Treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians in 1789—­treaty and cession of land to the United States at St. Louis in 1804—­Black Hawk’s account of this treaty—­Erection of Fort Madison—­The British excite the Sac and Fox Indians to make war upon the United States—­A party under Black Hawk join the British standard in 1812—­Treaty at Portage des Sioux in 1815—­Treaty of peace with Black Hawk and his band at same place in 1816—­Treaty for part of their lands in Missouri in 1824—­Treaty of Prairie des Chiens in 1825—­Treaty for the mineral region in 1829—­Treaty of peace in 1832, after the “Black Hawk war”—­Present residence of the Sacs and Foxes.

The first treaty between the United States and the Sacs, was made at Fort Harmar, on the Muskingum river, on the 9th of January 1789.  It was concluded by Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Territory north west of the Ohio, on the part of the United States, and the sachems and warriors of the Chippeway, Ottawa, Pottawatamie, Delaware, Wyandotte and Sac tribes of Indians.  The object of this treaty seems to have been the confirmation of former treaties and the adjustment of boundary lines of previous cessions of land.  By the fourteenth article of this treaty, it is provided, that the United States, “do also receive into their friendship and protection, the nations of the Pottawatamies, and Sacs; and do hereby establish a league of peace and amity between them respectively; and all the articles of this treaty, so far as they apply to these nations, are to be considered as made and concluded, in all and every part, expressly with them and each of them.”

On the 27th of June 1804, the President, Mr. Jefferson, directed Governor William H. Harrison, to make a treaty with the Sacs, and obtain, if possible, cessions of land on both sides of the Illinois river, and to give them, in lieu thereof, an annual compensation.  In November following, Governor Harrison concluded a treaty with the Sacs and Foxes, under his instructions.  As this treaty has formed the basis of all the subsequent ones made with these tribes, and as its validity, has been disputed by some of the Sac nation, it is deemed expedient, to copy it entire, in this place, more especially as it will be matter of frequent reference in the subsequent pages of this work.

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“Articles of a treaty, made at Saint Louis, in the district of Louisiana, between William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory and of the district of Louisiana, superintendent of Indian affairs for the said territory and district, and commissioner plenipotentiary of the United States, for concluding any treaty, or treaties which may be found necessary with any of the north western tribes of Indians, of the one part; and the chiefs and head men of the united Sac and Fox tribes of the other part.”

Article 1.  The United States receive the united Sac and Fox tribes into their friendship and protection; and the said tribes agree to consider themselves under the protection of the United States, and of no other power whatsoever.