Page:1862 Territory of Dakota Session Laws.pdf/522

CHAP. C.]

Your memorialists of the legislative assembly of the Territory Dakota, would respectfully represent the importance and necessity of a treaty being made with the Chippewa Indians of Red lake and Pembina on the Red river of the North.

The importance of such a treaty is quite apparent to your memorialists when they consider that it has been the policy of the general government to encourage the march of empire in its westward course, and, especially, when it is self-evident to them that, by the formation of such a treaty, a beautiful tract of country, which cannot be surpassed for a fertile and exuberant soil, will be opened for settlement, and speedily developed. Your memorialists would also represent that inasmuch as the Hudson Bay Company have for the past two years nearly abandoned their route via Hudson's bay, using the route via St. Paul, Minnesota, to their settlement, they believe it a matter of vast importance to the commercial interests of the West, that protection be afforded to those engaged in transporting goods from the city of St. Paul and other cities on the Mississippi river, to the British settlements on Red river, and also that protection ought to be afforded to our own citizens engaged in conveying goods to the northern part of the territory.

And your memorialists would further represent, that the aforesaid tribe of Indians have endeavored during the past summer to prevent the navigation of the Red river, by taking possession of the steamboat Anson Northrup, when moored at the town of Pembina, for the purpose of changing the United States mail, and that said tribe of Indians have, by numerous threats made during the past winter, exhibited such a spirit of hostility against the use of their country for a