Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-03
THE CAUSE OF IT.

THE CAUSE OF IT.
IN Explanation of the Reasons That In
d,.oed Hayes to Issue HIS Proclamation,
Regarding the Settlement Of the Indton
Territory.
Washington Special to Louisville Courier |
Journal.
The real meaning of Secretary Schurz's |
recent decision about the settlement of new
lands in the Indian Territory, and the con-
se1uent proclamation by the President, pro-
hibiting it under penalties of law, have not
yet been made public; but the whole matter
contains story that might have developed
into romance if some one had not been
leaking secrets. The fertility of the I'M
claimed and unoccupied lands in this Indian
Territory, located in the southwestern part
of the Territory, is we'll enough known to
prove attractive to emigrants seeking homes
in the West; but the treaties with tho tribes
which settled in them all rights to the lands
in question, seemed to make it unsafe for
the white man to look oovetously in that d.
rection. Some few months ago, however,
movement was secretly looking to an occu-
patton of this territory, and extended cor
respondence was carried on between the
leaders of the enterprise in Washington and
the secretaries of emigrant societies in vari-
Gus large cities. A preconcerted movement
toward the territory was finally arranged.
A large number of families of farmers and
| mechanics, some estimates placing the fig
ures as high as ten thousand, had promised
to Join the expedition at stated points on the
route, quite large delegation intending to
90 from Baltimore, others from Philadel-
phia, st. Louis and Cincinnati. In order to
show the purport of the expedition, the fol-
lowing correspondence between Augustus
Albert, of Baltimore, heretofore unpublished,
and Col. E. G. Boudinot, may be given:
Mr.. Albert, under date of March 81, 1879,
wrote to Colonel Boudinot, propounding a
series of questions, in which it was asked
what amount of land the government owned
there, from what tribe it had been purchas-
ed, what the situation was in the territory,
whether the government was free from re-
striction, etc.
To this COL Boudinot replied at great
length under date of march 81, stating that
in 1866 the government had purchased
IL, OOO,O 900 acres of the Indians, and giving
the amount appropriated among the various
tribes for the purpose of settlement unde,
the treaties. A balance remains of 1000, OO(
acres, which has not been appropriated fol-
use among the Indian tribes, and in al
probability never will be. Col. Boudino
claims that the Indian title to this large re
mainder has been extineuished; that Com
missioner w. Morrison practically admitted
this in his report of 1878, when he designat
ed these acres as public lands, and he say
in the fourth paragraph of his reply:
Whatever may have been the intention o
the United States government in 1866 to 10
cate Indians and negroes upon these lands
it is certain that no such desire or intenten
ton exists in 1879. The negro since tina
date has become a citizen of the Unite
States. and Congress has recently enacte
. avs which practically prohibit the removs
: of any more Indians into the Territory
Two years ago Mr.. Mills, of Texas, caused
provision to be inserted into the Indian ap
preparation bill prohibiting the removal c
the Sioux Indians into the Indian Territory
a project at that time contemplated by'th
interior department., and by similar pre-
; vision of the Indian bill of last winter, tn
removal of any Indians from Arizona 9
: New Mexico into the Indian Territory
forbidden. The laws practically leave se'
!. eral millions of acres of the richest lands o
a the continent free from Indian title or occr
pancy and an integral part of the public d.
main.
The emigrants appeared to be dazzled
such logic, and the prospects of a paradise
the West. They had their arrangement
t. made to start on July from various point
le all the time keeping their destination pr
is found secret. They prepared maps of Il
Territory, showing the land arrived at. al
;; distributed these among their reliable friend
d One of them in some way found the Office
Secretary schurz, and the prospectus on Il
= margin aroused his curiosity. Seeing Il
b. scope of the undertaking, he called the qus
,e ton up in the cabinet, and the result was
p proclamation warning the hopeful settlers Q
t. This will probably end the enterp rise, as t
y emigrants will hardly care to fly in the face
an official edict.