Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-02-07
Oklahoma Lands Not TO be Opened to
Settlers.
Jan. 2sth. 1854.

Oklahoma Lands Not TO be Opened to
Settlers.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The fol-
lowing is the unanimous report OF
the Senate Committee on Indian At
fairs, 10 whom were referred peti-
tons TO Congress, numerously
signed, praying that the "Okla-
homa lands" In the Indian Terri
tory be opened for settlement:
The country known as "Okla-
hOma" covers a portion Of the
lands ceded to the United States by
the Treaties of 1866 with the Creek
and Seminole nations of Indians,
respectively, the unsettled portion
of which extends from the Canad-
ian river on the south to the Cim-
arrOn river on the north, and from
the country of the Cheyennes and
ArapahOes on the west to the coun-
try occupied by the Iowas, Kieka-
pOOs and POttOwotanies on the
east. The third article of the trea-
ty of 1866 with the Creeks "a
Stat, 1861 provides that ..in com
pliance with the desire of the
United States TO locate other II
dians and freedmen thereon, the
Creeks hereby cede and convey to
the United States TO be sold to and
used as homes for such other civ
ilized Indians as the United States
may chose TO settle thereon, the
west half of their entire domain to
be divided by a line running north
and south" The third article of
the treaty of 1866 with the Semi
noles "a Stat, 756, } provides that
''in compliance with the desire of
the United States TO locate other
Indians and freedmen thereon, the
SeminOles cede a. onvey to the
United States thess x : -.
Those respective articles not on
ly show the object and purpose Of
the session, but they fix the status
of the land and explicitly define
the purpose for which it is eeded
and manner Of its disposition. In
a letter to Commission er Of Indian
Affairs, dated April p, 1879, the
Secretary Of the Interior says:
By the Intercourse act of June
30, 1924, this tract of territory.
with others, was declared Indian
country, and for its government
the basis was enacted Of the pres
ent Intercourse laws, as embodied
in the Revised Statutes, sections
2,111 to 2,157. Since that period.
although the boundary of the In
dian country has been varied un-
der the operation of numerous laws
the whole Indian Territory has
been regarded as Indian country.
subject to no State or Territorial
laws, and excepted from judicial
process except under special en-
actments provided for limited and
restricted Jurisdiction Tor the pur-
poses of which il has been. by sec
ton $50, Revised Statutes, attached
to the Western district Of Arkansas.
None of the land or general laws
of the United States have been ex-
tended to any part Of the Indian
Territory, except as crimes and
punishments. and other provisions
regulating the intercourse acts.
This being the condition Of things,
il is clear that no authorized settle
ment could be made by any person
in the Territory. except under the'l
provisions of the Intercourse laws.
such persons having first obtained
the permission provided for in
those statutes. IL may be futher
stated that no part Ofsaid territory
remains free from appropriation,
either to a direct trust assumed by
treaty or by reservations thereon
under executive order, except that
portion still claimed by the State
of Texas, lying between the Red
river and the north fork of the
same.
It viii be seen by this letter
from the Secretary OF the Interior,
that the present legal status of the
oklahoma lands" is, that they
are reserved by treaty stipulation
for the purpose Of settling Indians
and freedmen thereon. The fact
that no other disposition can
be made except in violation Of the