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Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, February 2, 1867. President Johnson authorizes and directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “the Proclamation of a Treaty, concluded on the 14th of October, 1865, between the United States and the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians; which proclamation is dated this day.” Signed at the conclusion by President Andrew Johnson. In fine condition, with light toning to the folds and edges.
In the Fort Wise Treaty of 1861, the Cheyenne and Arapaho ceded vast tracts of land across present-day Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, agreeing in return to adopt a settled, agricultural lifestyle with government support, including land, mills, and equipment. However, only a small number of tribal leaders signed the treaty, and it was later rejected by much of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, undermining its legitimacy from the outset.
Tensions escalated in the following years, with repeated provocations on both sides leading to open conflict by 1864. That summer, several Cheyenne and Arapaho leaders sought peace and gathered at Sand Creek in Colorado Territory under assurances of protection. Instead, on November 29, 1864, Colorado militia forces attacked the encampment, killing and mutilating hundreds of men, women, and children in what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre. The atrocity reignited widespread warfare, as the Cheyenne and Arapaho—now joined by Sioux allies—launched retaliatory attacks against white settlers.
In response, the Johnson administration shifted away from purely military solutions and pursued negotiation, resulting in the Treaty of the Little Arkansas on October 14, 1865. Intended to restore peace, the treaty promised compensation for Sand Creek victims, the establishment of defined reservation lands, and safe passage for settlers. In reality, it proved to be one of the shortest-lived and least effective treaties in U.S. history: none of its major provisions were fully carried out, both sides accused the other of violations, and violence quickly resumed. Lasting only about two years, the treaty failed due to weak enforcement, mutual distrust, and the continued pressures of U.S. westward expansion.
The failure of the Little Arkansas agreement highlighted the shortcomings of earlier treaty efforts and led to renewed attempts at negotiation. These culminated in the Medicine Lodge Treaties of 1867, which sought to impose more clearly defined reservation boundaries and stricter terms in an effort—only partially successful—to establish lasting peace on the Southern Plains.
The Western Americana auction of Jochen Zeitz.
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