The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-09-02

in courtesy to him, member Of Congress
There Il is proved that Mr. Clarke knew Of the
issue Of the patents before they left the nnzGs
II the Commissioners, and that ne was 50 musn
interested in them as 20 take prompt s.eps =
secure them IN MS possession. Ills here prov
ed that Mr.. Clarke had the best opportunity
for doing the settlers service Of lasting Dele-
fit ever presented 70 friend O the sarug galhg
poor. Never before had member Of Congress
q fairer chance Of proving his ndefity 20 his
peoiIIe. or OF fmpardng new ana noois sn-
pulse to the prosperity OF pofuon o. n.s S s.,
test against the issue Of these patents, from
our sole Representative in Congress. would
have forever put . quietns 20 tnis sHlndIng.
robbing scheme: but Dir. ClArke's integrity
WAS not equal to the occasion; instead OF cali.
ing the Commissioners attention to the feet
that the Black Bob lands were settled upon
and improved by encouragement OF the tndlr q
Department, and that the faith OF the Depart
meI1s was pledged TO the protection II tbs-s'
settlers, Mr.. Clarke became pdrtfceps CRIME
mis- with the Indian ring. secured P0sserslon OF
the patents. and, az the records show, had
them in his possession when the sales We're
made to irwin, Blunt & Co. Here was plain
violation Of = DUTY. shameful violation OF the
pledge he had given the settlers that he would
protect them TO the utteFmost of his power.
The subsequent history Of these patents shows
that Mr.. Clarke could have forever prevented
their leaving the Commissioners hands by IT.
ing q single protest against them. Now let
Mr.. Clarke inform the people why he neglect
ed his plain duty; how the issue OF patents
impelled him TO secure possession OF them.
Let him tell the people, too, why 1t was that
he failed to notify the settlers Of the fact OF
their issue and warn them OF the danger that
was pending over them. This WAS duty ne
owed the settlers as their representative; II
was q duty be owed them in view Of the prom
ises OF protection he had given them; 1t was
duty he owed them in the knowledge OF the
protection promised by the Commissioner
through his own hands. Let him explain, If
he can. why he failed in the performance of
these duties.
At the tine the Commissioner was using every
effort TO regain possession of the protests, and
insisting upon their return for cancellation,
we find that all at once. through the influence
and representations Of Mr. Clarke and others.
he Is induced To suspend his efforts to recall
them. MIR. Clarke wrote TO the Commissioner
Of Indian affairs from Topeka. on the 10th of
september. 1858. asking the Commissioners not
10 recall the patents. This letter was written
To the Commissioner not "a coming from plain
sidney Clarke, but as Sidney Clarke, member
Of Congress, thus giving IL all the force OF his
representative power and influence. In this
letter Mr. Clarke not only protests as men,
Der Of Congress, against the recall OF the pat
ents, but he urges upon the Commissioner. as
reason why the patents should not be recalled,
the information that he had in his possession
such facts as would satisfy that officer that the
issue Of patents was right and proper. This
letter accomplished its purpose, for 1t was in
courtesy to Hon. Sidney Clarke and others. as
the Commissioner Informed the agent ina let
to regain possession Of the patents were sus-
pended. Had IL not been for this letter Of Mr..
Clarke, the patents would have been recalled
and cancelled, and the scheme for gobbling the
Black Bob lands, as first disclosed by Mr..
Pratt, would have been forever nipped in the
bud; the fair vision Of speculation which had
! dazzled the eyes Of Mr.. Clarke, the sales that
had been made while the patents were yet in
his hands, would have vanished into utter
darkness and been destroyed forever by the
protest Of the poor Indians who were opposing
the fraud. This letter saved the sinking hops
| of the spectators, 1t infused new life into the
dying swindle; it crushed the opposing Indi-
ans TO the earth and dealt death blow to the
| settlers. This letter bears date at Topeka.
september Is, 1853. Ominous dayi The very
time he Republican State Convention re-nom-
mated Mr. Clarke for Congress as the champi-
| on and friend Of the settlers. Yet his very
| first act, after receiving that nomination, was
| to betray the interest of the settlers into the
hands OF speculaters. Protesting with his GLIB
tongue, undying friendship for the settler, and
| at the same time, in secret and darkness, sign
ing their death warrant with his pen.
Yet with this evidence of his total inability
to serve us he comes TO ask new lease OF pow
er. If there was no other record against him,
| how can we, with this evidence Of utter in
competency to serve US, again intrust our most
sacred interests in his hands?
We have now shown from the records the
| facts, from the evidence of reliable men, and
| from all the circumstances Of the case, that
Mr., Clarke was the enemy Of the settlers, early
with spectators in Il scheme to get control of
| the Black Bob lands; that, succeeding in get
| ting patents issued, Mr.. Clarke was the first
man to bring them to the State; that after the
patents were issued and in his possession, he
| successfully resisted the effort of the Deprt-
| ment to recall them: that when We were about
securing an amendment to the treaty protect
| ing US in the right to purchase. and were peti
tioEing the Secretary and Commissioner to
| await the action of the Senate, Mr.. Clarke in
sisted on immediate action; that after the Sem
l afA n favorable q set
| tiers, Mr.. Clarke falsely assailed it fraud
| and a partial presentation of the case; that
when the Indians opposed to the patents pre-
sented themselves, through their attorneys.
before the Secretary, to oppose the approval of
| the Irwin and Blunt deeds. Mr.. Clarke denied
| the right Of these attorneys to make an APP
| pearance in opposition to the fraudulent
| transfer Irwin and Blunt. That he called
| his committee together to report upon the
| Black Bob case at the close OF the session. and
/ weeks after he had declared and knew that
his committee could not be called that session,
/ and that no measure could be presented from
/ it for the action Of the House, hat after his
| committee met. and the settlers presented
| themselves before it to be heard, Mr.. Clarke
had not influence enough with his committee
to secure them a hearing: and he permitted
the whole case to be disposed OF by that COM
mittee In one hours time, and to bring in a re-
port against us at time when our case requir-
i ed every protection 1t his hands. and when it
was daily expected to be brought up in the
Senate; and he permitted Van Horu, of Mis-
| souri,. to control his committee in the interest
| If the swIndle without proper eXertions to
prevent it; that we know of at least three
members Of that committee who declared on
| the day our case was acted upon that they had
| never heard of the case before, except the
mere allusions made to il in the newspapers.
| Thus we find Mr.. Clarke's record uniformly
/ against US, and as uniformly in favor Of the
| SPECTATORS. Yet in the face of all this evil
dence of his bitter systematic enmity to us,
| Mr.. Clarke says he is our friend, and that
| those only are our enemies who have shown an
ever willing disposition to protect our rights
and promote our happiness. Can we believe
him-can we. after this exposure of the man.
! again intrust in his hands our present happi-
/ ness, and the future hopes of our children
/ Can we submit these sacred trusts to the dam
gerous custody OF a man whose every act has
| been in opposition to our welfare and in the
interest Of our enemies?