Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-04-01
DIsCONTENT WITH THE DIVISION OF
THE NEBRASKA TERRITORY.

The division of the Nebraska region into two
territories and the mode of that division, together
with the policy which has governed tho negotiations
for purchasing the Indian lands in that region, have
given great dissatisfaction ut the West. in the
neighborhood Of the Nebraska frontier Tho 81.
Joseph Gazette, Missouri Journal says:-[M ~ J.
Zee. Post.
Some two months since, instructions were for
wnrdcd in haste to Mr.. 0atowood, Indian agent
epioinining him to proceed forthwith to treat with,
ascertain the wishes of the 0mahas and the
Otoe's nations bordering the Platte river, and 10
make arrangements for sending on delegations of
chiefs to Washington, who should be fully empow.
cred to treat there for sale OF their lands. Pre-
Nous to that time, however, Indian agents for
tribes west OF Missouri, among whom mas be cited
Mr. James, agent for the Sacs and Foxes, and Mr.
Robinson, agent for the Shawnees, Delawares, and
others, had transmitted to the department official
letters, requesting that they might be permitted to
DO the same thing, and make similar arrangement
IN regard to the tribes under their supervision.
These requests reached Washington were quietly
shclved, and the privilege refused This shows
the distinction made in the Indian Bureau between
Kansas aud Nebraska for il was nrnnted in the
latter, and refused in the former without reason
given. But this is not all. About the time this
course was decided upon, it will be remembered
that Senator Douglas, under cover Of q mere pre-
text that this first bill divides the Cherokee country
introduced as substitute, two separate and distinct
bills for Kansas and Nebraska. The dividing line
between these territories was the oriieM parallel
which strikes the Missouri river near the mouth of
the great Nahama; and the southern boundary Of
Kansas was made the thirty-seyenth parallel that
is, running north Of the Cherokee country alto
gether, and north of the southwestern counties of
this state. In other words, Kansas territory was
made to extend from the hrty.seycnth to the forti-
eth parallel, from Holt county to Jasper county,
ON our frontier. Nor Is the end yet. In addition
to the section Of dividing line violating geogra-
ply as well as topography, the bills thus framed
were encountered and that too, in direct conflict
with the report of the Committee on Territories,
with clause repeating the Missouri Compromise
Of 1920, so as to enbarrass their passage with the
delays Of new slavery agitation.
"Thus it will be seen, that tho two territories
have been so organized and modelled rs to throw
Kansas, with its bulk of Indian reservations just
athwart tho central portion Of Missouri that tho
privilege Of cxtinguishing Indian titles, without
/ delay, has been granted in Nebraska and refused
in Kansas; that the whole Cherokee country has
been purposey left out of the latter territory, and
the hope of white settlement there indefinitely
postponed for want Of u government; and that tC
the tail Of the whole is tackled a new fanaticism
And can any citizen Of Missouri fail to apprchent
in instant, the drift Of this doyetailed, system
attic, contemporaneous movement? Docs it no
fash upon the intelligence Of every one, that II il
y llew-aimed at the advance of the growing West
that it is fraudulent attempt to deprive the citi
zcns Of this slate of all tho advantages of entering
at once upon the rich vallies of the Missouri thu
| Kansas the Neosho and that it is a deliberat,
design to defeat every possible chance of contering
the Pacific railroad through any part Of Missouri
a rival state is to be speedily peopled in the north
by the carly extension of the settlement of Ne
braska, which is to compete with Kansas and witt
| Missouri for Tie route to the ocean. and thus thai
prominence we have already acquired by our libe
raj policy of improvement is to be negativod
The Indians who now occupy the richest lands on
our border and far into The interior, will, if suffer
cd to remain any length of time, as is now the
foreshadowcd policy, eitecually prevent the eXten
sion Of the Saint Joseph and Hannibal as also thu
Kansas branch of the Pacific railroad and the OBJ
stacle interposed by the Cherokee nation will de
feat even q connection with the Texas route bN
means Of the southwestern branch railroad for TIKI
tribe now occupies the whole country through
which such n connection would run, and they arr
left beyond the pale Of the territory. Not satisfied
with cutting oil the heart of the state from all III
outgoings, even the arms that might gather a mitt
Of wealth, are amputated also. The beautiful
grounds that roll in prairie and forest in the yallie
Of the Kansas, the Nermillon, the Wakraroosi, tn
deep alluyal bottoms Of the Missouri, the luxuri
ant lands which swell up from those streams anC
crown the divides, must be left untrOdden by ouI
farmers until the tide Of emigration shall have frs
borne ON the sand hills Of the Platte End have re
built az Old Fort Kearney." The wishes, too, O
those who are to be the inhabitants Of this region
as expressed most emphOtcally in the late Nebras
ka convention, held at this place, have been iguore
and disregarded, and in spite of their earnest re
monstranco n reckless re-agtaton has been com
menced upon the subject Of repeal of the act o
1890. All know full well who stands responsible
for this share of the guilty plot, and who those ar
from Missouri who have joined in this work o
hedging in the outlets Of our trade, and have sac
rifced the interests of citizens to political in
trigue."
After administering n reprimand to Douglas anC
Atchison, and to the Commissioner of Indian AZ
fairs for the part they have taken in the mater tn
st. Joseph Gazette says;
"Wo hope our Democratic President will TAX
this matter into his own hands, and see to it him
self that this outrage be no longer tolerated, whc
operates so iniuriousy upon one section of tn
Union. No diIferenc should be made between on
section and another. 1t is due to the purity of tn
President and il is due to u.s. that he shall execut
the law which provides for making Indian treatie
that he shall cause his clerks to act with impar
tiality between Kansas and Nebraska--and pre-
ceed at once to extingush the 'vagabond rights o
the Indians in both territories alike"