The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-09-09


Steamships CITY of Paris, from Liver
pool; Colon, from ASpinwall; England,
from Liverpool. "a.
The Black Hills.
Since the declaration by General
Sheridan that no party would DO allowed
to visit the Black Hills country without
authority from the Interior Department,
meaning its authorized agents, that de-
partment has been in receipt OF large
number OF letters asking permission to
pothere, and for the benefit ofa large
class the following letter is made public;
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
WAsHINGToN, Sept. :, 1874.
SIR-I acknowledge the receipt of
YOUR letter of the 9th inst, referring to
the associations that are forming for the
invasion of that part Of the Territory OF
Wyoming known as the Black Hills, not
withstanding the existing treaties with
the Sioux Indians, and requesting Such
suggestions for the guidance and bene-
fit ofthc citizens ofthc Territory AS may be
considered appropriate blythe department,
and in reply would say that by the second
article Of the treaty between the United
States and the different tribes of the
Sioux Indians, concluded April ~, 1865
CStututcs, vol. lj page G36) the United
States agrees that the following district OF
country. to-wit: Commencing on the
east bank of the Missouri river, where
the forty-sixth parallel Of north latitude
crosses the same; thence along the low
water mark down said east bank to Il
point opposite where the northern line OF
the State of Nebraska strikes the river;
thence west across said river and along
the northern line OF Nebraska to the one
hundred and fourth degree of longitude
west from Greenwich; thence north on
said meridian to Il point where the forty
sixth parallel of north latitude intcrc"pts
the same; thence due east along Sald
parallel To the place OF beginning,
and. in addition thereto, all existing re-
Srrvations on the east bank of said river,
shall be-, and the same is set apart for the
absolute and undisturbcd use and occupa-
ton of the Indians herein named, and
for such other friendly tribes or individ-
ua Indians as from time to time they
NAV be- willing, with the consent OF the
United States, to admit amongst them;
and the United States now solcmnly
agrees that no persons, except those here
m designated and authorized so To do,
and except such officers agents and EN-
ploycs of the government AS may be
authorized to enter upon the Indian
reservation in the discharge ofthe duties
enioined bv law, shall ever be permitted
t. pas, over and settle upon, or reside in
the territory described in this article, or
in such territory as may be added I"
this reservation for the use of said lndl-
ans, and hencetorth they will and do
hereby rrlnquish all claims or right i'll
or to any portion of the United States or
Territories, except such as are embraced
within the limits aforesaid, and except as
hereinafter provided.
The foregoing section prcScrlbcS who
shall be allowed this territory SO set
apart for the Indians, and expressly
states that
None others Shall be Permitted
To pass over, settle upon or reside therein.
The only power TO alter this provision is
that which made the treaty, and then It
must he done with the consent of the In
dianS. What is known aS the late
exploring expedition of General Custar,
WAS merely military reconnaissance Of
the country for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the best location if
in the future, it should become necessary
to establish there II military post. On
the I'D Of June last, in II letter to this
Department, the honorable Secretary of
War wrote on this subject rs follows:
1t is we'll known 10 the Department that
at various times settlers in the nd Jacent
country, have contemplated expeditions
to the Black Hills, and the Department
has uniformly discountenanccd such
measures, but it has now almost become
military necessity, that accurate Anowl-
edge should be Possessed by the army rs
to this portion of our territory, and for
that purpose only i the preSelt
expedition undertaken. The qu">-
ton OF opening up this country TO
settlements rests upon Congress, and un-
Ill action ha> been taken by that
body, ~ department has no discretion
in the meter, hut i required and will
cndcavur to prevent any violation Of the
promises Of the treaty before mentioned
For reasons herein set forth, all applica-
cations for permission TO visit Black
Hills will he denied.
Very Respectfully.
[Siguedl K. K. CowAN.
Acting Secretary,
To j. F. Pennington, IGnkto,i Ddk"ta.
Renort Of m Engagement With The