New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-27
FROM NEBRASKA.

Correspondence OF The N. Y. Tribune
OMAHA, Dec. /, 1856.
The United States Land Office will be opened
here IN few days, when the lands in the southeast
ern portion of the Territory will be open for pre-
emptioD and after an interval of few months all
the lands in the Territory which have been sur
veyed will be offered at public sale. This is an
event much wished for by the settlers, as nothing
but the want Of absolute and valid titles iA'n the
way of our perfect prosperity. Atpresent we hold
our lands by the modern "squatter tenure" Of
which none Of the learned commentators on the law
sayeth aught There is no power 10 the world 80
operative and 80 powerful squatter sovereignty,
when the will of the people is expressed by voice
and the whole neighborhOOd sits in Judgment and de-
cides the equities Of each particular dispute. II is
purely democratic procedure, and is liable to no
more abuse than the measure in which the minds of
the people astray.
AL disputes concerning title to lands are de-
cided by referring them TO the decision Of the
"Clslm Club" which consists of all those holding
or claiming to hold the lands na certain prescribed
district The boundaries of the different club dis
tricts are distinctly Defined and the edicts or judg
ments of the Club are enforced ri 81 armis, by
powerful Committee deputed for that especial pur-
pose, and whose power ends the moment they have
fulfilled the mandate which called them into action.
That some such organization is necessary there can
be no question, and its existence is considered a
necessary evil until such time each settler shall
have the opportunity to enter his claim at the min
imum price affixed by Government. The people
extend their protection over claimants also at the
public sale in order to prevent the Spectator from
Outbiddpg the actual occupant Ofthe soil and there
by driving him from its future possession. These
are esteemed to be "squatter rights" and the Gov
eminent of the United States recognized these
rights to be such in the late sale Of Trust lands at
LeavenwOrth in Kansas. letter was read at the
opening of the sale from the Department at Wash.
iDgtOn advising all men to respect these rights Of
prior occupants, willing to yield so much of its
power to those who had made the wilderness their
home. We anticipate no difficulty arising between
the squatter and the Spectator at our coming sales
for MOI would be 30 mad as to bring upon himself
the and inevitable vengeance of the squatters
Our Winter bids fair to be mild one. The
ground is covered with light snow, and it is still
falling. Thanksgiving day was very generally OBJ
served by our citizens the places of business gen.
orally being closed and the churches open.
The Pawnee Indians are causing us some trouble.
This Winter large number of the tribe have taken
up their residence among us, and seem to have de-
cared their intentions of remaining with us for the
season. They are filthy and degraded race.
Their village is about Is miles from Omaha on the
Platte River, and they have been repeatedly re-
ouested by Government to move their quarters fur
Their West, as they have no right to the land they
now occupy The Indians take different view Of
the case Many years ago this tribe had its village
west of the Loupe fork of Platte but the Cheyennes
driving them thence. they leased their present
grounds of the Omahas paying therefor an annual
tribute Of horses and skins. When the Govern
ment purchased these lands of the Omahas, they
claimed title to them by reason of this lease which
they consider perpetual and say, with an acuteness
worthy of more civilized scOundrels, that the
United States must now buy their title, as the
lands in question were sold subject to the lease.
How the dispute will end is matter easily to be
foreseen, for the strong and powerful will not at.
tempt to draw any very fine distinctions of right
and wrong in the premises, and the Pawnees must
follow their predecessor and keep "mOving on"
Their removal will be effected in tho Spring.