The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-10
The Shawnee Treaty
LAWRENCE, FEBRUARY 9, ]

LAWRENCE, feDuary y, 1000. ~
EDITOR HERALD OF FREEDOM: As this
very important treaty has not yet been
read by our citizens generally, l will give
some of its most important features.
The Shawnee reserve lies south of the
Kansas river, and west of the STATE line
of Missouri. Out of this reserve 2O0,-
600 acres of land are to be held by Shaw
nees-each man, woman, and child Sc
lecting 200 acres within ninety days after
the survey has been approved by the
proper authorities. 1t is provided, also,
that each family shall select their portion
so as to include their present improve
ments; and the portion coming to any
one family shall be contiguous sections.
ANY Indian who has no present improve
ments shall select where he chooses with
in the reserve. As there are some 800
ShawneeS now present in the nation, il
will be seen that there will be some 40,
O0Oacres remaining of the 200, GOO, which
will not be subject to entry under five
years. The treaty provides that this por-
ton shall be set apart, under the direction
of the President of the United States, in
square body; andafter this is done, the
remaining part of the reserve will be sub
ieet to pre-emption. 1t.is thought that
pre-emptors can enter within twelve OF
eighteen months from the present time
ANY Shawnee that may now be residing
west of the western boundary of the re-
serve, is permitted to hold his portion
where his residence is. This provision
was made to apply to Mr.. Stinson. and
others, who have married Shawnees, and
who live on lands ceded to the United
States, and not included in the reserve.
| The object of setting apart the 10000
acres is to provide for Shawnees out Of
the nation scattered abroad. All such,
| if they return to the nation within FIVE
years from the date of the treaty, are al
lowed TO select their 900 acres apiece
and SO much of this portion as shall re.
main after that period not appropriated,
shall be sold at public auction, or thrown
open for pre-emption-I do not recol-
lect which.
In regard to the four missions among
the Shawnees, | wish to say word. The
slavery question has for some time been
bone of contention among them. Rev
Thomas Johnson, of the Methodist Church
South, is, of course, pro-slavery man
He is more-he holds slaves. A preach.
er of free Gospel to the degraded In,
dian, he at the same time keeps in a still
deeper degradation those of another race
need not say that the mission establish
ed by the Friends is thoroughly anti-sla
very The Baptist Mission, under the
care of Rev. F. Barker, is also thorough
| ly anii-slavery. The Methodist Churcf
North have mission, under the direction
of DR.. Still-a man of piety, and fully
devoted to the cause of his Master.
By the treaty 1 see that all the Indiar
school fund is put into the hands of tbs
Methodist Mission South, and the Bap
fists and Friends Mission are thus thrown
upon their own resources for support, ex
cept in so far as they are allowed to farm
a certain number of acres so long q.
they keep up school. The Baptist Mis-
/ sion is allowed two acres whereon stand.
their church, and one quarter section
where their improvements are located
But m default Of keeping up a school
and also of being fortunate enough to ge
some Shawnee children TO attend it, ther
| the churchand the mission house, and 9th
er Improvements. after being appraised