Post by Larry Koschkee on Aug 29, 2005 21:41:27 GMT -5
In case you missed it, August 19th was the 180th anniversary of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien. These treaty negotiations were also known as the Great Council of 1825 and great it was in many significant ways.
Many historians gloss over this treaty because they viewed the terms as merely settling disputes among the tribes of the Old Northwest Territory and the fact that the U.S. Government did not gain one acre of land. This historical perspective is mis-guided.
1) This council established a formal relationship between the Indians and the United States that represented a change of Indian allegiance from the British to the Americans. In other words the U. S. trumped the British influence.
2) This treaty recognized tribal title to in excess of 100 million acres of land and carefully defined boundairies among the participating tribes in the territory. Contrary to what General William Clark, Superintendent of Indians told the Indian Chiefs at the Council... the U. S. Government wanted this Indian land. What did Clark tell the council? "We therefore propose to you to make peace together and to agree upon fixed boundairies for your country within which each tribe should hunt and over which others shall not pass without their consent... and you will be under no fear. WE WANT NOTHING, NOT THE SMALLEST PIECE OF YOUR LAND. NOT A SINGLE ARTICLE OF YOUR PROPERTY. WE HAVE COME A GREAT WAY TO MEET YOU FOR YOUR OWN GOOD AND NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT."
Why was Clark and the U.S. Government anxious to settle the Indian disputes on the Old Northwest frontier?
In lawyer language... Discovery gave the United States exclusive right to extinguish original tribal right of land possession but a taking must be compensated pursuant to the title that is recognized by treaty or statute. In laymen terms... before the U. S. government could negotiate to take Indian land, it first had to establish Indian title to that land, settling boundaries and establishing ownership. This treaty did just that. It defined boundaries and individual tribual ownership. From this date forward the Indian Tribes were on a slippery slope... slidding into one land cession treaty after another.
Some people recognize the monumental importance of this council and there is a movement in the Prairie du Chien community and University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire to educate the public by placing a historical marker on St Feriole Island soon. The plan has been approved by the St. Feriole Island Reuse Committee.
Larry
Many historians gloss over this treaty because they viewed the terms as merely settling disputes among the tribes of the Old Northwest Territory and the fact that the U.S. Government did not gain one acre of land. This historical perspective is mis-guided.
1) This council established a formal relationship between the Indians and the United States that represented a change of Indian allegiance from the British to the Americans. In other words the U. S. trumped the British influence.
2) This treaty recognized tribal title to in excess of 100 million acres of land and carefully defined boundairies among the participating tribes in the territory. Contrary to what General William Clark, Superintendent of Indians told the Indian Chiefs at the Council... the U. S. Government wanted this Indian land. What did Clark tell the council? "We therefore propose to you to make peace together and to agree upon fixed boundairies for your country within which each tribe should hunt and over which others shall not pass without their consent... and you will be under no fear. WE WANT NOTHING, NOT THE SMALLEST PIECE OF YOUR LAND. NOT A SINGLE ARTICLE OF YOUR PROPERTY. WE HAVE COME A GREAT WAY TO MEET YOU FOR YOUR OWN GOOD AND NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT."
Why was Clark and the U.S. Government anxious to settle the Indian disputes on the Old Northwest frontier?
In lawyer language... Discovery gave the United States exclusive right to extinguish original tribal right of land possession but a taking must be compensated pursuant to the title that is recognized by treaty or statute. In laymen terms... before the U. S. government could negotiate to take Indian land, it first had to establish Indian title to that land, settling boundaries and establishing ownership. This treaty did just that. It defined boundaries and individual tribual ownership. From this date forward the Indian Tribes were on a slippery slope... slidding into one land cession treaty after another.
Some people recognize the monumental importance of this council and there is a movement in the Prairie du Chien community and University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire to educate the public by placing a historical marker on St Feriole Island soon. The plan has been approved by the St. Feriole Island Reuse Committee.
Larry
