Henry and Elizabeth Baird papers, 1798-1937. Box 3, Folder 9

Oshkosh - addressed the agent & said "Father, I will tell you my business in coming down to see you, it is in relation to the treaty we made in 1834 - you was then present, and we think there are many things promised us in relation to that treaty have not been done by our Great Father the President - Our Father, Governor Dodge, told us that whatever he promised should be fulfilled - He was then in the place of our Great Father the President, and we hoped what he promised would be done, but we begin to fear all will not be done which was promised. We wish to enquire about our houses, mills & improvements at the Rapid, we were to be paid 76,000 dollars for them - this sum was not paid to us, & we were told that our Great Father was going to keep this sum in his hands & pay us for the use of it; we now want to have that amount accruing the interest on the 76,000$) added to our annuities & paid to us every year - We also wish to make enquiries about the payment made to us in 1837; we were then paid one half in money, and received some goods; but not the whole amount which we should have received; the goods were not of the value of one half of our annuities; there was

then due to us about four boxes (4000$), this we have never been paid, we have often been told that our Great Father would pay it - and we ever want to remind him of this, and request him to pay it to us this year - At the Treaty of 1806, we were told that our money & provisions should be sent to us & paid in our Country - We were not paid upon our land, last year, but were obliged to come a great way to receive our annuities: & the payment was made so late in the fall that all of our people were taken in the ice, on their return home: as the payment to us was made so late, we lost our canoes, our provisions, and our fall hunts were entirely destroyed: Our payments have been made so late in every year, that they do us more harm than good - It would be better for us if we had not gone to the payments. We hope our Great Father will listen to us and grant our request, and that he will fulfill our agreement and pay us at the time mentioned in the Treaty, in June or July and we think that as our annuities were paid so late, as to cause us so much injury, that our Great father should pay us for the loss of our canoes and fall hunt - and we want to know whether the fault of not paying us, is our Great Father or that of those persons who he employs to do his business - We believe our Great Father is not to blame but we think he is deceived by the persons he trusts, & we want him to know what we think.

We have before asked our Great Father for Eight Flags, and eighteen medals. We were promised to have these given to us a long time since: We are the only Indians who have no medals & flags, when we go into council, we want to remind our Great Father of these promises - and we hope he will send his children three things, by which they may remember him. We know we are ignorant and poor, but we never forget a promise made to us - We have often been promised things which we have not received: we have been wronged about our payments and treaties; we now again repeat our complaint, and hope it will not again happen: we hope the sky will be clear hereafter, and that our just complaint will now be attended to-

We wish to say a few words about or friend Robert Grigson - By the treaty we gave him 20,000$, but our Great Father refused to pay it to him for what reason we do not know we put this into the treaty as a past payment for the land sold by us - We think that if our Great father will not pay it to our friend - it should be paid to our people - We wish he would do so - as we think he has no right to take that much money from us -

Address to Grand Lodge June 1838

Brethren of the Grand Lodge

We are again assembled in Grand Lodge, as well to receive an account of the work & labor of the subordinate Lodges within our jurisdiction, as to establish such Rules & Regulations as may be deemed essential & necessary for the well being of the Fraternity throughout the state - and in conformity with existing custom, I proceed to lay before this [illegible] Grand Body, an account of [illegible] stewardship, during the past year, and also to notice such matters as may be of interest to the Craft.

It affords me the most heartfelt pleasure, as it will doubtless, every member of the order, to be assured of the general good feeling, harmony & prosperity, which pervades our entire jurisdiction - Nothing has occurred to mar or destroy that peace & concord which are the very basis of our social ties - and having met under circumstances so auspicious, we should not be unmindful of the favor, but return thanks, to the great Disposer of events - the Supreme Grand Master of Heaven & Earth for the many blessing we enjoy both social and political -

There are now within this jurisdiction more than one hundred [illegible] Lodges - Eighty nine having regular charters - & the remainder under Dispensations - and amongst this numerous band of brothers - I am happy to say that with few exceptions peace, harmony & union prevails - It cannot be expected, however, that an association, composed of so many component parts should be entirely free from censure or without troubles & disputes: this mor more than any human institution can ever boast of. A few such unhappily occur occasionally in our Lodges - some of which I shall presently refer to: before doing so, I cannot refrain from the remark, that most of the difficulties in subordinate Lodges, which have been brought to my knowledge have occurred through the refractory conduct of a few members - who are unworthy to participate in the privileges of masonry & showing the necessity of that caution & circumspection that should govern Lodges, in the reception & mediation of its members by a proper exercise of these latter prerogatives - many of the troubles & difficulties, heretofore experienced, would be obviated - and the Order itself saved from much obloquy & reproach brought upon it by these unworthy members.

2

At the last annual communication, an amendment to the Constitution was adopted, requiring the Grand Master to appoint a Grand Lecturer for the state. This provision [illegible] met with my approbation, as I have been long convinced it was the only sure plan of securing a uniformity in the work & lectures. I therefore determined to make the appointment at the very earliest day, after finding a suitable & properly qualified brother to fill the important station - A short time after the session of the Grand Lodge, I received letters from several of our most esteemed & brightest experienced brethren of Milwaukee, highly commendatory of Brother M.L. Young. In July I visited Milwaukee for the purpose of becoming personally acquainted with, & satisfying myself of Brother Youngs qualification for the office - I spent two days with him - and in company with our worthy brothers Palmer, Tracy, Howell, Louis & others thoroughly examined his work - which was fully approved on the 4th day of August last I appointed hi Grand Lecturer for the states, and it affords me pleasure to say that I have had no cause to regret the act. On the contrary, I believe a better qualified & more efficient & faithful brother, could not have been selected from our midst - He has not only fulfilled my expectations, but so far as I have heard from different parts of the jurisdiction, he is well liked & has given general satisfaction.

I am fully satisfied that the present system of our Grand Lecturer for the state has so far, worked well. During the year, I have visited about __ Lodges, in different parts of the state, and have generally found that they have much improved in the work & lectures, especially so in the Lodges who have been visited & instructed by the Grand Lecturer; and there is no doubt but that if the system is faithfully pursued for one or two years, the work will become, in not perfect, at least uniform & consistent with the ancient landmarks of the order - The principal objection which may be raised to the adoption of this system, at its commencement, viz, the expanse attendant upon it - will after the first year be greatly diminished; for after that period, the visits of the Grand Lecturer need not be so frequently repeated, or so protracted - as they have necessarily been at the outset - And as the expense is now divided between the Grand Lodge & its subordinates, the cost is not materially felt by either - I ask for the experiment a fair trial - & have no doubt but it will recommend itself to the Grand Lodge if