-9-

for it will enable you to secure the very best land on the reservation which cannot be interfered with by anyone and it is held in trust for 25 years.

Now in regard to this piece of land that I have been talking to you about it is a different proposition from any grievance that you are speaking of.  I have known for sometime past that your people had many grievances in relation to your dead and down timber, and that the matter is still unsettled, but there is no doubt but that will eventually be attended to and properly adjusted.  That was a bill which was prepared in Congress and sent out to you for your ratification and it is such as to be very difficult to interpret clearly and satisfactorily to the Indians, and at the same time meet with the requirements of the Treasury Department.  Indians are naturally impatient and want all matters attended to too hurriedly, but you must bear in mind that this is a great country with an immense number of people to legislate for, and a great many matters to be attended t, and it takes time to bring all things about.   This is especially so with an agreement containing ambiguous expressions, that is, expressions that are difficult to understand, where the same word may have two or more different meanings.  The advantage in having simple, plain words in an agreement is therefore very great.

Now in any agreement that we may make for this tract of land, if we conclude an agreement, will be simple and plain and easily understood, and as there is only you people interested instead of all the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, as in your last agreement, and there would be no possibility of a misunderstanding in its interpretation or in carrying out is provisions.  The difference in that treaty which Governor Rice presented here and my proposition, is that his was enacted by Congress and sent here for your ratification without your having any say in its preparation, whilst you are a party to the agreement in my proposition.  The agreement will be made on such terms