Treaty with The Chippewa
December 20, 1837
Articles of a treaty, made and concluded at Flint river,
in the State of Michigan, on the twentieth day of December,
eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, between the United States,
by Henry R. Schoolcraft commissioner duly authorized for that
purpose, and acting superintendent of Indian affairs, and
the Saganaw tribe of Chippewas.
It is agreed, that the sum of fifty cents per acre shall
be retained out of every acre of land ceded by said tribe,
by the treaty of the 14th of January 1837, as an indemnification
for the location to be furnished for their future permanent
residence and to constitute a fund for emigrating thereto.
The United States agree to reserve a location for said tribe
on the head waters of the Osage river, in the country visited
by a delegation of the said tribe during the present year,
to be of proper extent, agreeably to their numbers, embracing
a due proportion of wood and water, and lying contiguous to
tribes of kindred language. Nor shall anything contained in
the sixth article of the treaty of the 14th January 1837,
entitle them, at this time, to a location in the country west
of Lake Superior.
Nothing embraced in the fifth article of said treaty shall
obligate the United States, at the present time, to advance
from the Treasury, the entire amount appropriated by the said
tribe in the fourth article of said treaty; but the President
shall have authority to direct such part of the said moneys
to be paid for the objects indicated, so far as the same are
not hereinafter modified, as he may deem proper: Provided,
That the whole sum so advanced, shall not exceed seventy-five
thousand dollars. And the reduction shall be made upon the
several items ratably, or in any other manner he may direct;
Provided, That the balance of said appropriations, or of any
item or items thereof, shall be paid out of the proceeds of
the ceded lands, as soon as the fund will permit, and the
President may direct.
The first and second clauses of the fourth article of the
treaty of the 14th of January 1837, and the tenth article
of said treaty, are hereby abrogated; and in lieu thereof,
it is agreed, that the United States shall pay to said tribe
in each of the years 1838 and 1839, respectively, an annuity
of five thousand dollars, and goods to the amount of ten thousand
dollars, to be advanced by the Treasury, and to be refunded
out of the first proceeds of their lands. But no further annuity,
nor in any higher amounts, shall be paid to them, by virtue
of the treaty aforesaid, until the same shall be furnished
by the interest of the proceeds of their lands, vested in
conformity with the provisions of the third article of said
Several of the chiefs entitled to payments by schedule A,
affixed to the treaty aforesaid, having died within the year,
it is agreed, that the proportion of the fund, to which they
would have been entitled, may be redivided in such manner
as the President may direct.
No act of Congress shall confer upon any citizen, or other
person, the right of pre-emption to any lands ceded to the
United States by the treaty of the 14th of January 1837, herein
above referred to. Nor shall any construction be put upon
any existing law, respecting the public lands, granting this
right to any lands ceded by said treaty.
The United States will pay the expenses of this negotiation,
together with the unpaid expenses of the prior negotiations,
with said tribe, of the 24th of May 1836, and of the 14th
of January 1837.
In testimony whereof, the commissioner above named, and the
chiefs and headmen of said tribe, have hereunto affixed their
signatures at the time and place above recited, and of the
independence of the United States the sixty-second year.
Henry R. Schoolcraft,
- Ogisna Kegido, (The Chief Speaker), 1st chief of the tribe.
- Tondagonee, (A dog rampant or furious.)
- Mukkukoosh, (The Broken Chest, Keg, or Box.)
- Ogimaus, (The Little Chief, or chief of subordinate authority.)
- Ottawaus, (The Little Ottawa.)
- Peetwaweetam, (The Coming Voice.)
- Mushkootagwima, (The Meadow Sparrow, or Feather in the Meadow or Plain.)
- Acqueweezais, (The Expert Boy, i. e. wickedly expert.)
- Kaugaygeezhig, (The Everlasting Sky.)
- Wasso, (The Bright Light, or light falling on a distant object.)
Signed in presence of -
- Jno. Garland, Major, U. S. Army.
- Henry Connor, sub-agent.
- T. B. W. Stockton.
- G. D. Williams, commission of internal improvements, South Michigan.
- Jonathan Beach.
- Chas. C. Hascall, receiver of public moneys.
- Albert J. Smith.
- Robt. J. S. Page.
- Wait Beach.
- Rev. Luther D. Whitney.
- T. R. Cumings.
- (To the Indian names are subjoined marks.)
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