The people of the State of Illinois represented in the General assembly beg leave to represent to the congress of the United States

That during the disturbances with the Sac & Fox Indians in 1831 & 1832 Marauding parties of Indians frequently made incursions into our frontier settlements taking Horses, cattle[,] & Hogs, and destroying Household & Kitchen Furniture, and in some cases burning Houses, Fences &c[etc.], that in this way many of our citizens have been great sufferrers; that many of these claims were taken to the treaty ground at Rock Island in sept.[september] 1832 when the claimants were assured by Gen^l Scott one of the commissioners on the part of the Government that these claims were provided for in the Treaty then shortly to be signed; that these assurances were strengthened by a commission organized under the direction of Genl Atkinson at Galena in this State, to hear Testimony and class these claims, to whom most of the accounts were presented, the proofs filed, the accounts classed and placed in the hands of Maj Brant Qr. Master[Quartermaster] of the U. States army, at St Louis; and that after a refusal on the part of congress to provide funds to pay these claims; Many of them have been presented to the Indians in council at Rock Island in September last who say “that they do do not refuse payment because the accounts are not just but because that in the treaty at Rock Island in september 1832 their Lands were taken not only to defray the expences of the War, but to indemnify its citizens of the U. States for property taken or destroyed during its continuence” It will be seen by the Terms of this Treaty, that our citizens are deprived of their remedy against the Indians, and believing as we do, that one of the principle objects in the establish of our Government, was to protect its subjects^citizens^ in the

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possession of their property, it appears to us that when the Government possesses the ability to thus defend, and fails to do so, that it is in Justice bound to make adequate compensation for Losses Thus sustained: more especially as by the terms of the Treaty we are deprived of our remedy against the Indians

There is also another class of claims held by our citizens to which we would invite your attention; During the campaigns of 1831 and 1832, many of the Mounted volunteers lost their horses & other articles of Equipment; the Law of congress only allows pay for Horses Killed in Battle, or dying for want of forrage; and by the construction of the 3^rd Auditor; even these cannot be paid for, unless the owner was himself in the public Service; Against this Law and particularly against its construction by the 3^rd Auditor; we most earnestly protest. And say that payment for Horses, and other property lost, ought in all cases to be made by the Government; unless negligence can be shown on the part of the rider.

So great was the emergency for horses at times, that many Individuals furnished several for the public service; while he himself belonged to a different command, or was exempted from military duty. these claims we think in Justice ought to be paid

We therefore pray your honourable body to provide by Law for the payment of these several classes of Claims, and that a commission may be organized with power to investigate them

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray2