Page:1862 Territory of Dakota Session Laws.pdf/521

in 1858 by the Ponca Indians, including a portion of the valleys of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers, and all the valley of the White river, together with the country in the neighborhood of and embracing the Black hills. This region is believed to abound in mineral wealth, and portions of it are well timbered with pine and other valuable forest trees, rendering it — in consequence of the scarcity of timber and fuel in the territory already ceded - of almost vital importance to the future of Dakota. At present, these Indians are a formidable barrier to any further advance into this interesting part of the public domain.

The cession of their lands to the United States would at once open the door to the gold fields of the north-west, and the pine regions of the tributaries of the Upper Missouri. It will also open the shortest and most practicable thoroughfare leading from all the North-Western states to the western slope of the Rocky mountains.

Your memorialists entreat your prompt attention to the subject, confidently believing that the interests of the general government and the people of the North-West will be greatly subserved by an early treaty with these Indians. And we shall ever pray.

Be it resolved by the council and house of representatives of the Territory of Dakota, That our delegate in congress be and is hereby requested to use all honorable means to bring this subject to the favorable consideration of the Interior Department.

And be it resolved further, That his Excellency Governor William Jayne, superintendent of Indian Affairs for Dakota Territory, be and hereby is respectfully requested to urge the subject upon the attention of the Indian Department.

Approved May 12, 1862.