and the Missouri River. The land owned here by the Indians was a long, narrow belt of country, separated from the rest of the Indian country by the Missouri River. it to the State of Missouri was evident-an "obvious eonven- The importance of ience and neccssity." The citizens of Missouri made represen tations to this effect; and tlhough the President is said to have been "unwilling to assent, as it would be in disregard of the guarantee given to the Indians in the Treaty of Prairie dn Chien, and might be considered by them as the first step in a sories of efforts to obtain possession of their new country," he nevertheless consented that the question of such a cession should be submitted to them. Accordingly, negotiations were opened, and nearly all the Indians who had rigbts in these lands, "seing that from their local position they could never be made available for Indian purposcs," relinquished them.^[1]

In 1837 the Government invited deputations of chiefs from many of the principal tribes to come to Washington. It was "believed to be important to exhibit" to them "the strength of the nation they would have to contend with" if they vent- ured to attack our borders, "and at the same time to impress upon them the advantages which flow from civilization." Among these chiefs came Sioux; and, being duly "impressed," as was most natural, con oluded treatics by which they ceded to the United States all thirty chiefs and headmen of the their land cast of the Mississippi River, and all their islands in the same." These chiefs all belonged to the Medawakanton band, "community of the Mysterious Lakes."

The price of this cession was them, and the interest upon this sum, at five per cent., to be paid to them annnally forever;" $110,000 to be distributed among the persons of mixed blood in the tribe; $90,000 to be

$300,000, to be invested for