Columbia gazette., 1854-01-14

tnOuSan0 acres IN eacn, And prOrtded
further That said reservations shall not
bemade upon any lands inhabited by cit
izens Of California; and the sum of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars Is
hereby appropriated out cf any Imoney
in the Treasurey not otherwise appro-
priated to defray the expense Of subsis-
ting the Indians in California, and re-
servations for protection; Prorided fur
tier, if the foregoing plan shall be adop-
ted by the President, the three Indian
agencies in California shall be thereupon
abolished.
In this connection I wonld also call
your attention to the proviso to the sixth
section of an act emitted An Act to
provide for the survey Of PnLiie Lands
in California, the granting OF exemption
Rights therein, aud for other purposes"
passed March Sd, 1853
"And prorided further, that this act
shall not be constructed to autho.ise any
settlement to be made ON any tract Of
land in the occupation or possession of
any Lndtan Tribe, or to grant any pre-.
empfioa right to The same!
1t will be observed that by the above
proviso, it is rendered, at least qucs-
tionable, whether the United States do
not fully recognise title in the Indians
to all lands without limitation, now in
their" occupation or possessson," and
entirely preclude the possibility of the
settlement 5y our own citizens. Should
the Indians, now in the occupation on
possession of lands, refuse to remove
aud be loea ed on the contemplated res
ervations, the white settler, by the above
proviso, is clearly debarrcd from obtain
ing any "Pre emption Right to the lands
III their occupation or pO ssessioa"
Impressed with the conviction that
tie policy, indicated by this act, if
carried iuto effect, cannot fail to exer-
else a biightine influence on the future
prosperity Of California, and resultin.
in great injury to tic Indians themselves
[ trust you will Fl tel called to assert the
rights of the State, and to demonstrate
against It's consumlnati0n.
There certainly exists, at this time,
10 good reason for departure. with
reference to California, from the settled
policy Of tie Government.
The plan Of rc,nnvcing the Indian
tribes, and locating them without tho
States, was first adopted bv an act Of
Congress, passed March 26th, lso4,
and hy the act Of June, 1894. a largo
section OF the country was laid eff as
Indian Territory, to which the Indians
east Of the Mississippi We're from time
TO time removed In this way, the
{ ee,is, the cherokees, the Chcaae avs,
the Seminoles, and other tribes were
depor'ed
In speaking of this wise and humane
policy. President Jackson. in his second
annual message, says: 1t gives ME plea
sure to announce to Congress, that the
benevolent policy Of the Government,
steadily pursued for nearly thirty wears,
in relation to the removal of the Indians
beyond the white settlements, is ap-
preaching to happy consummation.
The consequences Of q speedy re-
moveal will be important to the United
States, to individual States, and to the
Indians themselves. 1t puts an end to
all possible danger of collision between
the authorities ofthe General and State
on account of the Indians.
1t will place q dense and civilized
population on large tracts of land, now
coupled by few savage hunters
Before concluding he Announces this pol
icy to be an "obiect of much solicitude,"
and adds-ia the consummation of a
policy, originating at an early period,
and steadily pursued by every admins
tration within the present century, 50
just to the States, and 50 generous to the
Indians, the Executive feels it has a
right to expect the cooperation of Com
gress, and of all good and di5intorestcd
men The States, moreover, hava
right to demand it. 1t was substantially
a part of the contract which made them
members of the confedcracy. With
Georgia, this is an express contract;
with the new States, an implied one Of
edual Obligation n''
The government of the United States
in pursuance of this policy, up to decem.
ber, 1889, had extinguished the Indian
title to about one hundred and twenty
millions of acres of land, at cost Of
millions five hundred and
sixty thousand and fifty-six dollars, and
up to the same date, had removed more
than forty thousand Indians to thei.
new homes west of the Mississippi.
But, if there even existed doubt as to
the fright Of the State to demand their
removeal',, the fact that by the propo-
sed plan, "a mixed occupancy of the
same territory by the white men and
and red man, is to be continued, thus
Ieopardizing the safety and happiness
of both," ought definitely to settle the
question, and induce the government to
abandon a. policy, the impractica3iliity
ofwhich, has been clearly demonstrated
AS important rights and interests of
the State of California are involved in
this question, it is hoped that it will re-
ceive, as it merits, your immediate as
we'll as careful and dispassionate eonsid.
concluded on the sccond poge'