"
With the original treaty I send a copy of the explanatory letter and of
a communication from General Milroy giving the reasons for the money
provisions made for the chief Richardville and the family of Chief
Godfrey. (E.[86])
It will be thus seen that the negotiation of a treaty was not
authorized; but if in the opinion of the President and Senate it shall
be advisable to adopt and confirm it, I do not see any legal objection
to such a course. The quantity of land ceded is estimated at about
500,000 acres, for which the consideration is fixed at $550,000, or
$1.10 per acre, of which $250,000 are payable presently and the balance
in annual payments of $15,000, which will be discharged in twenty years.
In addition, we will be bound to remove them west of the Mississippi
within five years, the period stipulated for their emigration, and to
subsist them for one year after their arrival. These are the chief
provisions in which the United States are interested. By the second (it
is called in the treaty now submitted the "22," which, if the President
should decide to lay it before the Senate, can be corrected by that
body) article of the treaty of 6th November, 1838, there is reserved
from the cession contained in that instrument 10 miles square for the
band of Ma-to-sin-ia, in regard of which the seventh article says:
"It is further stipulated that the United States convey by patent to
Me-shing-go-me-zia, son of Ma-to-sin-ia, the tract of land reserved by
the twenty-second article of the treaty of 6th of November, 1838, to
the band of Ma-to-sin-ia.
Pages:
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883