The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-02-28
The Shawnee Lands.

There is great anxiety to know when
the Shawnee lands will be open to
settlement, and we have examined the
treaty between the Shawnees and the
United States, to find out. The fol-
lowing is an extract from Article Sd
of the Treaty -
"The aforesaid assignments and Sc
lections of lands in the tract lying
between the Missouri State line, and
the said parallel line, shall be made
within ninety days after the approval
of the survey of said tract, and if there
be any individuals recognized as at
present entitled to lands therein, under
the provisions of this article, who
shall not have selected, or had selected
for them, within said ninety days,
their proper shares of lands, the Shaw
nee Council shall select one or more
disinterested persons, who shall imme-
diately after the expiration of such
ninety days make selection of lands
for them, in the same manner and sub
ject to the same restrictions as hereto
fore provided for minor orphan chill
dren not members of a family, and for
incompetent persons"
The Shawnees have three months
after the Surveyor General has dp-
proved the survey of the reserve, in
which to make their selections. Du-
ring that time if white man makes a
claim, he violates the treaty and it is
liable to be taken from him by any
Shawnee who may select it as part
of his lands. The survey has not been
approved: it is believed the Surveyor
General is under orders from Many
penny, not to give his approval until
the first of March. 1t may not be
done then. So that it is reasonable
to conclude that no settlement will be
made on the Shawnee Lands. until
about the first of June-ninety days
from the LIST of March.
We here insert Article 9Th of the
Treaty -
"ARTIcLE 5. The lands heretofore
described, lying between the Missouri
State line and the parallel line thirty
miles west of it, as soon after the rati-
fication of this instrument as can con-
veniently be done, shall be surveyed
in the same manner, as the public
lands of the United States are sur
veyed, the expenses thereof to be borne
by the Shawnees and the United States
In due proportion; and no white per-
son or citizen shall be permitted to
make locations or settlements within
said limits, until after all the lands
shall have been surveyed, and the
Shawnees shall have made their Sc
Iections and locations, and the Presi-
dent shall have set apart the surplus. "
According TO this, :" no white per-
son or citizen" can go on the lands in
question until the Indians hare made
their selections and locations, and the
president set apart the surplus. "
When will the President set apart
the surplus? He may not do it even
at the expiration of the ninety days
after the surveys are approved.
Thus, everything relating to these
valuable and interesting lands, is in
doubt. We hear that there are num-
bers of abolitionists In Lawrence and
the surrounding country waiting to go
on the reserve In the spring. We
imagine that they viii have to wait
rather long.
Its understood that one Mr. Coates
is in Washington now, doing what he
can to retard the opening of these
lands to settlement, until he can bring
out 8 large abolition emigration.
When the abolitionists get the Shaw
nee reserve. they win have to 6ght
for it.-Gay Of Empire