Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-05-01

green backs prOVldeQ Tor by DeLaM Ma
tvr's bill, Weaver of Iowa, has a bill to
provide for the issue of S60O,OOOOOO of
greenbacks, and S60,0O0,OOO of fraction
g al currency.
An associated press telegram from
Washington of April 28th states that the
; house committee on coinage, weights.
and measures to-day considered the
subject embraced in the bill introduced
ty MIR. Fort, which provides that the
secretary of the treasury shall cause to
be exchanged at the treasury and at all
the sub-treasuries legal-tend,r silver
dollars for trade dollars of 420 grains
standard silver at par, and shall recoin
said trade dollars into legal-tender dol
lars of 4124 grains standard silver, as
now provided by law, and shall stop
the further coinage of trade-dollars.
Secretary Sherman was present and
gave his views. There is, he said, in
circulation upwards Of 100000 of
trade dollars. The value of the metal
in trade dollars is greater than bullion,
hence it would not be purchased for
conversion into bullion.
A WASHINGTON dispatch under date
of April 2Sth says that holders of
American awards are awaiting with in
terest the decision of the secretary of
state on the contested claims Of Ben
Ijamin Weiiland VS.. The Laobra Silver
Mining company, which the last con-
gress directed the executive to investl-
gate, to determine whether there shall
be a rehearing on the charges Of fraud
presented by MexicJ against the claims.
Should the claims be thrown out there
is q sum amounting to nearly $1,2O0,-
600 that will be distributed among the
holders. Secretary Evarts has had the
evidence before him since January, and
has notified counsel for Mexico that he
will hear argument in the cases before
deciding whether new trial shall be
had in accordance with the provision
of the action of congress.
THE following, as a result of cabinet
session on the 25th inst, explains itself:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Wash
ipgton, April 25.-To the Commissioner
Of Indian Afairs-SIR: / am in receipt
of papers accompanying your letter of
the 10Th inst, and further reference Of
the 2lst inst, respecting an anticipated
attempt by citizens of the United States
and others, to possess themselves, under
guise Of settlement, of large portions of
Indian territory, embracing that &C
quired by treaties of 1866 with
various Indian nations or tribes
in that territory, and held for
Indian purposes. According to COM
mon understanding Of objects said
treaties among these papers are COM
munications from Cherokee and Creek
delegations, enclosing a printed copy
letter from Augustus Albert, of Balti-
more, Md, to Z. c. Baudinot, a Chero-
kee Indian, now in this city, and of his
reply thereto dated 31st ult, stating In
effect that these lands are part of pub
lie lands of the United States. and as
subject to settlement, excepting such
portions as have already been appro-
priated to use by Indian tribes located
! thereon. Certain newspapers are also
enclosed conveying limitations of an
organized movement during the COM
ing month for possession Of these lands
on the theory that they are in contem-
plation Of the law and free and open to
settlement as public lands of the United
States oy intercourse act Of May 30th,
1884, this tract of territory with others
was declared Indian country, and for
It's gOvernm ent the leases was created
of present Intercourse laws as embod-
led IN the revised statutes, sections 2, Ill
to 2,1l7. Since that period all the
boundary of Indian country has been
regarded as Indian country subject to
no state Or editorial laws, and exempt
from judicial process, except under
special enactments, providing FOR limit
ed and restricted jurisdiction for pur-
poses of which has been by section 533
of the revised statutes attached to the
western district of Arkansas. None of
the land laws or general laws of the
United States have been extended to
any part of Indian territory except
as to crimes and punishments and
other provisions regulated by inter-
course acts. This being the condition of
things, it is clear no authorized state
ment could be made by any person in
the territory except under under pro-
vision or intercourse law, such person
having first obtained permission pro-
vlded for IN those states, it may be fur
ther stated that no part of said terri
tory remains free from appropriation
either to direct trust assumed by
treaty or by reservation for tribes there
IN under executive order, except that
portion still claimed by the state of
Texas, and lying between the Red river
and north fork of the same section.
Various agreem ents and executive Or
ders from 1866 to present time by sec
ton 2,147, Of the revised statutes,
authority is expressly granted to officers
of the Indian department to remove
from the Indian Territory all persons
found there contrary to law, and the
president is authorized to direct military
forces to be employed in such removal,
and you are instructed to furnish a copy
of this communication to the respec-
tive Cherokee and Creek delegations,
and to direct agents and officers in the
Indian service to use their utmost vigi-
lance In the removal of all such un-
authorized persons as may attempt to
appropriate, by settlement, any lands
aforesaid and make prompt, and in any
and all cases of such attempted tres
pass, report to this department.
STONED Very Respectfully,
"'siieu' c. SCHURz.
CASUALTIES.
NTTCc ANNA ETSuErs Of T a Crosse 1,oS