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97-816: Signatories to the Treaty of Point Elliott included Chief Seattle ( si'áb Si'ahl) and Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens . Representatives from the Duwamish , Suquamish , Snoqualmie , Snohomish , Lummi , Skagit , Swinomish , (in order of signing) and other tribes also signed. The treaty established the Suquamish Port Madison , Tulalip , Swin-a-mish ( Swinomish ), and Lummi reservations. The Native American signers included Suquamish and Dwamish (Duwamish) Chief Seattle , Snoqualmoo (Snoqualmie) and Sno-ho-mish Chief Patkanim as Pat-ka-nam, Lummi Chief Chow-its-hoot , and Skagit Chief Goliah. The Duwamish signatories to

194-447: A "stern taskmaster", whose unrelenting demands on his son pushed the young man to his breaking point. While working on the family farm, Stevens once nearly died of sunstroke . After Stevens' mother died in a carriage accident, his widowed father married a woman whom Stevens disliked. According to Stevens, he came close to suffering a mental breakdown in his youth. Stevens graduated from the male prep school Phillips Academy in 1833 and

291-451: A 30-year history of dealing with the "King George's men" of Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), who had developed a reputation for driving a hard bargain, but sticking honestly to what they agreed to, and for treating Whites and Indians impartially. This continued through the dealings of the local Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Superintendent General, Joel Palmer . Together with Indian Agent Mike Simmons ( David 'Doc' Maynard 's brother-in-law), he

388-484: A 6.5 by 3 feet (1.98 m × 0.91 m) slab of granite, is 15 inches (380 mm) thick. A bronze plaque mounted on the west face is inscribed with text written by Edmond S. Meany . The monument commemorates the signing of the treaty, however the precise location of the signing is unknown. The Point Elliott Treaty Monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 14, 2004. As of 2024,

485-557: A brutal winter campaign against the Yakama tribe , led by Chief Kamiakin . This, along with his unjustified execution of the Nisqually chieftain Leschi , led to widespread pleas to President Pierce to remove Stevens from his post. Two men were particularly vocal in their opposition to Stevens and his policies, territorial judge Edward Lander and influential private citizen Ezra Meeker . While Meeker

582-648: A festival in the third year of August called "Chief Seattle Days." The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America commemorates the life of Seattle on June 7 in its Calendar of Saints . The liturgical color for the day is white. Soundgarden , a Seattle rock band, covered the Black Sabbath song, " Into the Void " replacing the lyrics with the words from what was alleged to be Chief Seattle's speech. Isaac Stevens Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 – September 1, 1862)

679-490: A general in the U.S. Army and an author. Together with P. B. Van Trump , he participated in the first documented ascent of Mount Rainier in Washington State. A combination of an increasingly violent thunderstorm and unrelenting Confederate fire had slowed the advance of the 79th New York Regiment to a crawl. Five successive regimental color bearers had died leading the line. When Stevens saw that yet another soldier who

776-617: A major part of their diets. Citing the treaties and their restrictions to reservations, the state and federal government increasingly restricted their fishing after 1890. There was a rise in both commercial and sports fisheries, dominated by European Americans. State repression increased through the 1950s. In a period of increased activism, in the 1960s several Native American tribes in the Northwest began protest fish-ins. They peacefully and successfully outmaneuvered police, garnering wide media attention. The Boldt Decision in 1974, which interpreted

873-596: A new and more significant issue. Stevens' proclamation of martial law in Pierce County stated: Whereas in the prosecution of the Indian war circumstances have existed affording such grave cause of suspicion, such that certain evil disposed persons of Pierce county have given aid and comfort to the enemy, as that they have been placed under arrest and ordered to be tried by a military commission; and whereas, efforts are now being made to withdraw, by civil process, these persons from

970-551: A party from the Vancouver expedition . Seattle's father, Schweabe, and uncle, Kitsap , may have been the two "chiefs" that Vancouver invited onto his ship. Over several days, Vancouver and the Suquamish (who were soon joined by their Duwamish neighbors) interacted extensively, trading goods and observing each other. Seattle often talked about this experience later in his life. Seattle would also later visit Fort Nisqually to trade with

1067-477: A path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with Doc Maynard . The city of Seattle , in the U.S. state of Washington , was named after him. A widely publicized speech arguing in favor of ecological responsibility and respect for Native Americans' land rights had been attributed to him. The name Seattle is an anglicization of his name in his native Lushootseed language, siʔaɬ . According to Upper Skagit elder Vi Hilbert , his name

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1164-520: A period newspaper report, Stevens' body was recovered an hour after his death, his hands still clenched around the staff of the flag. He was buried in Island Cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island . Historians have generally viewed Stevens as a complicated figure. According to historian David Nicandri, the four years in which he ruled Washington "takes up a greater volume of concern and consciousness than

1261-623: A reputation as a "friend of the whites" among settlers. Seattle and the Duwamish helped many early American settlers, guiding them along the Duwamish River and its tributaries, providing them with safe transportation, and helped clear forests for the cultivation of crops, and provided labor in early sawmills and farms. Seattle was eventually contacted by Isaac Stevens , the first Territorial Governor of Washington Territory, who recognized Seattle's prominence among his people. Seattle would go on to be

1358-670: A similar law. The law sunset 1 December 1855; settlers had to file their land claims by that date, so White leaders had incentive to get treaties signed with Native Americans as speedily as possible to enable development by whites. Under the laws encouraging settlement, each male settler could homestead and receive 320 acres (1.3 km) free for himself and 640 acres with his wife (women could not individually hold property). Settlers arriving before 1850 could receive 640 acres (2.6 km), or 1 Regular Section, one square mile. Claims were made by unilateral occupation, implicitly backed by militia if not military. Native Americans were disconcerted by

1455-469: A stone marker to the grave. In 1854, Seattle gave a speech, delivered in his native language of Lushootseed, to Isaac Stevens, during a visit to the city of Seattle. A pioneer, Henry A. Smith , had attended the meeting and taken notes of the speech. Thirty-three years later, in 1887, a text was reconstructed from Smith's notes and published in the Seattle Sunday Star . Smith's version of the speech

1552-428: A version of the speech in his History of King County , adding "Dead -- I say? There is no death. Only a change of worlds" to the end of the speech. Bagley's version became popular, circulating in environmentalist pamphlets and other works. The work was further modified by William Arrowsmith and Ted Perry, who added their own text additions. These versions influenced environmentalists and Native American rights activists in

1649-791: Is the Washington State University dormitory Stevens Hall. The Washington chapter of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is known as Isaac Stevens Camp No. 1. In addition, Stevensville, Montana , Stevens County, Minnesota , and Idaho 's Stevens Peak, Upper Stevens Lake, and Lower Stevens Lake are named in tribute to Stevens. The United States Army previously maintained two military posts named after Stevens: Fort Stevens in Washington, D.C., and Fort Stevens in Oregon. Hazard Stevens wrote

1746-958: The Chemakum , who were decimated and effectively wiped out following the war. However, one of his sons was killed in battle with the Chemakum, leading Seattle to seek baptism into the Catholic Church around 1848. Seattle was probably baptized by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Olympia , where he chose the baptismal name of Noah after the prophet of the same name . After the death of his son and his conversion to Christianity , Seattle began to seek cooperation with American settlers, retiring from fighting. He welcomed pioneers, inviting them to settle and trade with his people. Seattle began seeking contacts with businessmen and community leaders and gained

1843-692: The Green River . Seattle's raiding party killed or enslaved the occupants of three canoes and sent the remaining two canoes back as a warning. Seattle also led a raid against the S'Klallam people on the Olympic Peninsula and may have also led further raids against the Snoqualmie people as well. Coast Salish peoples historically practiced slavery, and, like many of his contemporaries, Seattle enslaved people whom he had captured during his raids, further increasing his prestige. By 1833, he had become known to

1940-502: The Hudson's Bay Company . It is likely that these events taking place in his formative years encouraged his fascination with Europeans and their culture. At some time during his youth, Seattle participated in a traditional coming-of-age ceremony called a vision quest (Lushootseed: ʔalacut ). His nobility was affirmed by the reception of a powerful spirit power , the Thunderbird . In

2037-577: The Treaty of Medicine Creek , Treaty of Hellgate , Treaty of Neah Bay , Treaty of Point Elliott , Point No Point Treaty , and Quinault Treaty . During this time, the Governor imposed martial law to better impose his will on the Indians and whites who opposed his views. The consequent political and legal battles would soon overshadow the Indian war. Stevens did not hesitate to use his troops for vengeance, and waged

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2134-538: The United States Congress ) (2 vols., Washington, 1855–1860). Stevens was a controversial governor in his time. Historians consider him even more controversial, for his role in compelling the Native American tribes of Washington Territory by intimidation and force, into signing treaties that ceded most of their lands and rights to Stevens' government, likely forging some of the signatures. These included

2231-704: The White River . Seattle himself said he was born on Blake Island. According to the Duwamish Tribe , Seattle was born at his mother's village on the Black River, near what is now the city of Kent, Washington . According to one of his contemporaries, an American settler named Emily Inez Denny , he was born at the Old Man House at dxʷsəq̓ʷəb . Seattle grew up speaking both the Duwamish and Suquamish dialects of Southern Lushootseed . Seattle's Suquamish family

2328-561: The Yakama War broke out as Native Americans resisted European encroachment, he prosecuted it mercilessly. His decision to rule by martial law , jail judges who opposed him, and raise a de facto personal army led to his conviction for contempt of court, for which he famously pardoned himself, and a rebuke from the President of the United States . Nonetheless, his uncompromising decisiveness in

2425-450: The "intent of Congress to limit the sovereign powers of Indian governments by legislation must be clearly expressed in the law in order to be effective" (in legal terminology, per Saito, Georgia State University College of Law). [Emphasis added.] The U.S. Constitution , Article 6 , states: This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in persuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under

2522-487: The 1960s. As Seattle was highly famous to both early pioneers and modern residents, as well as a constant figure in the mythos of Seattle's founding, Chief Seattle's legacy has been preserved in many ways. Seattle's grave site, at the Suquamish Tribal Cemetery, has been turned into a monument to him and his life. In 1890, a group of Seattle pioneers led by Arthur Denny set up the monument over his grave, with

2619-597: The American settlers of the impending attack and brought as many people as he could away from the fighting to the Port Madison reservation. After the war's conclusion with the defeat of Native forces, Seattle tried to help his people regain their footing and sought clemency for the Native leaders in the war, such as Leschi . One reason for the war was the unratified treaty and illegal enforcement, so Seattle continuously advocated for

2716-653: The Graham v. Matthias, 63 F. 523 (1894) case. Two statues of Seattle were created in his honor by James A. Wehn. A bronze bust, located in Pioneer Square , was made in 1909, and a full statue, located in the Denny Triangle , was made in 1912. The city of Seattle and numerous other institutions relating to the city are named after him. Other things are named after Seattle as well, including: Several festivals and holidays are celebrated in his honor. The Suquamish Tribe hosts

2813-492: The Mexican–American War. Stevens was rewarded by President Pierce on March 17, 1853 by being named governor of the newly created Washington Territory . (The position also included the title of Superintendent of Indian Affairs for that region). Stevens chose to add one more duty as he traveled west to the territory he would govern: the government was calling for a surveyor to map an appropriate railroad route across

2910-612: The Native Americans as having traditional rights to fish because they were not explicitly restricted by this and other treaties, was followed by state efforts to restrict them and resistance to their fishing by non-Indians. The case was appealed and in 1979, the US Supreme Court upheld Boldt's ruling in the lower court. Today regional fisheries councils, in which Native Americans, sports and commercial fishermen participate together with federal scientists and attorneys, annually review

3007-552: The New England coast from 1841 until 1849. He was given command of the U.S. Coast Survey office in Washington, D.C., working closely with the Survey's superintendent Alexander D. Bache . Stevens served in that role until March 1853. Stevens was a firm supporter of former brigadier general Franklin Pierce 's candidacy for President of the United States in 1852, as both men had served in

Treaty of Point Elliott - Misplaced Pages Continue

3104-623: The Point Elliott Treaty of January 22, 1855 were si'áb Si'ahl as Chief Seattle, and Duwamish si'áb Ts'huahntl, si'áb Now-a-chais, and si'áb Ha-seh-doo-an. The treaty guaranteed both fishing rights and reservations. Reservations were not designated for the Duwamish, Skagit, Snohomish, and Snoqualmie peoples. The Nonintercourse Act of 1834 specifically prohibited White American intrusion into Indian territories. The Oregon Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 opened Oregon Territory to European-American settlement; Washington Territory had

3201-581: The Port Madison Reservation after suffering from a brief yet severe fever. His funeral was conducted with both Catholic and Suquamish traditions, and he was buried on the Port Madison Reservation. Although he was mourned locally on the reservation and by his friend and sawmill owner George Meigs, no other pioneers of the city of Seattle attended his funeral, and no newspaper covered the event. However, years after his death, in 1890, some early Seattle historians and pioneers visited his gravesite, adding

3298-466: The Suquamish would kill him; however, they continued to value him as a leader. In 1841, Seattle led a raid on the village of ʔilalqʷuʔ , located near modern-day Auburn at the former confluence of the Green and White rivers. The raid was in retaliation for a murder committed by someone from the village, and it crippled the village. Later, in 1847, he was part of the leadership of the Suquamish war against

3395-536: The areas where natives and settlers were immediately adjacent to one another or where settlers moved in on Native places, and tried to settle Native issues for the territory. Natives were angered by his pushing in other areas. Their concept of war had more to do with resources and complex concepts of prestige than with conquest or annihilation, which were not even considered. Historian Morgan suggested that Stevens appointed certain chiefs of tribes in order to facilitate goals of his administration. "The salient features of

3492-574: The authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land ; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. [Emphasis added.] Particularly since the rise of Native American activism in the late twentieth century, there have been new legal challenges to numerous treaties, land settlements, and terms of treaties. The Supreme Court has ruled that there are "canons of construction" for interpreting treaties; of

3589-471: The banner of Saint Andrew's Cross , Stevens was struck in the temple by a bullet and died instantly. He was buried in Newport, Rhode Island , at Island Cemetery . In March 1863, he was posthumously promoted to major general , backdated to July 18, 1862. Stevens had married. His son, Hazard Stevens , had become a career officer and was also injured in the Battle of Chantilly. He survived and eventually became

3686-463: The birth of her daughter, but Seattle had three sons and four more daughters through his second wife, Olahl. As Seattle aged, he earned a reputation as a leader and a strong warrior. In his early 20s, Seattle participated in a coalition war against the Cowichan peoples of Vancouver Island led by his uncle Kitsap. Around 1810, Seattle led an ambush against a group of raiders in five canoes coming down

3783-421: The clergy and military. He was a cousin of brothers Moses Tyler Stevens and Charles Abbot Stevens . As a young man, he was noted for his intelligence, particularly his mathematical acuity. His diminutive stature – in adulthood he stood 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) tall – has been attributed to a possible congenital gland malfunction. Stevens resented his father, described by historian Kent Richards as

3880-572: The colonial justifications underlying federal law, which tribes and members point out they never voluntarily surrendered. Diminution of sovereignty is usually absent from accession of lands. Washington Territory Governor Isaac Stevens frequently made oral promises to tribal representatives that were not matched by what his office put in writing. As oral cultures, the Native tribes took him at his word. Stevens approved treaties which Judge James Wickerson would characterize forty years later as "unfair, unjust, ungenerous, and illegal". The local natives had

3977-829: The decisions based on their operating as cohesive political communities during the long treaty-rights struggles. Federal courts denied recognition to the Snohomish, Steilacoom, and Duwamish, because they were not recognized as polities (civil governments). In 1930, the Point Elliott Treaty Monument was erected by the Marcus Whitman Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the northeast corner of Lincoln Avenue and 3rd Street in Mukilteo . The monument,

Treaty of Point Elliott - Misplaced Pages Continue

4074-404: The defending Louisianans to fall back into the woods. Stevens led his men over the abandoned Confederate ramparts, pursuing the retreating Confederate forces into the forest. At that moment, a Confederate bullet struck Stevens in the head, killing him instantly. As he collapsed, his body twisted, wrapping itself in the flag that he was still carrying and staining it with his blood. According to

4171-408: The diminution in their sovereign powers by the alien tradition of European law. They have often claimed, in cases since the late twentieth century, to retain greater sovereign powers than federal Indian law is prepared to concede. The resulting political dynamic has resulted in tensions and disputes among tribal, federal, and state governments about sovereign powers and jurisdiction denied to tribes by

4268-560: The employ of the Natives during negotiations was concerned on their behalf with this language. The said tribes and bands further agree not to trade at Vancouver's Island or elsewhere out of the dominions of the United States, nor shall foreign Indians be permitted to reside in their reservations without consent of the superintendent or agent. The complete treaty, unabridged can be found on Wikisource . The Pacific Northwest tribes had traditionally depended on harvests of salmon and other fish as

4365-426: The encroachment of the settlers on their territory, and sometimes reacted by making raids or forming uprisings against them. By and large, Native leaders were willing to sell their land (although they had utterly different conceptions of land use and no cultural comprehension of European-American property rights concepts). They rejected proposals for their relocation from Puget Sound country. The courts have said that

4462-595: The enemy (in many cases because they had married into local tribes) and placing them in the military's custody. Governor Stevens declared martial law in Pierce County in order to conduct a military trial of those settlers. He next declared martial law in Thurston County. But only the territorial legislature had the authority to declare martial law, and representatives fought Stevens' effort to abrogate their authority. A bitter political and legal battle ensued. Stevens

4559-473: The entire balance of the territorial officialdom up until the time Washington becomes a state in 1889". Accounts of Stevens' tenure have been highly polarized. Writing in 1972, Richards observed that nearly all accounts of his tenure have either "condemned" or "uncritically applauded" him. Ezra Meeker , a historian, settler, and contemporary opponent of Stevens, described him as one who would "take no counsel, nor brook opposition to his will". In March 1863, at

4656-542: The face of crisis was both applauded by his supporters and noted by historians. Isaac Stevens was the father of Hazard Stevens , the hero of the Battle of Suffolk and one of the first men to summit Mount Rainier . Stevens was born in North Andover, Massachusetts , to Isaac Stevens and Hannah Stevens (née Cummings), a descendant of early Puritan settlers from a gentry family that had produced several distinguished members of

4753-467: The final draft. Several tribes, such as the Duwamish and Snohomish, continue working toward official federal recognition. See also, for example, Duwamish (tribe) . The treaty includes the following provisions: The right of taking fish at usual and accustomed grounds and stations is further secured to said Indians in common with all citizens of the Territory, Following a challenge by Native Americans in

4850-472: The final ratification of the treaties. He also tried to stop slave murder and curtail the influence of alcohol on the Port Madison Reservation ; he continued to try to resolve disputes elsewhere. Seattle continued to seek relationships with American settlers, eventually gaining relationships with Doc Maynard , William De Shaw, and George Meigs, who all helped Seattle further his goals in helping

4947-530: The first signature on the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliot for the Suquamish, and all the peoples of the Duwamish River's watershed, including the Duwamish, Sammamish , Stkamish , Smulkamish , and Skopamish peoples, authorizing the cession of roughly 2.5 million acres of land to the United States. It has been argued that Seattle had no authority to sign the treaties for the peoples of the upriver Duwamish River according to traditional governance, and that he and others did not realize governor Stevens' desire to alter

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5044-524: The future when Stevens left Washington State for good in 1857. In January 1856, Governor Stevens declared to the territorial House of Representatives in Olympia that "war shall be prosecuted until the last hostile Indian is exterminated", although there is uncertainty among historians about whether this was a call for genocide or instead for war crimes against certain "hostile Indians". In April 1856, Governor Stevens removed settlers whom he believed to be aiding

5141-410: The government, unless those rights were specifically restricted. A treaty broken is not rescinded. Only a following treaty or agreement can relieve signatories of the original treaty. "Treaties are as old and as venerable as the Constitution of the United States. Age does not impair their validity or legality." [Deloria, 1994] Indian tribes, for the most part, were not parties to and rarely agreed with

5238-501: The hour of his death Stevens was being considered by President Abraham Lincoln for appointment to command the Army of Virginia . He was posthumously advanced to the rank of Major General. Several schools, towns, counties, and lakes are named in his honor. Descended from early American settlers in New England, Stevens – a man who stood just 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) tall – overcame a troubled childhood and personal setbacks to graduate at

5335-512: The indigenous political systems and control the native population. The unpopular treaties caused many Duwamish to renounce Seattle's leadership. Alongside many other tribes, the Duwamish participated in the Puget Sound War , a part of the broader Yakima Indian War . Despite this, Seattle supported the Americans in the conflict, providing them with valuable military intelligence. Seattle warned

5432-606: The inscription "SEATTLE Chief of the Suqampsh and Allied Tribes, Died June 7, 1866. The Firm Friend of the Whites, and for Him the City of Seattle was Named by Its Founders." On the reverse is the inscription " Baptismal name, Noah Sealth, Age probably 80 years." The site was restored, and a native sculpture was added in 1976 and again in 2011. Several of Seattle's descendants also gained fame in their own right. Kikisoblu, also known as Angeline,

5529-490: The lands hereby reserved, or of such other land as may be selected in lieu thereof, to be surveyed into lots, and assign the same to suc[h] individuals or families as are willing to avail themselves of the privilege, and will locate on the same as a permanent home on the same terms and subject to the same regulations as are provided in the sixth article of the treaty with the Omahas, so far as the same may be applicable. An attorney in

5626-455: The late twentieth-century to federal policy excluding them from certain properties for fishing, they filed a suit. Judge George Boldt in the Boldt Decision (1974, upheld 1979) upheld their traditional right of access for fishing and hunting, as it was not restricted by the treaty. The President may hereafter, when in his opinion the interests of the Territory shall require and the welfare of

5723-473: The limited number of men at his disposal. He determined that the white population should be concentrated at specific strongly protected points. For that reason, the volunteers under Stevens' command built a series of forts and blockhouses along the Snoqualmie , White, and Nisqually rivers. Once completed, Stevens ordered the settler population to leave their claims and take temporary residence in these safer areas. Once Stevens proclaimed martial law, he raised

5820-815: The local Native and Settler populations. Despite his friendships with the Americans, the town forced Seattle to leave the city that bore his name in 1865 after the Town of Seattle Ordinance No. 5 banned all Native Americans from the town unless housed and employed by a white settler. Seattle then moved to the Suquamish Reservation, but continued to visit the city often both to visit his American friends and gather with other Native Americans in temporary waterfront campsites. The Suquamish people, with whom Seattle eventually settled, continued to take care of Seattle and recognized him as their leader until his death, bringing him food and water to his house. Seattle died June 7, 1866, on

5917-474: The main Suquamish village on Agate Pass , and Sholeetsa, a Duwamish woman. By some accounts, his mother was born into slavery, while in others, she was a high-born noblewoman. His exact birthplace is also disputed. According to some historians, as well as the tradition of the Suquamish Tribe , Seattle was born on Blake Island (Lushootseed: tatču ), and his mother was from the village of stəq on

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6014-404: The northern United States , hoping that a transcontinental railroad would open up Asian markets. With Stevens' engineering experience (and likely the favor of Pierce yet again, as well as Secretary of War Jefferson Davis ), he won the bid. His party, which included George Suckley , John Mullan and Fred Burr, son of David H. Burr , spent most of 1853 moving slowly across the prairie, surveying

6111-410: The only factual related evidence was that on Christmas Day, a party of Indians had visited McLeod's cabin and had forced him to give them food. Gibbs and Goldsborough declared that: The sole object of the proclamation was to get half a dozen obscure individuals into his absolute control, and to demonstrate that he, Isaac I. Stevens, could, on the field offered by a small Territory, enact, at second hand,

6208-472: The part of Napoleon . The territorial organic act designated the governor as "commander-in-chief of the militia thereof," but there were not a regularly constituted militia. Stevens assumed his powers from his control of local volunteer troops, which had been organized to meet the necessities of the situation. These had not been authorized either by the federal government or by the territorial legislature. Stevens' position as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for

6305-548: The plaque at the monument reads: 1885 1930 At this place on January 22, 1855, Governor Issac I. Stevens concluded the treaty by which the Indians ceded the lands from Point Pully to the British boundary. Of the one hundred signatures, eighty-two were signed by Indian chiefs, headmen and delegates of numerous tribes. The first four recognized as leading chiefs of their own and allied tribes were Seattle , Patkanim , Goliah, and Chow-its-hoot . The United States Senate ratified

6402-477: The policy outlined [by Governor Stevens to his advisers] were as follows: Indian tribes believed the treaties became effective when they were signed by the officials they had dealt with. But United States law required Congress to approve all treaties after they were negotiated by representatives. European Americans began to settle about 1845 but Congress did not approve the treaty until April 1859, which made such settlement legal. The U.S. government never implemented

6499-523: The power of Congress in Indian affairs is plenary (full and complete)—great but under present law not absolute. The federal government and tribes are co-equal sovereign entities; the tribal governments predated the existence of the United States. One of the basic principles underlying Indian nations is that they "retain all the inherent powers of any sovereign nation", retaining all original sovereign rights and powers "which have not been given up or taken away by due process" of law. Courts have ruled that

6596-476: The provisions of the Treaty for the Duwamish, and several other tribes. Initial Treaty Advisers, Washington Territory Point Elliott Treaty, advisers to Washington Territory Chiefs, as such, were appointed by Governor Stevens, though the treaty states "on behalf of said tribes, and duly authorized by them". For various reasons, the Nooksack , Semiahmoo , Lower Puyallup and Quileute tribes did not take part in

6693-436: The purview of the said commission. Therefore, as the war is now being actively prosecuted through- out nearly the whole of the said county, and great injury to the public, and the plans of the campaign be frustrated, if the alleged designs of these persons be not arrested, I, Isaac I. Stevens, Governor of the Territory of Washington, do hereby proclaim Martial Law over the said county of Pierce, and do by these presents suspend for

6790-694: The request of President Abraham Lincoln , the United States Senate posthumously advanced Stevens to the rank of Major General . According to George Cullum's Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy "at the very hour of his death, the President and Secretary of War were considering the advisability of placing Stevens in command of the Army in which he

6887-421: The said Indians be promoted, remove them from either or all of the special reservations herein before make to the said general reservation, or such other suitable place within said Territory as he may deem fit, on remunerating them for their improvements and the expenses of such removal, or may consolidate them with other friendly tribes or bands; and he may further at his discretion cause the whole or any portion of

6984-515: The staff of Fort Nisqually as Le Gros , 'the big guy'. He was seen as an intelligent and formidable leader, owing to his strong voice and towering physique, standing nearly six feet (1.8 m) tall. Francis Herron, the Chief Trader at the fort, considered him important and dangerous and requested him to sign a treaty forswearing murder. In 1837, however, Seattle murdered a Skykomish shaman. The new Chief Trader, William Kittson, hoped that

7081-504: The status of particular fisheries to see how many fish are available for harvest, to review protection plans or their need, and to develop how they will share the harvests. In the same period, Native Americans outside reservations and without federal recognition, such as the Nooksack tribe , Upper Skagit , Sauks-Suiattle , and Stillaguamish peoples , won federal recognition in the 1970s, in order to secure certain financial benefits, including aid to education for their children. The BIA made

7178-574: The territory had a broad administrative responsibility but possessed no direct military power. On May 24, 1856, following a legal opinion rendered by Judge Chenoweth, ruling that Stevens had no legal power to declare martial law, Governor Stevens rescinded his proclamation in Pierce and Thurston counties. After the Civil War began in 1861, and following the Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run , Stevens

7275-598: The time being and till further notice, the functions of all civil officers in said county. On May 11, 1856, attorneys George Gibbs and H. A. Goldsborough sent a letter to the Secretary of State denying that the war situation throughout the territory, and especially in Pierce County, was as grave as Governor Stevens had declared at the time of proclaiming martial law. They said that Stevens' allegations made against Charles Wren, John McLeod, John McField, Lyon A. Smith, and Henry Smith, were based wholly on suspicion. They asserted that

7372-544: The top of his class at West Point before embarking on a successful military career. He was a controversial and polarizing figure as governor of the Washington Territory, where he was both praised and condemned. He was described by one historian as the subject of more reflection and study than almost the rest of the territory's 19th-century history combined. Stevens' marathon diplomacy with Native American tribes sought to avoid military conflict in Washington; however, when

7469-473: The traditional religion of the peoples of southern Puget Sound, having a strong spirit power is a symbol of strength, purity, and prestige. Seattle married into Duwamish families from t̕uʔəlalʔtxʷ , a significant village at the mouth of the Duwamish River, where he took several wives, as expected from a man of his status. He would go on to have several children, the most famous being Kikisoblu , his first child, born to his first wife, Ladalia. She died after

7566-601: The treaty councils, though the rights of the Nooksack were signed over by the Lummi chief Chow-its-hoot , without their presence. Samish attendance was documented by ethnologist George Gibbs and officially reported by Governor Issac Stevens . Although the Samish were listed next to the Lummi in the first draft of the treaty, it appears that line was inadvertently omitted during transcription of

7663-406: The treaty on March 8, 1859. Erected by Marcus Whitman Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution of Everett, Washington Chief Seattle Seattle ( c.  1780~86 – June 7, 1866; Lushootseed : siʔaɬ , IPA: [ˈsiʔaːɬ] ; usually styled as Chief Seattle ) was a leader of the Duwamish and Suquamish peoples. A leading figure among his people, he pursued

7760-412: The two principal canons, one is that they are to be interpreted as they would have been understood by the signatories. The Supreme Court has ruled that "Treaties are to be construed as a grant of rights from the Indians, not to them—and a reservation of those not granted." (This principle has guided, for instance, the retention of Native Americans of traditional rights to fish and hunt on land ceded to

7857-692: The way to Washington Territory. There Stevens met George McClellan 's party, which had surveyed the line between the Puget Sound and the Spokane River . He took up his post at Olympia as governor in November that year. As a result of his expedition, Stevens wrote a third book, Report of Explorations for a Route for the Pacific Railroad near the 47th and 49th Parallels of North Latitude, from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Puget Sound , (commissioned and published by

7954-431: Was "necessarily filtered", "embellished", and created from Smith's "incomplete" notes, according to historian Walt Crowley . There is no corroboration for the exact words of the speech, but Smith's reconstruction is plausible, albeit embellished. Smith's speech reconstruction has been lauded as "a powerful, bittersweet plea for respect of Native American rights and environmental values." In 1929, Clarence C. Bagley printed

8051-639: Was a powerful one, and they dominated parts of Kitsap Peninsula , Vashon Island , Bainbridge Island , and Blake Island. Because power and authority in Coast Salish culture are traditionally not guaranteed through descent, Seattle had to prove his worth to his Coast Salishan society. In 1792, when Seattle was around six years old, he met HMS Discovery and HMS Chatham under the command of George Vancouver , who had anchored off Restoration Point on Bainbridge Island. Seattle and his family, who were occupying nearby Blake Island gathering food, were visited by

8148-601: Was accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1839 at the top of his class. Stevens was the adjutant of the Corps of Engineers during the Mexican–American War , seeing action at the siege of Vera Cruz and at Cerro Gordo , Contreras , and Churubusco . In the latter fight, he caught the attention of his superiors, who rewarded him with the brevet rank of captain . He

8245-519: Was again cited and breveted for gallantry at the Battle of Chapultepec , this time to the rank of major . Stevens participated in combat at Molino del Rey , and the Battle for Mexico City , where he was severely wounded. He later wrote a book on his adventures, Campaigns of the Rio Grande and Mexico, with Notices of the Recent Work of Major Ripley (New York, 1851). He superintended fortifications on

8342-688: Was an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and later as its delegate to the United States House of Representatives . During the American Civil War , he held several commands in the Union Army . He was killed at the Battle of Chantilly , while at the head of his men and carrying the fallen colors of one of his regiments against Confederate positions. According to one account, at

8439-441: Was carrying the regimental flag had been shot, he raced from his position in the rear, through the panicked body of his men, to wrench the flag from the wounded man's grasp. According to witnesses, the injured color bearer - knowing the regimental flag would be a target - yelled at Stevens "for God's sake, General, don't take the colors!" Stevens ignored the man's appeal and seized the colors, at which point his own son, Hazard, who

8536-667: Was commissioned in the army again. He was appointed as colonel of the 79th New York Volunteers , known as the "Cameron Highlanders." He was promoted to a brigadier general on September 28, 1861, and fought at Port Royal . He led the Second Brigade of the Expeditionary Forces sent to attack the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina . He led a division at the Battle of Secessionville , where he led an attack on Fort Lamar, in which 25% of his men were casualties. Stevens

8633-463: Was described as among the few even-handed men in the BIA. They were not prepared for the less straightforward approach of Stevens and his staff. The Washington Territory treaties, such as the Treaty of Medicine Creek (1854) and this Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855 (January 22) were followed by the Treaty of Walla Walla of 1855. Governor Stevens ignored federal government instructions to stick to sorting out

8730-606: Was forced to repeal the declaration and fight subsequent calls for his removal. His decision to use martial law was the result of his determination to enforce a blockhouse policy in the war against the Indians of the Puget Sound region. Indian raids on scattered settlements and an intimidating attack on the city of Seattle in February 1856 resulted in Governor Stevens concluding that he needed to concentrate on defensive measures, given

8827-472: Was his most famous child and well-known to the residents of early Seattle, where she lived until her death in 1896. His son Jim became the leader of the Suquamish for a time, but was unpopular and was replaced in favor of a prominent leader of the Catholic Suquamish community, Jacob Wahalchu. A Duwamish grandniece of his, Rebecca Lena Graham , is also notable for her successful inheritance claim following

8924-440: Was ignored, Lander was arrested by Stevens' forces due to his opposition. Pierce refused to remove Stevens from his position, but eventually sent word to the governor expressing his disapproval. Any opposition eventually died down, as most white settlers in Washington Territory felt that Stevens was on "their side", while they considered Meeker to be too sympathetic to Native Americans. As a result of this public perception, Stevens

9021-474: Was popular enough to be elected as the territory's delegate to the United States Congress in 1857 and 1858. The tensions between whites and Native Americans would be left for others to resolve. Stevens is often charged with responsibility for the later conflicts in eastern Washington and Idaho , especially the war fought by the United States against Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce , These events were decades in

9118-530: Was serving in the regiment, was shot and injured by a Confederate volley. Hazard Stevens cried out to his father for help, to which the general replied, "I can't attend to you now, Hazard. Corporal Thompson, see to my boy". Stevens turned to his men and yelled, "Follow your General!" Facing the Confederate line and waving the recovered regimental colors, Stevens proceeded to charge the Confederate positions, his men following in close order. The renewed advance forced

9215-450: Was serving". A marker at Ox Hill Battlefield Park , site of the Battle of Chantilly , commemorates the approximate place where Stevens fell while leading his men. In Washington, Stevens County is named in his honor, as is Lake Stevens . Several Washington public schools, including Seattle's Isaac I. Stevens Elementary School, Port Angeles' Stevens Middle School, and Pasco's Isaac Stevens Middle School, are also named in his honor, as

9312-479: Was traditionally pronounced siʔaƛ̕ . After his baptism in 1852, he gained the baptismal name of Noah Seattle . In English, his name is often also spelled Si'ahl , Sealth , Seathl or See-ahth as an attempt to be more accurate to the Lushootseed pronunciation. There is no " th " sound in the Lushootseed language. Seattle was born between 1780 and 1786 to Schweabe, a Suquamish leader from dxʷsəq̓ʷəb ,

9409-538: Was transferred with his IX Corps division to Virginia to serve under Major General John Pope in the Northern Virginia Campaign and the Second Battle of Bull Run . He was killed in action at the Battle of Chantilly on September 1, 1862, after picking up the fallen regimental colors of his old regiment, shouting "Highlanders, my Highlanders, follow your general!" Charging with his troops while carrying

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