Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-27
INDIAN RESERVATIONS
DEpAnTaRsr OF THE INTERIOR,


DEPARTaRSr OF THE INTERIOR,
OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS, AUGUST 10, 1858.
SIR Your letter of the Sd instant, addressed to the
Secretary Of the Interior asking him whether, in his
opinion under existing laws and treaties with the various
Indian tribes any portion of the territory lying west Of
Missouri and Iowa can be occupied and settled by white
men if So what part Of such territory has been refer
red to this bureau for answer and in reply thereto have
the honor to state
That the country north of the Platte and west Of the
State Of Iowa is occupied by the Omahas, Pawnee and
Sioux and other indigenous Indians and their title to
the same has been extinguished except the strip
ceded by the Pawnees to Grand Island for military pur
poses.
That the country south of the Platte and Immediately
west of the State of Iowa is occupied by the Otoe and
their title has never been ex.inguished.
That the country along the whole western boundary of
Missouri Except small strip Of land between the south
ern line of the Manes and the northern lire Of the Che
rokee Neutral Ground" track is occupied by the OF
toes the half breeds of various tribes the Ioways Sacs
and Foxes Of the Missouri Kickapoos Delawares Wyan-
dott Potowatomies Shawnees, Peankashaws, Weas Peo
rias Kaskaskias Otowas Chppewas Sacs and Foxes OF
the Mississippi Kansas, Mamies Osages, Cherokee Neu
tra Ground" track Quapaws Senecas and Shawnees and
Senec in the order in which they are named from north
to south The small strip between the Miamies and the
Cherokee "Neutral Ground" set apart for the va
rous tribes of Indians in the State Of New York. but it
does appear that they have ever yet awaited them
selves of it.
between the Arkansas and the Platte Except the strip
owned by the Otoes, understood to have belonged
originally to the Pawnees, Kansas, and Osages to the
of the Kansas the headwaers of the Republican
Fork the Kansas and to the junction Of the South Fork
with the North Fork of the Platte. The Pawnees also
owned and still own portion Of the country north Of and
bordering the Platte.
The title Of the 0sages to all the country lying "wes
Of the States Of Missouri and he them Territory of Ar
kansas north and west Of the Red river south Of the Kan
river and Of line be drawn from the head
Of the Kansas souhwardy through the Rock Sa
line &c., was extinguished by the United States by
treaty concluded on the I'd Jnne 1925. u s. Statutes
at Large, pol ], page 240)
The title Of the Kansas TO all the lands which they
then had title o. csined lying west q the state Of
ginning at the entrance Of the Kansas river into the Mis-
souri, river from thence north TO the hen northwest
Of the State Of Missouri from thence westward
y to the Nodewa river thirty miles from its entrance in
10 the Missouri from thence 70 the entrance of the Big
Nemaha river into the Missouri, and with that river
its source from thence 10 the of the Kansas river
leaving the old village of the Pance Pawnee) republic
to the west from thsnce the ridge dividing the
tiers Of the Kansas river from those Of the Arkansas
to the western boundary Of the State line of Missouri
and with that line thirty miles to the place Of beginning
e1tngushed by the United States by treaty eonclu.
ded the Cd June, 1925. GUS. Statutes at Large vol
lpage 244
in lands lying south Of the Platte river extngushed
by the United States by treaty the 9th October 1893
~. 5. Statutes al Large, vol. !, page 448
In the treaties with the 0sages Kansas Indians there
were reservations made for their and occupation.
The second article of the treaty with the Pawnees is in
the following words: The land ceded and relinguished
hereby, far the is not and shall be assign
ed to any tribe or tribes, shall remain common hunt
ingground during the pleasure Of the President for the
Pawnees and other friendly Indians who shall be per-
mitted by the President TO hunt on the same"
The country within the parallels Of the northern boun
dairy Of Iowa and the southern boundary Of Missouri and
west Of the Omaha and Pawnee country and west Of the
Pa ,pdn he in thp pnv
Of the Sioux Arapehoes, Cheyennes and other indgen
Indians and their title has not been extngushed
the United States.
In extinguishing the title Of the Pawnee Kansas and
Osages to the country they claimed at the date Of the
treaties in 1925 and 1885, the object Of the Government
was to obtain home for the several tribes then residing
in and occupying lands within the States and organized
Territories And Congress, by the act Of May Is $780,
Statutes at Large vol A. pages Ill and 4l2 expressly
authorized the President divide the country West
which the Indian title had been extinguished into suia
BILE districts and to exchange such districts with any Of
the tribes then residing within the limits of any of the
States or Territories and with which the United States
then had existing treaties for the whole any portion Of
the Territory hen claimed and occupied by such tribe &C.
The third section Of the act provides that in making
such exchanges the President may solemny the
tribe or nation with which the exchange is made that the
United States will forever secure and guaranty to them
and their heirs or the country exchanged
with them and If they prefer it, the United States will
patent grant to be made TO them for the same
with the proviso however that the Indians become
nct abandon the same the land shall to the
United States.
The principles Of this act embodied in al the various
treaties with the tribes located Immediately
west Of Missouri and by which treaties the possession
and occupancy Of their present lands is guaranteed to
them And several Of the treaties provide, in addition,
that the United States guaranty that said lands 1.-THE
lands granted to the tribe tribes and which they
reside) shall be within the limits Of any State
or Territory" SC.
The country coded by the 0sages the Kansas and the
Pawnees to the United States lying north and west Of
Red river and south Of the Platte, which is not in
the specific occupancy Of any Indian tribe by virtue Of
treaty stipulation, has been occupied continuously from
the date of these cesons until the present time by the
Pawnees and other friendly Indians q common hunt
ing ground and does not appear that the President
has manifested his dspleasure but the contra
ry, the policy of the Government has tended TO
ton it.
The FIRST act to authorize the President Of the United
States road to be marked from the western
frontier Of Missouri TO the confines Of New Mexico, APP
proved March 3D. 1926 Statutes at Large VOL A. p lOO
provides for the appointment Of commissioners to marx
said road "Prorided, That the said commissioners
shall first obtain the Of the intervening tribe o.
Indians by treaty to the making Of the said road ana 70
the unmolested thereof to the citizens OF the oneu
States and Of the Mexican republic"
The report Of the commissioners, STOKES, Enswortn
and Schrmerhon TO the Secretary Of War dated eoIu
airy TO- 1884, says that the country to when ne indan
title has been extinguished west Of the MISSISSIPPI ior
the purpose Of providing land which 70 remove De In