper Mis-
souri,. these Indians are nearly all
known as Dakotas, though divided and
scattered into numerous tribes and
bands.
These Indians. for the most part
still subSist by the hunt. Their hunting
grounds are annually narrowed. and
their victims are constantly and rapid
ly diminishing, though immense herds
of buffalo, elk and antelope still range
the prairies. The conviction forces it
self upon us that the government must
soon make final provision for the
maintenance of the rest of its red
children. The unoccupied lands of the
states, and some Of the territories, are
| already the property of spectators, and
squatters are accordingly debarred
from taking advantage of the recent
homestead law within their limits; |
thus rendering it necessary that the
government should so dispose of the
Indians in Dakota, as to enable such
as desire to avail themselves of that
| liberal and beneficient act.
The Missouri river is one of the
| leading features of Dakota More than
400 miles of the eastern slope of the 4
Rocky mountains discharges its waters
into the Missouri near the base of the
mountains at Fort Benton. The early
confluence of these numerous streams