The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-04-09
NUMBER 36---VOLUME 4.

remained in the State ofNew York, where
they are now. Since that period Of time,
the land then being considered worth COM
paratively nothing, the Territorial govern
ment has been organized; emigration has
set in; settlements have dotted all over
the lands which had been set apart for
them, because they refused to 60. This
emigration has gone there since 1854
The object of this bill, and the object Of
the House amendment to the Senate bill,
is simply to secure in severalty all the
rights of each Indian who, in virtue of the
treaty, did in fact emigrate. That is the
first object; to parcel out, and carve out,
from the general mass, all the land granted
to the whole tribe. tbs to be protected
from alienation it is to be guarded 20
them, and to their heirs and descendants
forever, without any authority to sell, un-
less with the sanction Of the superior
power, as provided in the treaty. The
rest of the land being occupied, and the
Indians in New York having forfeited
their right, the bill does not propose to
claim the benefit of forfeiture T; but it
does propose, as they have failed to 60,
and citizens of the United States have
gone, to avoid all difficulty, the United
States will take the land, and pay 81 rs
an acre, and put it into the Treasury as .
special fund, subject to the disposition OF
Congress, for the benefit of these Indians.
That is the whole purpose of the bill, and
of the House amendment It is fair; it
is liberal. We could properly claim
forfeiture of the Indians but great ma
ton like the United States would not ask
any such thing Of poor Indian tribe;
but we will not permit vast quantities OF
land to lie locked up from settlement, to
mar the beauty of the Territory Of Kan
sas to stay the tide Of emigration; and
to check that improvement which is max
| ing the wilderness blossom as the rose.--
We desire, ON the contrary, to open it up
to settlement and especially when We
can do all this without any harm to the
Indians; without claiming an exaction
that they have forfeited; without impos-
ing on them any hardship; but simply
doing justice, although they have failed
to do their duty.
The amendment proposed by the SEN
ator from New York is not just If these
Indians shall now 90 out under the ex-
traordinary inducements which outside
influences might bring to bear upon them
at this time, when the lands are moro val
liable, they will interrupt the rights of 9TH
ers. Besides, the amendment proposes
to give them another notice to go. They
have had an express notice, as have the
information from the Indian department
and l speak by the record in this case,
and do not guess at what say. They
had the notice in 1846-more than twelve
years ago. During all that space of time,
when the land was considered to be worth
nothing, they refused to go. The other
provisions of the treaty have been exc
cuted according to the letter. Then,
why shall we now, to the injury Of the
citizens of the United States and to the
injury of the Territory of Kansas. 60
back and permit outside influences TO op-
crate upon these New York Indians TO
induce them to go and grab lands to
which they have no right all the right
to which they were entitled having besn
forfeited years ago forfeited when the
land was considered worth nothing they
remaining quiet under that forfeiture, but
now asking to have the full benefit oi
the improvement of white settlements
The Indians have no right to ask it.
do not desire to see any hardships prac-
ticed towards the Indians. want jus
tice done to them in the fullest measure ;
but to pay them 81 rs an acre is doing
! full Justice, while at the same time We
subserve the general interest of the Fed
I eral Government.
i Mr.. KING. There is one point which
i the Senator from Missouri suggests il
this case, which is unquestionsbly an i'm
, .portant one and II it could be fully sus
i tanned as he understands it TO be, 1t might
. perhaps, technically forfeit the rights o.
these Indians but I call the attention o
q the Senate, and desire them to look o
this matter fairly, to see whether thu
g view which he presents is the correct one
!. He states that these Indians have had tn,
n notice, and that their rights are forfeited
h That is the question which we are to pas
4 upon. / do not SO understand indeed
|. understand it is not so at all. BY tn
!. provisions of the treaty, by the commu
!. nications made verbally and otherwise +
!. the Indians, by the commissioners VIII
A negotiated il, by their universal under
,s standing, they were TO have this motto
!. from time to time. This Governmen
y desires them to go West, and were anz
e ious to induce them 10 60, and the $40
: 600 was to be used by this Governmer
10 to aid them in going there. suppose
. at different times, those interested in th
m purchase of their land in New York, an
Al others, have made efforts to get them
A. 20. What say is, that no such time |
in could fairly and properly be designated
ia notice to these Indians, that they must {
IA or they would forfeit their rights. hl
At been fixed. They have been requests
to 20, and have not all gone. Some ha'
Al gone, and some have not ; but there vi
he no day appointed, in accordance with Il
ns requirements Of the treaty, within whis
"a they must 90 or forfeit their rights, ar
10 therefore there has been no forfeiture, {
o. the terms Of the treaty in that respe
ce have not been complied with. Nor W
10. there any such intention in the efoi
r.. which have been made to induce them
cs remove. That conversational efforts hs
he been made by parties interested in th'
q. lands in New York, is undoubtedly tru
on but that is not the notice Of the treat
d. by any means; nor is i the appointme
i'm Of day which shall terminate th'
sse rights under the treaty. No such d
is- was ever appointed by the President .
,at that, / believe. Is not assumed By I
I'M Senator from Missouri; ct any rate, {
IN Indians allege they had never had .
70 such notice, and there is certainly no .
~ dence here of its ever having been givs
nd there is no proclamation Of the Preside
there is no action Of the President on
ev subject
he The treaty required that day shc,
a.. be appointed by the President; and g
the not having been done, say the hghts
nav the Indians have not been terminated
As to the mere matter of conyenience
the disposing Of this question with these
ba dians, there is no doubt that treaties
~ ha rnada with them. Az i have u