California Treaty E: Dent's and Vantine's Crossings (Stanislaus River), 1851 (unratified)

What happened

On May 28, 1851, at Dent and Vantine's Crossings on the Stanislaus River, the U.S. commissioner, O. M. Wozencraft, made a treaty of peace and friendship with the chiefs, captains and head men of the Iou-ol-umne, We-chilla, Su-caah, Co-to-planemis, Chap-pah-sims and Sage-wom-nes. In Article 1 the tribes acknowledged the United States "to be the sole and absolute sovereign of all the soil and territory" ceded by Mexico. Article 4 set apart a district along the Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers "forever" for their sole use and occupancy, with the United States keeping the right of way.

Article 5 promised 400 head of beef cattle, 200 sacks of flour and 200 goats within two years. Article 9 set aside a tract of three miles square on the Tuolumne River for Captain Cornelius and his people, "but not as a grant in fee simple." This treaty has no quit-claim article.

None of it took effect. It was one of 18 treaties made in California in 1851 and 1852. The National Archives' Prologue magazine says the senators found the commissioners' appointments irregular, were unsure whether Mexico had recognized native land title, and heard strong objections from white Californians. The Senate "rejected the treaties and, following Senate rules, imposed an injunction of secrecy on them." With the treaties rejected, Indian title was left unresolved. Prologue adds that Indians of California later sought compensation for lands taken without payment in a case before the Indian Claims Commission. It reports that "the case was decided in favor of the Indians."

Good to know. Sources give July 2 or July 8, 1852 as the date the Senate rejected it.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error