Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-11-26
The Trouble In Kansas.

Government here, in inviting settlements OF pre-
emptionists on Indian lands, alleging that they |
were about to bring them into market and then |
changing that purpose; and, next, to murders, |
&c, by the pro-slavery men Of Missouri and
Arkansas, taking advantage Of the defenceless |
state Of the frsesoil settlers the Indian lands
question, resulting from the Governments meas
ures to remove them. Now, there is not word |
Of truth in all this-not single word OF truth In It.
The facts of the case are follows. Viz: These
free States men settled upon the Indian reserVa-
tons in questionable Cherokee neutral tract ana
the New York reservation-wholy against the
we'll known provision Of the law forbidding them
TO do So The President has no authority to in
vite settlements on any Indian lands, and never
did invite them. AT length the settlements on
the Cherokee neutral tract became so numerous
as that the authorities Of the Cherokee nation made
complaint here. Whereupon, the Indian bureau,
early as one year ago, gave legal notice to the
settlers that would protect the clear legal rights
Of the Cherokees, and by proclamation through
out the reservation gave them until the LIST of
April last in which time TO vacate the lands they
had taken possession Of unlawfully.
This notice brought about public meeting OF
the intruders In February, 1850, which memorial
lied the Department to allow them to remain
That memorial was answered follows by the
Department, in March:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, !
Once IndiaH fairs, March ID, 1860
SIR: YOur communication at the instance Of a
meeting held by the settlers upon the Cherokee
neutral lands in Kansas Territory, bearing date
February2s, 1860, has been received and duly con-
sidered BY this office
II stated In your letter above referred to- that
the settlers, In whose behalf you write, made their
settlements upon what was supposed at the time to
be the reservation set apart for the New York In
dians, and that they were not aware, until recent
surveys, their locations were upon the Cherokee
lands. The excuse offered In legal point, Is en-
titled 10 but little consideration. The Cherokee
lands, as well as the New York tract were alike
secured to those tribes orig inaly by solemn treaty
obligations, which should have been sufficient to
protect them from trespass by all law abiding cit-
zens So far from that, not only those two reser-
vatiOns but almost every reservation in Kansas
Territory, have been either settled or trespassed
upon by the whites. This increased disregard Of
law and treaty stipulatons induced Congress, on
the 18th day Of June, 1858, to pass an additional
act, more stringent, IL possible, than the inter-
course act Of 1894, requiring the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs to remove all persons from any TIL
bal Indian reservations who may be found thereon
in violation Of law. This act is to be found on
page 3d., United States Statutes at Large. volume
IL Hence IL will be perceived that no discretion
Is left to me as to the course to be pursued.
However much my sympathy may be invoked
in behalf Of those who are regarded almost as my
nelghbors, still the law Is imperative, and must
be obeyed
Whether these lands are needed for the use Of the
Indians not, forms no consideration for delay
ing the execution Of the law. Ii Is unpleasant to
me to occupy position antagonistic to what the
hardy pioneer regards al his legal or equitable
claims, or claims based upon supposed rights but
they cannot expect me to deviate where both law
and oricial duty command.
It's proper, also, that should say that treaty
with the Cherokees, for the purchase Of the tract
In question, is anticipated. The Senate Of the
United States have intimated that no treaty in
volving the payment Of money from the Treasury
will receive the assent Of that body.
fhe large amount Of vacant lands in Kansas and
elsewhere would seem to fully justify this deter
mination. II is unnecessary for me to attempt to
disguise the fact, that should exceedingly regret
collision between the citizens and the au.hori-
ties Of the United States; and sincerely hope that
the settlers upon the Indian lands will avoid so
great calamity; but. as at present advised, un-
lesH they obey the notice, the strong arm Of the
Government will be employed to enforce 1t, how
ever formidable they may be in numbers.
Yours, respectfully,
A b. GRRENwopD, Commissioner.
CHAs.W w. BLAIR, Esq Fort Scott, X. T.
Nevertheless the settlers paid attention to the
legal order to quit In April and in August the
agent gave them due notice to leave IN thirty five
days. Where any Of them did so, their places
were Immediately occupied by others. Then. in
obedience to the requirements Of the law, he pro-
ceeded, with military force, on the 10th Of Octo-
Der, fly days-instead Of thirty hve-afte wards,
TO remove them; remaining for two days there
aftr, trying In vain to get them to leave without
forcible expulsion, before he commenced the
necessary operations. The only cabins burned
by him that were occupied at the time numbered
some nfleen-not one Of them worth over twenty
dollars-not seventy, as the Tribune wOald have
the world believe. The rest were uninhabitable
shanties, erected for the most part to cheat the
Government out Of presumption titles to the land
In the agents operations, care was taken not to
destroy sxpence's worth Of property really be-
longing TO any of the settlers After he had
progressed thus far the settlers met him. and st D.
ulatsd that if be would temporarily cease opera
lions, they would leave in a body by the 18th Of
this month, unless authorized by the Department:
In the meanwhile to remain longer. A delegation
Of them came here, and ack lowledging that they
were intruders, and that me Department was but
discharging Its duty, obtained permission to
remain still longer-until next spring.
Now, instead Of acting in good faith under that
agreement, they have banded together to the num-
Der Of from three 10 five hundred, and are murder
ing and burning highland left in the name Of Stree
dom's" cause Their purpose Is, Of course, but
10 obtain the aid Of the Beechers and Greeleys Of
the East TO sustain them against the United STATE
with arms munitions, &c, until the new admin
istratiOn comes In, when they hope that Lincoln
will allow them, through his presumed abolition
sympathies, to remain masters and owners Of the
Indian lands Of which they hold unlawful pos
session.
In Kansas. The pro-slavery men Of Missouri,
Arkansas, and the Territory have no more to do
with them than the people Of Richmond, Va or
New York cities. They grow wholly out OF
Illegal efforts Of squatters to appropriate the lands
Of the Indians to themselves.
There will be little difficulty In dspoeesing
them, as Harvey is by this time engaged In that
work, doubtless. But the embarrassing part OF
the matter arises from the fact that while Beer her
Greeley Co, are endeavoring to make the North
believe that the sffair grows out of proslavery
war on the free State men Of Kansas, TIE disuniOn
leaders OF the South will do their bes, to make
their section believe that the abolitionists OF
Kansas have already drawn the sword against
slavery in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, as th,
nrst result OF Lincoln's electon-there being a,
little truth in the one story In the other AZ mis-
chieyous a. both stories are likely to prove IN
such times a. the present.
RUPTURE POsrPoNKD!-Several days aoo 4
VIVA tsleoranhed from washfn ton th., .,.h =.