History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

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to the United States all lands in Michigan heretofore owned by
them as reservations; and that the grants and payments provided
in this treaty were in lieu and satisfaction of all claims legal and
equitable onthe part of said Indians, jointly and severally against
the United States, for land, money, or other thing guarantied to
said tribes or either of them, by the stipulation of any former
treaty or treaties; the entries of land made by the Indians and by
the Missionary Society of the M. E. Church for the benefit of the
Indians, in townships 14 north and 4 east, and 10 north and 5 east,
were confirmed and patents issued.
SCHOOLCRAFT' S TRICKERY.
The treaty of 1837 is said to have been drafted by Government
Commissioner Schoolcraft in 1836, and presented before an Indian
council the same year. James McCormick, who was then settled
among the bands on the Indian fields, received from his aboriginal neighbors a tract of 640 acres of land in recognition of his kindness to them during the prevalence of the small-pox epidemic. This
valuable present was received by Mr. McCormick, and went into
his possession; but in tie treaty presented by Schoolcraft there was
no mention made of the Indian grant to McCormick. One of the
Indian counselors demanded why this important item was omitted,
merely gaining for his trouble the laconic answer from the Commissioner: " It can't be done." 'Very well," said the Indian
orator; " we will not sell our land unless our white brother is provided for. We will not sign the treaty." The assembled Indians
dispersed and the Commissioner was left to dream over the situation in the d, serted wigwam.
In January, 1837, the Commissioner invited the counselors to
meet him at Detroit, and on the 14th of that month they assembled
agreeably to such invitation. Mr. Schoolcraft assured them that
the treaty paper as now presented, contained full assurances that
Mr. McCormick would be continued as lessee of the lands in question. Thus assured on the honor of an officer of the United States
Government, the children of the forest deeded away their hunting
grounds, and, as a few years proved, their munificent gift to their
white brother also. The Commissioner never inserted an article
guarantying a title to James McCormick, and as a result he was
evicted from a home and farm which he improved, which he merited, and which was endeared to him by many associations. About
this period small-pox decimated the ranks of the Indian warriors,
and where it failed to secure a victim, the officials appointed to
carry out the treaty articles, generally succeeded.