Relative te indian affairs Your memorialists believe that the surest remedy for all evils would be the transfer of the general management of Indian affairs to the states and territories within the limits of which the tribes or bands may respectively reside. Delays in the transaction of Indian business, now so frequently fatal to many undertakings would thus be avoided, while the management of their affairs would be conducted by those familiar with the peculiarities and requirements of the identical Indians with whom they deal. This is not and cannot be so correctly understood by those managing their affairs, situated a thousand miles away from the field of operation. Far more could be done for the Indians under such an arrangement with the same amount of money than under the present system. The Indian goods when purchased by the Indian Departments at Washington, generally cost about one-third more when delivered to the Indians than the same goods are selling at retail at such places. Firmly believing this to be the best way to a lasting settlement of this question, your memor ialists most earnestly implore Congress to cut the gordian knot of Indian difficulties by at once turning the management of the Indians over to the local state and territorial governments and thereby curtail largely the expenses of the general government and materially enhance the welfare of the Indian.. Your memorialists further believe that all moneys appropria ted by Congress for the benefit of the Indian should be wholly expended by their local agents. These officers know better than any one who never comes in contact with them, can, the kind, quality and quantity of articles which will best please and aid the Indians under his charge; they would then know when, how and where, they are to receive their goods and thus be made to feel more directly the power their agent exercises over all their affairs and would consequently strive to satisfy and obey him. The Indians should be made to feel that this power to their benefit or injury rests in the hands of the person who daily comes in contact with them, and overlooks all their actions and affairs. Under the present system in this Territory the Indians rarely eceive their goods at the proper time. For two seasons last the steamboats with Indian annuity goods for the upper Mis indian affairs souri have been sunk, thereby causing much disappointment Relative to and loss to Indians besides making them more troublesome, and this all results from the system of the Indian Departments at Washington, not purchasing their goods at a proper time, and in shipping them on worthless boats. Your memorialists would further represent that no good would result from the transfer of the management of Indian affairs to the War Department, that it would be equally as expensive as the present system, besides the Indians are bitterly opposed to such transfer. In the opinion of your memorialists the men of the Army are not the men to lead the Indians from a savage life to a pastoral, agricultural and civilized life. But were they placed under the fostering care of the different States and Territories, the States and Territories could and would at once take measures to have them located on reservations, and ways and means provided for their education and christianization. The better portion of the people together with the churches would at once have their sympathies enlisted in their behalf, while under the present system there is no encouragement for any one to attempt anything to ameliorate their present condition. And as in duty bound your memorialists will ever pray. Resolved, That a copy of this memorial be sent to our Delegate in Congress, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, Hon. Wm. Windom and John B. Henderson. NUMBER 8. A MEMORIAL TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Relative to the To his Excellency, the President of the United States: Your Memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Terri- removal of tory of Dakota, would most respectfully represent, the Pembi certain indians removal of certain indians Relative to the na band of the Chippewa Indians are still upon the lands on the Dakota side of the Red River of the North, which was ceded by the said Pembina band and the Red Lake band of Chippewa Indians in their treaty with the United States in 1863. And that the occupation of said land by said Pembina band of Chippewa Indians, is a great nuisance to the settlements on the Pembina river, and also retards the establishment and growth of new settlements on the ceded land. Your memorialists therefore pray that said last named band of Indians be removed from said ceded land and settled upon a reservation, according to the provisions of said treaty. And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray. LAND OFFICE Relative to iand office in the Red River valley A MEMORIAL TO NUMBER 9. CONGRESS RELATIVE TO A U. S. LAND OFFICE IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled : Your Memorialists, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota, would most respectfully represent; 1, That that portion of Dakota Territory, known as the "Red River Valley," bounded on the north by the British Possessions, and on the east by the Red River of the north, and which is traversed by the Pembina, Park, Salt, Turtle, Goose, Elm, Sheyenne and Wild Rice rivers, and their tributaries, contains a population of over two thousand citizens; which at this time is chiefly confined to the Pembina and Red rivers, near our northern boundary. And as the streams above named are all well timbered with oak, ash, elm, and lynn, and office in the Red water a valley over two hundred miles long by from twenty- Relative to land 2. That many of the citizens of Pembina county are entitled 3. That the Pembina settlements are by a direct line over four hundred miles from the only U. S. Land Office within this Territory. And as there is no communication by a direct route over the unsettled country, (much of which is yet Indian territory,) between the said settlements and the Land Office at Vermillion, on the Missouri river; in order to secure title to their grants, pre-emptions or homesteads, the people of said settlements will have to travel through a great portion of the States of Minnesota and Iowa, as well as this Territory, a distance of over one thousand miles, to reach the Vermillion Land Office; and at an expense equal, or greater than the value of their claims, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. For the reasons briefly above stated, your memorialists most respectfully pray for the establishment of a Land District, to be bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of Parallel of Latitude 49° north, with the Red River of the north; thence up the center of the main channel of said river to its intersection with the line between townships 130 and 131 north of the base line; thence west on said line to its intersection with Parallel of Longitude 27° west from Washington; thence north on said Parallel of Longitude (27°,) to its intersection with the Parallel of latitude 49° north; thence east on said parallel of latitude (19°,) to the place of beginning. And your memorialists further pray, that there may be a Land Office, with a register and receiver for said district, located at a suitable point in the said Pembina settlements. And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray. 'MAILS. For a mail route NUMBER 10. A MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS PRAYING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the Territory of from Fort Tot- Dakota, would most respectfully represent, that since the erection of zan to St Joseph Ft. Totten, during the last summer, a thriving settlement has been growing up near Devil's Lake, in this Territory. The people of this settlement, as well as those of the Fort, are without any direct mail communication with the old settlements on the Pembina river. In order to send a letter by mail from Fort Totten to the Pembina settlements, it is first carried nearly 200 miles to Fort Abercrombie, on the Red river, thence down the Red river 200 miles to Pembina, making a distance of nearly 400 miles, when in fact it is less than 100 miles, by a good traveled route from Fort Totten, to St. Joseph, on the Pembina river. Your memorialists do therefore, most respectfully ask for the establishment of a mail route from Fort Totten, or Devil's Lake to St. Joseph, on the Pembina river, there to connect with the mail now carried between that place and the town of Pembina, on the Red River of the North. And your memorialists as in duty bound, will ever pray. |