Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-21

communication to yourself, asking for advice anC
information relative to these lands, urging the
speedy attention of the Indian department L
them Again, on the 7th Of November last,
called your attention to the subject, and advised
you that "some of the high official functonares
of Kansas Territory were engaged in purchasing
these lands at prices far below their value. :
These functionaries alluded TO were Gov. Reeder
and Judge s. w. Johnson.
The country was filed with various opinions as
to the true situation of these lands; Governor
Reeder having in an adroit manner effected the
transfer of some, and being still engaged making
purchases of others, from the half-breed Kansas
Indians, and maintaining that the Indians had
the right TO convey, the public was set agog in
attempting to get possession of these lands.
Among many persons the opinion prevailed
(and no doubt honestly that those tracts where
the grantees and heirs were all deceased reverted
to the United States, and were open to pre-emp-
ton, when the following circumstances occurred
in December, 1854, which gave rise to Governor
Reeder's first charge: A Mr.. Baine and another
gentleman, whom do not now recollect, called
upon me and stated that the grantees and heirs TO
two of the half-breed tracts on the opposite side
of the river were dead, and that they had re-
ceived legal advice that, in consequence thereof,
these lands reverted to the United States, and
were open to presumption, and that they intended
called the attention of the department to these
lands, and would soon receive advice how to pro-
coed in relation to them, and that | believed (not
ADMITTEDLY they were halfbreed Kansas lands
and that by the death of the grantees and their
heirs they would revert!to the Kansas tribe Of In
dians and that would no doubt be instructed TO
drive them off. They replied that they would
vised,'' them to build cheap houses, as the
chances were certainly against them. These
men left, and saw no more of them until re-
Gently having met with Mr.. Baine, and ! be-
lieved they had abandoned their project.
Some time between the LIST and 10th of Janu-
airy last, learned that several cabins had been
erected on the Kansas half-breed lands, mot,
however, sin sight and hearing" of My residence,
as Gov. Reeder asserts,) and on the 10th of the
same month"; instead of encouraging or permitting
these men to go on with their operations, ad-
dressed you communication and advised you
that party of white men had settled upon these
lands nearly opposite my agency; and used the
following language: Snow, ! want to know if
these lands Gan Indian reservation) are within my
agency? If they are, the intercourse law and
the regulations of the Indian Department
quire that should proceed to remove these in
truders; butt as | have received no intimation
from the department as to its views on the SUBJ
iect, do not know how to act. The settlement
of these men in my immediate neighborhood is
All 1HlpuLdtlOH upon lily SihidCtci. ~
makes the impression that have either encour-
aged it or require the frmness to do my duty. |
am ready to perform my duty when | know it.
If can learn the views of the department, my
course shall conform to them Thus you will
see by my letter of the 10th of January last,
which presume is on file in your office, a copy
of which herewith forward, instead of encour-
aging or ssconniuing" at the settlement of these
men, did as far back as that date, and near tco
months before Gov. Reeder makes his charges,
report these men 10 the Indian Department, and
ask for Instructions to proceed in the premises
This is my response to Gov. Reeder's LIST, 3D.
and 9th charges.
The third charge is, that these men entered
upon said lands without the consent of the In
dams To this have only to state that the lands
are not occupied by any Indians, and ! know Of
none who claim them their reservations.
The fourth charge is, that the said white men
have commenced the erection of steam saw
mill on said lands for the purpose of cutting up
the timber
| have to state that saac- mill Of any kind has
been commenced TO be erected on these lands, or
upon any lands that, to my knowledge, sup
posed TO belong to the Kansas Indians.
The fifth is, that my brother-n-law, a young
man living with me, and under my control, has
taken a " claim" one Of these halfbreed
tracts. In October, 1854, Governor Reeder en-
ployed Messrs. Paris, Ellison, and J. G. kram-
ner, citizens of the Territory, living near this
place. to cross the river and lay off g claim y
on these lands for HIMSELF Governor Reeder,)
and several others for his friends, which they did
Subsequent to that my brotber-in-aw, without
my knowledge or consent, believing that he could
safely initiate the act Of the Governor of the Ter
ritory, laid off 90 claim" alongside of his excel
lency's, and, in so doing, was alike guilty with
the distinguished gentleman whose example he
followed. But when learned the fact, showed
II thaf afu of he nj at rtno han
doned the " claim, and laid one in its stead on
the south side of the river, in the Shawnee cess
sion, where the lands opened TO settlement.
But my distinguished and dsinteresfed accuser did
not abandon his " claim" not even after it had
been dumped or settled upon by one of these in
truders, whom he reports, and TO whom he pro-
posed that he would move off from his tract, and
intr,lde on section about two miles higher up the
river.
The sixth charge is answered in my remarks
on the first and second charges.
The seventh charge, in regard 10 my having
attempted to defy and resist the laws and au-
thority of the United States and of engaging,
and asking others to engage, in the organization
of provisional government in the Territory, to
supersede the territorial officers of the United
States, is unmtigated falsehood, without the
slightest foundation for fabrication. ] belonged
to no such organization, know of none.
His charge is severe commentary upon the
manner in which the United States attorney and
himself performed their duty, if they were cogni-
zant Of such a movement as early as November
last | will do the United States attorney the
justice to say that do not believe that he gave
the governor any such :" information" If Gov
ernor Reeder believed such to be the case as early
last November, and did not adopt steps TO check
such n movement until his enmity towards me
was aroused in consequence of my protest against
his nefarous dealings with the Indians, his malice
is undoubtedly much greater than his patriotism.
II is strange, indeed that Governor Reeder
permitted his malevolence against me TO carry
him so far as to assume to be the friend and pro-
tector Of the halfbreed Kansas Indians and the
guardian Of their lands when il is notorious that
this distinguished functionary and honorable per-
sonage has descended from the dignity Of his
station, and prostituted his position TO defraud
these very Indians, and that he resorted to the
most adroit means to prevent fair competition
in the purchase Of these same lands. He is the
first individual in this Territory who, for base
and selfish purposes, attempted to elude the
guardianship of the department placed over the
Indians, and he is the first public officer who has
attempted, in this Territory, to trample under
foot the rule adopted by General Jackson, and
which has been the usage Of every administration
ence--to reof,ira the nurchaae af Indin N