Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1879-05-03
THE INDIAN TERRITORY.
An Important Communication from the
Secretary of the Interior.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WASH
INGToN, ID. c., April 25-To the Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs: SIR-I am I'm receipt of the pa
Inst. and further reference of the 2ist inst,
respecting an anticipated attempt by citizens
d oI fhe United uni states to possess themselves
OF the Indian Territory, embracing lands
acquired by the treaties of 1866 with
various Indian nations or tribes in that
ing Of the objects of said treaties Among
Cherokee and Creek delegations, inclosfng
printed copy of a letter from Augustus Al
bert OF baltimore, Maryland, to e. O. Boudi-
not, a Cherokee Indian, now in this city;
of his reply thereto, dated the 3lst ultimo,
stating, In effect, that these lands are part of
as such, subject to settlement, excepting
such portions as have actually been appro-
prfateG to the use of Indian tribes located
thereon. Certain newspaper articles are also
inclosed, conveying intimations of an organ
lied movement during the coming month for
the possession of these lands, on the theory
free, and open to settlement as public lands
ofthe United States. By the intercourse act of
was declared the Indian Country, and for its
government the basis was created of present
Intercourse laws, as embodied In the Revised
Statutes, sections Ill to 2,l57. Since Il. at Pc
riod. although the boundary of the Indian
Country has been varied under the operation
of Numerous laws, the whole Indian Territory
Va
tect to no State or Territorial laws, and ex-
cepted from judicial process. except under
special cnactments providing for limited and
restricted jurisdiction for purposes for which
it has been by Section 533, 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 the Indian Territory except as to
crimes and punishments and other pro-
visions regulated by intercourse acts.
This being the condition of things,
it is clear that no authorized settlement
could be made by any person in the Terri
tory except under provisions of intercourse
laws, such persons having first obtained the
permission provided for In those statutes
1t may be further stated that no part of said
Territory remains from the appropriation,
either to a direct trust assumed by
treaty or by reservation for the tribes therein
under Executive order, except that portion
still claimed by the State of Texas, and lying
between Red River and the north fork of the
same. [See various treaties, agreements and
Executive orders from 1856 to the present
time By Section 2,li7, Revised Statutes,
authority Is expressly granted to officers of
the Indian Department to remove from the
Indian Territory all persons found therein
contrary to law; and the President is author
lied to direct the military forces to be en-
ployed in such removal. You are instruct.
ed to furnish copy of this commu11ica-
ton to the respective Cherokee and Greek
Of the Indian Service to use their utmost
vigilance in the removal of such unauthoriz-
ed persons as may attempt to appropriate by
settlement any lands Aforesaid, and make
prompt report of any and all such cases of at
tempted trespass for the Information of this
department. Very respectfully,
(Signed] 9. SCHURz, Secretary.