Oto at St. Louis (1817)
On 24 June 1817 at St. Louis, Oto and Missouria leaders made peace with the United States and accepted its protection.
- Signed
- June 24, 1817
- Senate
- Ratified
What happened
What happened
On 24 June 1817, William Clark and Auguste Chouteau, commissioners of the United States, signed a treaty of peace and friendship with the chiefs and warriors of the Ottoes tribe of Indians. The signature block lists Ottoes and Missouries.
The preamble says both sides wanted to re-establish peace and friendship, and to put the tribe on the same footing as before "the late war between the United States and Great Britain." Article 1 forgives every injury or act of hostility on either side. Article 2 declares perpetual peace and friendship between all citizens of the United States and all individuals of the Ottoes tribe, and renews the friendly relations that existed before the war.
In Article 3 the chiefs and warriors, for themselves and their tribe, acknowledged themselves to be under the protection of the United States of America and of no other nation, power or sovereign.
The treaty contains no land cession, no boundary and no payment. The page lists a proclamation on 26 December 1817. The text does not explain why the Missouries appear in the signature block when the opening names only the Ottoes tribe, or what the signers expected from the protection clause.
Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error
What the sources say, and how this was checked
Well supported by the sources below.
Every injury or act of hostility by one or either of the contracting parties against the other, shall be mutually forgiven and forgot.
Treaty with the Oto, 1817, Tribal Treaties Databasethe late war between the United States and Great Britain
Treaty with the Oto, 1817, Tribal Treaties Databaseand of no other nation, power, or sovereign, whatsoever
Treaty with the Oto, 1817, Tribal Treaties Databasethe undersigned chiefs and warriors, of the Ottoes tribe of Indians
Treaty with the Oto, 1817, Tribal Treaties Database
Research notes. The page's signature block lists 'Ottoes' and 'Missouries'; the introduction names only the Ottoes. Why is not explained.
What happened next
Everything the record holds about this land and this treaty, in order: what earlier agreements said, what this one did, and what the United States, the courts and the nations did afterwards.
Who is doing the work today
The nations connected to this treaty come first, then groups returning land and defending treaty rights. Support goes directly to them.
Who is doing the work
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Native legal and land defense, nationally
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Sources
Sources
- treaties.okstate.edu/treaties/treaty-with-the-oto-1817-0139reference work
June 24, 1817. | 7 Stat., 154. / scan: TREATY WITH 'f'HE OTO, _1817. 139
Shapes are approximate and are not legal descriptions of land, title or jurisdiction.