Fifty Years In The Northwest
movement John H. Tweedy, territorial delegate from Wisconsin,
resigned. The election was held Oct. 30, 1848, and H. H. Sibley was
elected as a successor to John H. Tweedy, his papers being certified
by John Catlin, secretary of Wisconsin Territory. Mr. Sibley proceeded
to Washington, presented his credentials and patiently awaited
recognition, which was not very speedily accorded, there being
considerable discussion as to the right of excluded territory to
continued political existence. His admission, on the fifteenth of
January, as a delegate, settled the question and established a
precedent that the creation of a state government does not deprive
portions of the territory not included within state limits of the
right to existence and representation. Mr. Sibley ably presented the
claims of his constituents and with great difficulty succeeded in
procuring the passage of a bill organizing the new territory of
Minnesota.
With all respect to the action of Congress in receiving Mr. Sibley as
a legally elected delegate (and, under the circumstances, the action
seems wise), the question still rises: "Had we a legal territorial
government?" If we had, what was the necessity for a new organization?
Why could not the excluded territory continue under the old _regime_,
or inherit, so to speak, the old government machinery? If we had no
legal existence, by what authority could Mr. Sibley represent us? The
Wisconsin territorial government had ceased to exist. Ours had not
begun to live.
The territory of Minnesota was created by act of Congress, March 3,
1849, a little over thirty days after the introduction of the bill
creating it. There had been some discussion as to the name. In the
bill presented by Morgan L. Martin it was named Minnesota. Senator
Stephen A. Douglas, chairman of the committee on territories,
recommended the passage of the bill, and that the new territory be
named Itasca. When the bill was before the house the names Chippewa,
Jackson and Washington were proposed, but the name in the original
bill was adopted. It is a compound word, taken from the Sioux
language, and has for its meaning "Land of sky-tinted water." The news
of the passage of the bill reached Stillwater April 9th, and was
received with great rejoicing.
The United States land office which had been established at St. Croix
Falls in 1848 was removed to Stillwater July 1, 1849. Abraham Van
Voorhes was appointed register and William Holcombe receiver.
INDIAN TREATIES.
Sept. 23, 1805, at the mouth of St. Peter's river (now Mendota) with
the Sioux. (For account of this treaty see "Gen. Pike and the
Indians.")
July 29, 1837, at St. Peter (now Mendota), Wisconsin Territory, the
Chippewa Indians ceded to the United States the following tract of
country: Beginning at the junction of the Crow Wing and Mississippi
rivers, between twenty and thirty miles, above where the Mississippi
is crossed by the forty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and running
thence to the north point of Lake St. Croix, one of the sources of the
St. Croix river; thence to and along the dividing ridge between the
waters of Lake Superior and those of the Mississippi, to the sources
of the Ochasua-sepe, a tributary of the Chippewa river; thence to a
point on the Chippewa river twenty miles below the outlet of Lake De
Flambeau; thence to the junction of the Wisconsin and Pelican rivers;
thence on an east course twenty-five miles; thence southerly on a
course parallel with that of the Wisconsin river to the line dividing
the territories of the Chippewas and the Menomonies; thence to the
Plover portage; thence along the southern boundary of the Chippewa
country to the commencement of the boundary line dividing it from that
of the Sioux, half a day's march below the falls on the Chippewa
river; thence with said boundary line to the month of the Waw-tab[F]
river, at its junction with the Mississippi; and thence up the
Mississippi to the place of beginning.
HENRY DODGE,
_Commissioner_.
Sept. 29, 1837, at Washington, District of Columbia, the Sioux nation
of Indians ceded to the United States all their lands east of the
Mississippi river, and all of their islands in the said river, Joel R.
Poinsett, secretary of war, commanding, which cession embraced all
their land east of the Mississippi and west of the following lines
commencing at the Chippewa river, half a day's march below the falls,
from thence to Red Cedar river, immediately below the falls; thence to
the St. Croix river at a point called the Standing Cedar, about a
day's paddle in a canoe, above the lake at the mouth of that river;
thence passing between two lakes called by the Chippewas, "Green,
Lakes," and by the Sioux, "The Lakes they Bury the Eagles in," thence
to the Standing Cedar, that "the Sioux split;" thence to Rum river,
crossing at the mouth of a small creek called Choking creek, a long
day's march from the Mississippi; thence to a point of woods that
project into the prairie, half a day's march from the Mississippi;
thence in a straight line to the mouth of the first river which enters
the Mississippi at the east side above the mouth of Sac river (Watab
river). The above boundary line was established between the Sioux and
Chippewa Indiana at Prairie du Chien, Aug. 19, 1825.
WILLIAM CLARK,
LEWIS CASS,
_Commissioners_.
St. Paul, East Minneapolis and Stillwater are embraced within the
above limits.
Nov. 1, 1837, at Washington, District of Columbia, with the
Winnebagoes.
The Winnebagoes at this treaty ceded all their lands lying east of the
Mississippi river, and received in return $200,000. Of this amount
$150,000 was reserved to satisfy the claims of Indian traders, and the
remaining $50,000 was paid to certain individuals of the tribe. There
was set apart the further sum of $100,000, to be paid, by order of the
president of the United States, to mixed blood relatives of these
Indiana. Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, and James Murray, of
Maryland, were commissioned to adjust claims, pay debts and partition
the amount alloted to the mixed bloods. The Winnebagoes, including
mixed blood relatives, numbered over 4,000 souls. The payments and
adjustments were made at Prairie du Chien, October, 1838. Soon after
complaints were made of the arbitrary and unjust distribution of these
funds. The secretary of war, Joel R. Poinsett, countermanded the
action of the commissioners and appointed Judge Fleming, of New York,
to act as commissioner. The parties were reassembled at Prairie du
Chien in September, 1839, and the unpleasant business was in some way
adjusted and closed up.
Aug. 2, 1847, at Fond du Lac of Lake Superior, the Chippewa Indians of
the Mississippi and Lake Superior ceded to the United States the
country beginning at the junction of the Crow Wing and Mississippi
rivers, thence up the Crow Wing river to the junction of that river
with the Long Prairie river; thence up the Long Prairie river to the
boundary line between the Sioux and Chippewa Indians; thence southerly
along said boundary line to a lake at the head of Long Prairie river;
thence in a direct line to the sources of the (Waw-tab) river; thence
down that river to its junction with the Mississippi river; thence up
the Mississippi river to the place of beginning.
ISSAC A. VERPLANCK,
HENRY M. RICE,
_Commissioners_.
Aug. 21, 1847, at Leech Lake, the Pillager band of Chippewa Indians
ceded to the United States the country beginning at the south end of
Otter Tail lake; thence southerly on the boundary line between the
Sioux and Chippewa Indians to Long Prairie river; thence up said river
to Crow Wing river; thence up Crow Wing river to Leaf river; thence up
Leaf river to its head; thence in a direct line to the place of
beginning.
ISSAC A. VERPLANCK,
HENRY M. RICE,
_Commissioners_.
July 23, 1851, at Traverse des Sioux (now St. Peter), the See-see-toan
and Wah-pay-toan bands of Dakotah or Sioux Indians ceded to the United
States all their lands in the state of Iowa; and the territory of
Minnesota, lying east of a line beginning at the junction of the
Buffalo river and the Red River of the North; thence along the western
bank of said river to the mouth of the Sioux Wood river; thence along
the western bank of said Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence
along the western shore of said lake to the northern extremity
thereof; thence in a direct line to the junction of Kampeska lake with
the Tchan-kas-an-data or Sioux river; thence along the western bank of
said river to its point of intersection with the northern line of the
state of Iowa, including all the islands in said rivers and lake.
LUKE LEA, Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
ALEXANDER RAMSEY, Governor and
_Ex-officio_ Superintendent of Indian Affairs,
_Commissioners_.
A small reservation was set apart for said Indians, which they
forfeited by their attack upon the whites in 1862.
Aug. 5, 1851, at Mendota, the Med-ay-wa-kan-toan and Wah-pay-koo-tay
bands of Dakotah and Sioux Indians ceded to the United States all of
their lands in the territory of Minnesota and state of Iowa.
LUKE LEA,
ALEXANDER RAMSEY,
_Commissioners_.
The two treaties made by Commissioners Lea and Ramsey included the
following area:
Beginning at the junction of Buffalo river with the Red River of the
North, in Clay county; thence along the western bank of the Red River
of the north to the mouth of Sioux Wood river; thence along the
western bank of Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence along its
western shore to its southern extremity; thence to the head of Sioux
river; thence along said Sioux river to the northern line of the state
of Iowa; thence along the southern boundary of the state of Minnesota
to the Mississippi river; thence up said river to the mouth of Waw-tab
river (just north of St. Cloud in Stearns county); thence up that
river to its head; thence to the place of beginning. A part of the
state of Iowa not included in the above was also ceded to the United
States. A large strip of Dakota Territory is included. This last tract
includes nearly one-half of the state of Minnesota, containing its now
richest and most populous counties.
Sept. 30, 1854, at La Pointe, Lake Superior, Wisconsin, the Chippewas
of Lake Superior ceded to the United States all of their lands lying
east of a line beginning at a point where the east branch of Snake
river crosses the southern boundary line of the Chippewa country,
running thence up the said branch to its source; thence nearly north
in a straight line to the mouth of East Savannah river; thence up the
St. Louis river to the mouth of East Swan river; thence up the East
Swan river to its source; thence in a straight line to the most
westerly bend of Vermillion river, and thence down the Vermillion
river to its mouth.
HENRY C. GILBERT,
DAVID B. HERRIMAN,
_Commissioners_.
The foregoing treaty embraced all of the country bordering upon Lake
Superior in the state of Minnesota, including the valuable iron and
other mines.
The city of Duluth is within the limits of the cession.
Owing to the efforts of Henry M. Rice, then in Congress, the
commissioners were appointed, and to his personal influence with the
Chippewas the treaty was made.
Feb. 22, 1885, at Washington, District of Columbia, the Mississippi,