Treaty timeline

The discussion, bargaining, and arguing about the points of the treaty were not always positive, calm discussions; nor were they accomplished quickly. Treaties were often works in progress for many months or years. Bargaining toward an end result added more stress and sometimes it only led back to the drawing board. Before any Congressional approval, the government and the Indians under consideration had to agree. However, it was not so simple. Many outside influences contributed to the length of the discussions. If a fur trader or general store owner thought it would not be beneficial to them, they would urge against it. If it included a way for them to receive monies, of course, they worked both sides to get an agreement.

Washington, DC delegations

Representatives of a tribe, business owners, Indian agents, and state officials often traveled to Washington, DC, by choice to meet with senators about treaty negotiations. Newspapers in the home state and in the nation’s capital often mentioned such delegations; occasionally pictures accompanied the story. Other tribal officials were enticed to Washington and kept there until they agreed to the offer made by the government.

Payment of debts

Traders and store owners often extended credit to the Indians who needed seeds, cloth, weapons, blankets, food, and other provisions. Interest was usually added to that debt amount, and much of the time, the interest was at an exorbitant rate. As discussions regarding a treaty began, the debt holders often exaggerated the amounts they were owed or flat-out invented debts. Treaties in the Western Frontier were not always pushed by the settlers or the government, rather the area fur traders and other businesses may have done the pushing, hoping that the treaty would provide payment for the growing credit balances extended to the Indians. Of course, if the payback for Indian debts was in the treaty, the traders and store owners would help promote the treaty to the area Indians. Thus, treaties were not always about opening land for the new wave of settlers.

The yield for the tribes

Even today tribes are trying to enforce the terms of their treaties. The federal government has not always paid the monies or supplies due. If alternate land was provided by the government, it may have been far from usable water, very rocky, not good for farming, already stripped of trees, or without good fishing or hunting. Some commitments the government encouraged the Indians to agree to were not realistic.

Congress was generally not in favor of the debt repayment part of treaties. On the other hand, Congress made concessions when the local tradespeople helped by encouraging the tribal representatives to sign the treaty that gave their land to the government.

Site Links

Membership

More

Connect

Why the name Fold3?