Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-07

in violation of law or regulation, and | cannot
suppose il would be received and acted on with
out being in writing-at least, il must have had
form and shape; and even though | may not
know Ily accuser, il is not too much to ask that
! may be informed of the particular act which
am charged with having committed, and the par
ticular law am charged with having violated
On turning to the letter Of ca. w Clarke,
Indian agent, to which you refer me, find that,
in endeavoring TO exculpale himself from charges
OF official delinquency, he INDUCES in much gene
raj vituperation which cannot for a moment
suppose you wish me TO notice; and the only mat
ter TO which can Judge that your general allu-
sion can apply is an allegation that in October,
1854, with others procured claims to be marked
upon the Kansas half-breed reservations. In
reply, have only to say that, as stated, il is
true. In October, 1854, several gentlemen, in-
GLIDING myself, happened to be at the house of
MIR. Ellison, in portion of the Territory with
which we were entirely unacquainted, and had
never seen before Being informed that desirable
claims were to be had in the vicinity open TO pre-
emption, we requested that he would mark them
out for us; and knowing that the Kansas half
breed lands were in the vicinity, but utterly igno-
rant OF their lines, we requested him carefully to
avoid entering upon them, as we had no desire to
trespass upon those reservations, and knew per-
tectly well that the marking of claim upon
existing reservation wonld be utterly frutless and
nugatory, resulting III the loss OF our labor with
III
iessed to know the lines and assured us he would
avoid these reserves. We left cefore the claims
were Marked and have never seen them since,
nor do now know where they We're made. i do
not believe that Messrs. Ellison and Kramer
made them upon these reservations, or, if they
did, am satisfied they did it in a mistake of the
lines.
Finding that we could not personally occupy
them, and that without occupancy we could not
acquire title to them, we abandoned all idea of
them, and have never looked after them from the
day they were made. That | endeavored to re-
tain this claim and advised an intruder to leave
1t, is untrue. 1t is true that, in conversation
with one of the gentlemen whom Mr.. Clarke en-
couraged to go on these lands, ascertained that
he was upon section for which we had contract
ed, and informed him that he could not possibly
acquire any title there; that if the contracts
confirmed by tile President, we could not allow
settlers to remain there. He then inquired if he
could not so contract for tract, and stated to
him that there was one Of the reserves who had
for some time been offering to sell his section ut
four dollars per acre, and tnat, if tho President
approved our contracts, he could, without doubt,
purchase that section This conversation was,
think, in the month of February last; and so far
from attempting to induce the gentleman to leave
me my claim or take another for himself, dis
tinctly informed him that it was impossible for
any man to acquire, by settlement or presumption,
any interest or title to any of these reservations.
Most OF the statements have made in this
communication clearly proven by the deposi.
tons and papers now before the President Those
which are not, and particularly my statement in
regard TO the matters charged in the letter Of G.
w. Clarke, can establish beyond all cavil BY the
testimony Of most unexceptionabc witnesses, if
necessary. q
cannot conclude this letter without again
urging upon yourself and the President, as IA mat
ter of the simplest justice domandabeby the hum
blest man in the community, that | should be in
formed Of the particular act to which exception is
taken, and the particular aspect in which it is
considered culpabe; and if any law or regulation
is violated what that law regulation is. | can
not suppose that the President has any desire to
avoid rule so necessary to correct and consci-
entious discharge of his duty, and so nds-
pensable to the exculpation even Of the most in
nocent man, and the absence of which is, above
all things, calculated to bring the innocent and
the guilty into the same category and | therefore
ask il in the fullest confidence that it will not be
denied.
am, sir, most respectfully, your obedicnt SER
vant A. II. REEDER,
Governor Of the Territory Of Kansas
Hon. w. l.. MARCY,
Secretary of State, Washington.