The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-03-31

SPECULATION BY GOVERNMENT OFFICERS IN
KANSAS LANDs.-The reply Of the Secretary of
the Interior to the House resolution Of inquiry
into certain squatter settlements made on the
lands Of the Delaware Indians aud others, in
Kansas Territory, exhibits cases of great injus-
tice TO those Indians, and a completely Of 60
vernment officers in the nefarious transactions.
Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated New. 9Th,
refers to q visit of Gov. Reeder to the Potto-
watome nation, where be remained week, and
then adds -" During that time he was engaged
in purchasing Kaw half breed claims at less
than half their value, say 50 so per acre, TAX
ing their deeds and giving notes payable when
the President confers the title; in addition to
that he has thirteen claims made On this land,
[paying SIS for each foundation) His having
claims located has induced others to follow the
example Of his excellency, and at this time l
suppose every foot OF this land is taken. Now,
sir, the first wrong is, he is cheating the lndi-
ans out of more than 81 500 on each CLAIM Sc
condly. il is certainly bad example for the
Governor TO be setting. Instead of maintain
ing the President in treaties that have long
since been made, lie is the first man to give him
trouble.''
Gen. W. also states that private individuals
would have given 1900 more for each claim
than Gov Reeder gave. He concludes by ex-
pressing The belief that the President viii! re-
fuse to confirm the contracts In aludinc to
the letter OF Mr.. Whitfield, the Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs, in his letter to the Secretary of
the Interior. remarks I'll find upon inspec-
ton Of the memorials which accompany these
agreements, (contracts) that they are all in
what appears to be the handwriting of Gov. A.
H. Reeder, of Kansas Territory that S. W.
johnson, an associate judge of Kansas, is the
purchaser OF the three frst-named reserves and
one-half of the other, and that Gov. Reeder
Hon. Rush Gilmore, another associate Judge
and A J. Isaacs. ESQ.,, Z. S. district attorney
appear among the witnesses. The fact that the
agreements with Judge johnson were all &C.
knowledged on the same Cay Q5th December
LAST strengthens the impression, arising from
the internal evidence which they present, and
from information received, that the purchases
are the results Of a systematic plan to forestal
competition by the purchase and monopoly, al
low prices, Of these reserves, and that too, by
gentlemen whose official position gives them
rare opportunities, which few private individu
ais possess, to Gull the best tracts. The impro
priety and indelicacy of these transactions will
he still more strikingly manifest, when it is con
sidered that if questions growing out of the sale
of one or more of these reserves should become
the subject Of litigation, the poor Indian nigh
be compelled to submit, not to the arbitramen
Of an impartial tribunal, but ofene whose mem
beers may to certain extent be considered par
ties in interest"
@- A bill to secure to women equal right
with the sterner sex, making species of linn
tied partnership, with private and joint prop
erty, and securing to widows the guardian
chip of their children, has been ordered to
third reading in the House of the New Jerse,