The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-20

$3.50
Committee on Territories. Ea
The bl provide for the exnguishment the title Of
the Chippewa Indians TO the lands owned and claimed by
them in the Territory Of Minnesota and State Of Wisconsin
and for their domescaton and civilization was read
first and second time by unanimous consent and referred
70 the Committee on Indian Affairs
The bin from the House OF Representatives for the con
sructon Of certain military roads and wells in the Terri
tory Of New Mexico read first and second time by
unanimous consent and referred 10 the Committee on
Military Affairs
GRANT.
The Senate proceeded to consider the motion submitted
by Mr.. JOHNSON Thursday April 81 TO reconsider the
vote by which the bill to amend an act entitled An act 70
grant the right of presumption 10 certain purchasers ana
settlers the Mason Rouge grant IN the event OF he n
adjudication of the title in favor Of the United States APP
proved January "a, 1851, was passed
Mr. JOHNSON ] viii explain the object of my motion
to reconsider There mistake in the bill as passed
which il is very necessary to correct In consequence OF
that mistake the wrong act extended will read TO
the Senate much Of the act which should be extended as
applies the The title Of the act which wish to
have extended is An act 10 extend prescription rights TO
certain lands therein mentioned and the portion of it
which is material to this case is in these words;
''And prosiaed further That settler who has settled,
hereafter SETTLE lands heretofore reserved ac-
count of claims French Spanish other grants,
which have been, shall be hereafter declared by the su
lied to all the rights Of pre-empion granted BY this act and
the Of September s4 entitled AN act to appro
ton rights after the lands shall have been released from
ervation in the If reservation existed
Thus that act which passed the Sd of March,
1883, right preempuon TO all settlers french
Spanish grants the title to which had been, or might
thereafter become invalid by the decision Of the Supreme
Court of the United States The object which have in
view is simply extend the pre-emption right which
granted under the act of the last Congress- to embrace
the actual improvements Of the settlers 1t may perhaps
be well now, though it explained before
that under the terms of that act any who had any
description Of Improvement one OF these grants though
it were but an acre would upon proving that TACT and
emption TO hundred and sixty acres. Still at the same
time, might have expended his whole fortune upon
tract of land and might have made improvements to the
extent of three hundred four hundred five hundred
acres and yet under the provisions Of the act he would
only be entitled to presumption for one hundred and SIXTY
acres. .
The object is to remedy this evil and to give the United
States exactly the amount which they value their lands
81 rs for all which of these settlers may have
improved though il be than one hundred and
sixty That viii be effected by the amendment
which shall propose the Senate This was the object
of the bill proposed the other day, but AS stated be-
fore there was mistake in that bill in regard to the
proposed to be extended and therefore it is that have
moved the reconsideration.
The motion reconsider agreed to- and the Senate
again proceeded TO consider the bill
Mr.. JOHNSON. move to amend the bill by striking
ont oil after the enactng clause and inserting the follow
ing:
That the right Of presumption granted by the Of the
Sd Of March, 1853 entitled An extend presumption
same hereby extended settler occupant
the Mason Rouge grant entitled TO the benefits OF said
shall be entitled to enter at the minimum price quarter
subdivision which he has made improvements: Prouidd
further That whenever any OF the improvements of two
shall entered their joint name and their rights
sha be proportional the value of their improvements
thereon
The amendment was agreed to and the BILL amend
ed ordered be engrossed for third reading and
read third time and passed.
On motion by Mr. JOHNSON the title OF the bill was
amended read An act extending in certain cases
the provisions of the entitled AN act TO extend pre-
emption rights TO certain lands therein mentioned APP
proved March 3, 1853"
INDIAN APPROPRIATION
On motion by Mr. HUNTER the Senate as in committee
Of the whole resumed the consideration Of the House bill
making appropriations for the current and contingent
penses of the Indian Department and for fulfilling treaty
spuatons With various Indian tribes for the year ending
Mr. STUART ] wish to make an inquiry of the Chair
to he place in which the amendment which offered
yesterday to the amendment proposed by the Committee
Indian Affairs In regard TO the reservations in California
stands My suggestion that it should follow the fig
The PRESIDENT. As the amendment stands it will be
read IL desired
Mr.. STUART. As reported, my amendment docs not
The PRESIDENT. The Chair win inform the senator
that il stands in the place which be suggested
Mr. WALKER / am directed by the Committee In
dian Affairs to offer the following amendment:
To the Crock nation Of Indians in full for all demands
against the United States the Of $780, 600 in payment
for eight million Of land at six and quarter cents
acre. taken from the friendly Creeks without compensation
by the treaty or capituaton Of Fort jackson of August
Mr. WALKER. The proposition now before the Senate
is Of considerable Importance far regards the
involved and evidently Of great deal Of import
the nation OF Indians interested In IT. This matter
brought the attention Of the Senate and referred to
the Committee Indian Affairs upon the memorial Of
what is termed In the memorial the Muscogee Greek
ton OF Indians That memorial has been printed In very
considerable numbers and presume each senator has
oeved copy Of u II has been individual duty TO in
vcstigate tins have done the Of my
ability aud must say that in Its nyesigaon-bsng
favorably impressed with IL in the commemorate have
bestowed upon IL time than have in the nves-
dgaton OF any other case and believe have had about
much trouble with il with all the other which
have had TO investigate
The subject before the Committee Indian Affairs
the last session Of Congress There then in my
estimation and in that Of the committee and finally In
that Of the Senate time sufficient investigate the
and TO It's merits If it had merits.
The memorial then presented very long, and must
say, very absruse document took 1t home with me-
and there gave tnl the examination could but found
myself without documents referred that could
make the examination nj all satisfactory When returned
TO the present Congress- the again committed
by the committee and have lengthy report upon
it. That report however having been very recently
pleted, has not been printed
This claim Of the Greek Indians has its inception far
back 1873 II win be borne in mind that during what
called The Creek Of that year. the nation divided
itself into two parties The one the lower Greeks
they called took the part OF the United States They
friendly and fought with the troops Of the United
States not only against the other party which assumed
hostile attitude but also against the enemies Of the
ty-the soldiers Of Great Britain All the evidence sir
referred 70 in the memorial Of the Indians have found
be strictly correct and gentlemen read the memo-
rial only add 20 IL my personal assurance that after
careful examination Of all the documentary evidence re-