Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-23
THE INDIANS.
From the New York Tribune.
THE OSAGE LAND JOB.


THE OSAGE LAND JOB.
To the Editor OF the Tribune:
Sir: Having hitherto written you
that the Usage Indians had sold their
entire lands TO the Leavenworth, Law
renee and Galveston Railway Company
for few cents per acre, le5 me now
briefly narrate the strange circumstance
which induced them to do so:
The Indians did not desire to sell at
ali, and all the efforts and temptings OF
the Government to induce them to send
g Geiegati0A to Washington, TO make 3
treaty for the sale, were in vain cut,
finding the Government fatally bent on
getting their lands, they were firmly re.
solved TO sell bus one half thereof, and
quite as earnestly determined TO receive
81 Der acre therefor; and upon this attS
yqGtups of the tribe, the energetic and
peIsistent Council apparently abandoned
the project in despair. At just about
this iuncture two of the Osages, who
were engaged in thieving excursion in
the neigh bOrhOod, killed one OF the set
tiers aud this unfortunate eircum stance
was seized upon by the parasites OF the
Railroad Company To terrlfy the indians
into at once signing the treaty. under
threats Of the dire vengeance OF the
Government upon the whole tribe ia eX-
piation of the said murder, il they iur-
Their resisted. Il is scarcely need vi TO
add that every Indian clamOred lusti =
to "make his mari" and thus to avert
the impending stroke OF the nation
untitled arm. such was the foul meal 3
By which this nefarIOus treaty was made,
Since my last communication, have
seen Father Shoemaker, for twenty
-. = naraEaF r ia
siOuary Of the Osages, and be does not
hesitate to make the following distinct
avowments regarding this s0-ealled
treaty:
/. That the Indians would not have
made it unless they had been forced
| thereto.
>, That twO-fi'ths of the entire tract is
| of the highest order Of farming and graz
! ing lands, and adorned with the most
picturesque beauty, and that the remain
! ing three q this Is OF still greater mercan-
| tile value on account of its immense
wealth Of minerals.
8. That settlement on the trust lands
will almost cease, and the country will
relapse into a wilderness if this treaty Is
allowed to prevail.
4. That under no possible state Of the
case should a monopoly be allowed to en-
gross this land, but that it should enUre
to the benefit Of the people.
). That If the Osages are sent to the
region contemplated by this treaty, they
will be exterminated within ten years
by the Plains Indians; who intensely
bate them,
The Osages had an earnest desire to
preserve a home in the lands of their an
cestors, and feel griet-5tTieken at being
elected therefrom. Father SchOenmakef
was himself present with the Council
for several days; but the strifes and
uuarrels Of rival railway companies who
were present, aud the trsfficking and di-
viding, in anticipation, OF the many spec
ulatofs and iand-sharks who were also
present, were so tOrturiDg to his sensi-
tive, religious 1gature, that he was COM
PEELED to leave, which be did, several
days before the Aual consummatiOn.
Is there any ground for hope that the
President aud Senate, who have yet to
do with this iBcipient treaty, will con-
slider the foul iniguity of despOiling an
oppressed and weak people of the last
/ acres Of land beqUestned to them by their
| fathers and the still more grievoUs out.
rage Of forever barring 9,000, 600 fertile
aud beautiful acres from the iugress Of
the nations poor? w.
/ LAwRENCE, KANSAS, June @.