The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-01-20

cOufeHliOu We acSlaASd thAVuSA lHe
columns of the Register that majority
of the people did not favor the nomina-
ton of Clark The convention proved
to be Anti Clarke BY an overwhelming
majority. Such being the facts, it
would be an act of gross Injustice, in
square opposition to the will of the
people as exposed in that convention,
for members of the General Assembly,
majority of whom were elected in
keeping with the spirit OF that conven-
ton, or even CIarke's warmest personal
friends to press his claims for the posi-
ton of United States Senator at the
present time.
Admitting it proper for ClarEes.
friends to urge his claims. his real
strength viii not embody one-fourth
the vote of the Assembly, unless disaf-
lection should be engendered by wrang-
ling competitors whose inferiority to
Clarke would gain him strength from
pure disgust.
This being the true condition it stands
the people in hand to urge the claims of
semc ere who has been identified with
their interests long enough, not only to
be familiar with the past history of leg
islation upon the vital points, but to
prove his sincerity and ability to carry
out the design by which the just claims
of the people would be recognized by
the powers at Washington.
1t is the rights of the settler and the
land grabs that claim the attention OF
the public. 1t is question not con-
! fined to Southern Kansas, nor to the
boundaries of our State, nor to neigh
boring States and territories, but has
| long assumed national importance,
having become part and parcel of po-
litical policy.
Previous to the last presidential cleo
ton the question of substituting rail-
roads to an unlimited extent by the
general government had assumed suffi-
cient importance to influence the can
didacy, and Gen. Grant expressed him
self three months previous to his nomi-
nation opposed to an extravagant land
subsidy. His committaI to the question
may have had its influence on the con-
vention. If it were question of sig
nifcance then, its magnitude now alb.
serbs all else, especially in Southern
Kansas, and we must have Congress.
man, who is not only conversant and
Unidentified with the people, but who
has the ability to show up the import.
ance of such measures, and in whom we
can impose the utmost confidence thai
he will act in good faith.
Among the many whose claims are
being urged we are satisfied that Ex.
Governor S. j. Crawford of Emporia
stands the highest. 1t is due to his ex
ecutive ability while Governor that the
lands then occupied by the Indians
within the State were opened to the
white settler. In his message of 1866
he lays before the legislature the CORES.
pondence held between himself and J
Harlan, Secretary of the Interior rela.
tive to the removal of Indians from
Kansas and combining them within the
boundary as described by the treaty
June End, 1925. The Governor says:
''The numerous Indian reservations embrac
| ed within our limits are detrimental to the in.
| terests of the State. The Indians will neither
| improve nor cultivate the lands. and their oc
| cupancy prevents others from doing it. / rec.
| ommend that you memorable Congress for the
removal of the various tribes from this State
| 10 the Indian Territory, and that patents be
issued to those having selected homes, thereby
enabling them to dispose of their lands, if they
| so desire, and remove with the others; and il
not, that their land may become subject to
1 taxation, as that of other settlers.
By an examination of the treaties made
with the various Indian tribes on the southern
border, and from recent surveys made by my
order, in my opinion, the Usage tribe of In
dams now possesses and occupies about four
| million acres of land in Kansas, to which they
| are not entitled by treaty stipulations; which,
in addition to the three million acres recently
treated for, will remove them south of the
| thlrty-seVnth degree, north latitude, the
southern boundary of this State. The Cher
okee tribe Is now holding the land between
BOD 3Om and 37d 20m lmost of which is the
proper territory fer the Usage reservation,) in
connection with their seven million acres
south of Sod Bonn. / herewith transmit maps
of said reservation, and annex copies of cor
respondence with Hon. James Harlan Secre-
tary of the Interior, and others, and recon-
mend such action as in your judgment may be
deemed best.'
In his message the following year the
Governor reverts again to the extention
of Indian titles:
"Upon this subject there is no conflict of
opinion. 1t is something greatly to be desir-
ed by every citizen of Kansas. In my last
message presented to the legislature the fact,
as then and still believe) that the boundary
lines claimed by the Cherokees to the Chero-
kee Neutral lands, and by the Osages to the
lands occupied by them, were not in accor-
dance with the treaties made by the Govern
ment with these tribes and that those lands
were unjustly claimed and held, and that they
were i'll right and justice subject to settlement.
During the year just passed thousands of i'm
migrants have settled on these lands and the
Indians finally coded their alleged claims to
the Government. The rights of the settlers on
these lands should be sderedLg aud securely
guarded. A commission is now in the State to
ascertain upon what terms or conditions the
different tribes now owning reservations will
relinqush theifrights thereto, and remove to
what is known as the Indian country. The
best interests of the State and the future pros
perity of the Indians unite in demanding their
speedy REMOVAL
1t is in his message of 1868 that Gov.
Crawford more fully sets forth views
that have equal bearing now as then.
''Your attention is invited to the condition
of the settlers upon the Cherokee Neutral
lands. 1t seems that the entire Reservation
which contains about eight hundred thousand
acres. has recently been sold by the Secretary
| of the Interior to MIR. James F. Joy, of the
Michigan Central railroad. The following is
| a copy of the treaty by which the Cherokee
Nation coded these lands to the United
thority of the Secretary of the Interior for
selling the same to mir. Joy.''
After quoting the treaty the Govern
or continues:
'S1his treaty, though infamous in IFS provis-
ions, evidently contemplated that the actual
settlers should be permitted to buy the small
est legal subdivisions of their homesteads. at
an appraised valuation, under such regrlla-
tons as the Secretary of the Interior might
prescribe; but the recent sale of the lands TO
Mr.. Joy, il valid, debars the settlers of even
that privilege, and leaves them at the mercy
of company which, has evidently purchased
the lands for the purpose of speculation. Mr..
Joy, says, in substance. that his object in buy
ing the lands was either to make them aYaila-
BILE in the construction of a railroad from Kan
sas City to the Indian Country, or to form
company for the purpose of promoting immi-
grafton to them. Which he intends 10 do,
have no means of knowing, but in either event
the transaction is unjust. The homesteads of
few poor settlers should not be taken to aid
in the construction of any road: nor should
they be given to land monopoly.
would therefore recommend that the Leg
islature, at an early day, memorabilia Congress
to annui the contract between the Secretary of
the Interior and James f. Joy, and to so
amend the treaty as to allow each settler now
upon the Reservation to purchase his land
from the Government, at the land office at
Humboldt, under the same rules and reeula-
items, and for the same prices, as govern the
sale OF other Government lands. This would