Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-10

been invoked to secure to them the unre.
served right of occupancy, and we have
given these Indians every possible guaran-
tee that the entertainments of whites will
not be permitted that they shall respect
the Indian Territory, and not set foot
within it, save by consent of the
local authorities, for the purposes OF
settlement or residence. For nearly
fifty years we have observed the terms Of
this contract, into which we entered volun-
tarily, and which We have found to
be one of exceeding COED, and the
means of paeifying and civilizing
the larger part of the best classes OF
Indians. Within that period, however,
there have been inside by INSCRIPTIONS
whites various attempts to invade the Ter
ritory for the purposes of settlement, un-
der the speeious plea, among Others, that
the citizens of one part of the Union have
the right to 60 into and live Ia any other sec.
ton of the common country. In every in.
stance the Government has resisted this
kind of encroschment, but the Terri
tory has suffered reduction and sbrinkage
by reason of the formation of States and
Territories, until it has now reached the
minimum in area that common fairness and
the obligations of solemn compact require
US to respect. At this point in the history
of the Territory there springs up another
spirit of invasion. A year ago it was man.
Tested by large body of armed men
under the leadership of an adventurer
named Payne. He was met on the
border by detachments of the army
and compelled to retire. These
raiders had the effrontery to send delegates
to Washington to secure the Endorsement
of their scandalous conduct by Congress.
1t was refused, and the people had reason
to believe that there the matter would end.
This winter, however, Payne marshaied
his people again and opened fresh cam.
paign against common honesty. He has
in his party those, the kilograms inform US,
who are of very good class of people,
though we confess to lack of comprehen-
sion of The idea of goodness and respect
ability among land pirates and freebooters.
These invaders have had the blasphemous
courage to invoke the aid of religion, and
have found clergymen so far lost to sense
of their high calling as to accompany
them and daily offer prayer for the success
of the enterprise. We are told that
among these raiders are large families,
with women and little children, that some
of them are devout and praying people,
and that they proposed to enter the Terri
tory and set up their claim to unoccupied
lands, with the Bible in one hand as an
apology for the sword in the other. AL
Christian people will feel their souls revolt
within them at the delusion under which
these people labor, for they have beer
led to cover crime by the cloak o.
religion TIE Government should punish
the ring.leaders among these thieves
With a severity that shall not be forgotten
General Pope met the raiders on the
border, and told them very plainly
that the skirts OF The women and the
frocks of the children would not prove
safeguards behind which land -grabber:
could find protection. Secretary Lincoln
had instructed the General to resist these
fellows at the point of the bayonet,
and we had hoped that the spirit Of
robbery which actuates Payne and his fol
lowers might lead him to such resistance al
to afford apology for the boys in blue tC
use the bayonet with vigor never to be
forgotten. Divested of all sophistries and
technicalities and red tape, the Payne in.
vasion of the Oklahoma lands meant rob
berry, and there was nothing else in it, 1t i;
true that there is some kind OF plea put
forward concerning boundaries and mis-.
taken surveys, but the Government is com.
petent to determine any doubts on thai
score without the Intervention of Payne,
to whom all good citizens should wish un.
uttersble and overwhelming confusion. On
Thursday he and his people, in hundred
wagons, were turned back by General
Pope's soldiers. Should they return, they
will meet with less peaceful reception.