Kansas weekly herald., 1854-10-06

From the Weston Reporter.
DeIgsC0re Lands Keep the
Sss1ject before the People.
The following is copy of q Letter fanded
US by squatter upon Delaware land, which
was forwarded by him to the Hon. E. d.
BrRD, who is now In .Washington CITY, ar
ranging matters for the modification of the
Delaware Treaty soon after the meeting of
Congress. As this Letter contains many points
of interest, We publish it for the information
Of all concerned. For our part, we entire
ly coincide In the sentiments expressed,
and trust that the pre-emption law will be
extended over Delaware lands.
LEAvESwoRTH, K t.
Sept. 25th, 1854.
Hon. L. D. BrRD, +
Dear Sir: Upon hearing of your depar-
ture for Washington, and learning some
thing of the nature of your mission, i thought
it might be proper for me and others to post
you occasionally as to the views and feel
ings of the squatters upon Delaware lands.
And first, you are aware that we, one
and all, disclaim any intention of preiudic-
ing the interests of the Indians. We are
anxious that their true interests should be
secured, and we are ready, as body, to
pledge ourselves to use our best endeavors
to have full justice done them, should our
occupation of these lands prove in any man.
ner detrimental.
But, while we would thus carefully guard
the Indian, we cannot but feel that we, as
body of Pioneers, have some claims to the
favorable consideration of the country. The
great majority of settlers upon these lands
have taken them up in good faith, In the
honest belief that they would be subject to
pre-emption. Many have made valuable
improvements, while others, less able, have
erected the rude cabin for their families.
But all have proved beyond cayil, their
faith in the business of their claims, and
their honest intention of securing to them
selves and their children a name in the Ter
ritory of Kansas. And here may refer to
still another class of settlers, who may have
been aware that the Delaware Treaty eff
fectualIy precIuded all settlement, until the
lands were surveyed and sold, but who, ney-
ertheless, could not, as pro-slavery men,
suffer these lands to remain unoccupied.
Considering the exigencies OF our posi-
tion, we have only to ask mature dehbera-
tion upon the part of Congress and the Ad-
ministration, in the full belief that we shall
have Justice done to us.
For this end, dear sir, represent that the
best interest of the Indians, demand mod
iication of the treaty, giving them an equit-
able price per acre for the unconditional
transfer of these lands; represent that the
squatters unanimously expect, and petition
for such modification, and that the whole |
country is deeply interested in the speedy |
settlement of these wide and open wastes !; |
represent, again, that there are thousands, |
(the writer among the number, who have
been looking anxiously for the opening OF |
these lands, and who having settled upon
them In good faith, have expended their lit |
tie all upon their claims. With such the |
question is not merely one of dollars and /
cents. Expel them, with their wives and |
little ones, and they are left without a home |
and without the means of acquiring one.
There are thousands, again, of the same
class, the "Bone and sinew of the land"
who are now waiting for the ban of exclu-
sion to be taken off, before they can strike
a blow, or turn a furrow, on these rich, but |
now unimproved lands. With regard to the /
Leavenworth Town site, trust that you
may be successful, but nothing can be ac-
complished before the sitting of Congress.
The treaty will have to be modified before
Il foot of land can be satisfactorily secured. |
l wish, dear sir, that you could stay at
Washington as the accredited general a.
gent for the squatters on Delaware lands.
We want an agent there till the whole mat
ter is permanently settled. We have gen.
eral meeting at Leavenwortb on the 29th
inst, when some definite action will be had.
Please write on the receipt of this, as your
answer will be looked for with an unusual |
degree of interest.
] am sir, very respectfully,
yours, &C.,