PROCEEDINGS of a
council held by James McLaughlin, U.S. Indian Inspector at Red Lake
Agency,
Minnesota with the Chippewa Indians belonging on the Red Lake
Reservation,
Minnesota, with reference to the cession of the western portion of
their
reservation.
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Council convened
March 4th, 1902, at one o'clock p.m. with about 120 Indians in
attendance. Peter Graves
interpreting.
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R.E.L.
DANIEL, Clerk in charge of Agency:-
My friends it is
with very great pleasure that I introduce to you Mr. James McLaughlin,
United
States Indian Inspector, who comes amongst you representing the united
States
Government on business which he himself will explain to you. I desire further to congratulate you upon
having Mr. McLaughlin, a man who has spent his life among the Indians
and whose
knowledge of your people, your interests and your needs is greater than
any
other man whom it has been my good fortune to meet in Indian work; and
as your
friend, for your own welfare I ask you to consider well what he will
say to you
in this council.
INSPECTOR
McLAUGLIN:-
My Friends, an
act of Congress of March 3rd, 1901, authorized the Secretary of the
Interior,
in his discretion, to negotiate through any United States Indian
Inspector
agreements with any Indians for the cession to the united States of
portions of
their respective reservations or surplus unallotted lands, any
agreements thus
negotiated to be subject to subsequent ratification by Congress,
and I being
one of the United States Indian Inspectors, hare been sent here by the
Secretary of the Interior to negotiate with you Indians of the Red Lake
Agency
for a portion of your reservation, which portion it is believed you do
not
need, and from which you are deriving no benefit. The
tract of land that I am directed to negotiate for is the western
portion of your reservation, and is situated in nineteen
