Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-01-23
The Senate Calls on the President for
His Views on the Status OF tho
Oklahoma Lands.
The House Pavors Begotiad ns With the
Indians for Opening the Oklahoma
Lands 70 Settlement.
The Indian Appropriation Bill Passes
the House with Important
Amendments.
THE SENATE.

ported favorably the bin recently In
troduced by himself for the encourage J
mont OF the American merchant ma
rine and 20 promote the postal and |
commercial relations with foreign |
countries. Placed ON the cals ndar
M.ndrrs N of Nebraska, from the |
Commute on prin Ing, reported favOr-
ably the concurrent resolution prOvid- |
ing that the Congressional II. cord !
should be an accurate tram criptiou OF
the &c u i proceedings aud debates OF |
the two hnuse-.
The Oklahoma resolution OF Plumb |
and Vest was placed before the senate.
Mr.. Vest wi .hdrsw his resolution
In 30 doing he took occasion ~ say
that there could be no doubt whatever
that a. the law stoud, the Oklahoma
lands were not at this time subject o
settlemeat by white people. The presi- |
dem, therefore, was unable to doOther-
wise chan as he had lone. \ G was aston
ished TO zee that statements had been |
made az the other end OF the capitol to |
the effect that the president in his &C.
ton in this matter was violating the !
law. Nothing could be further from
the fact The president was compelled
to execute the Law. and the law WAS
clearly and unquestionably against
the permitting or white
settlers to 10 on these lands Mr.. Vest
believed 1t inevitable that the lands
owned I'm time would be opened up to
such settlers but that time was not
now. He eXpr, ssed the hope that
congress would take action on the
matter and avert bloodshed. The re
manning rights 81 the Indians 10 the
lands in question should be purchased
Mr.. Dawes Of Mass achusetts said
that we had no right TO open up the
lands for settlement. The United
States could not trAmple on its own
treaties
MIR Harrison Of Indiana suggested
that the committee on Indian affairs
might at once report unfsvorably on
the petition recently presented to the
senate, which prayed for the
opening W ~ the OSiahomR country.
On the question Of adopting such re.
port the yeas aud nays might be called
aud = reclrd NJ the 5enss II the senate
thus secured which might htva the ef-
feet 70 prevent the conflict now
threatened
M key of Texas said that this was
goo opportunity for the government
to put ia seal Of condemnation upon
lawlessnes.. Tue lands which
formed the suhjslt OF their d-b tts
had never been surveyed, sec Ioned
or subdiyiled They We're, therefore,
open for vehement
Me. Plumb believed that m Nst OF the
people that went into the Oklahoma
country went there under the oOnVic.
ton thai they bari "A legal right to go
Mr.. Maxey did not SEE how they
could entertain sbch conviction, since
they had been notified by every prsc.
tisable means that they h4d no such
right.
Mr. Plumb sald that much misuu-
derstanding had betn created ny the
rumor that the United States Judge In
Kansas had decIded that these lBuds
were pubic lands Of the Unite 4
Bts'es. TIE decision was not To that
officer, however. Mr.. Plumb's opin'
ion was that the lands could DO ope atd
20 settlement by congress and the
president without the con-
sent OF the Indiana. If prompt
action was then taken Mr.. Plumb
had no doubt that au entirely just aud
peaceful solution of the difficulty
would be arrived at. with due regArO
10 the rights of the Indians.
Mr. Plumb'B re- Olution, calling OF
the president for his views oa the pres
emit statAus of the Oklahoma lands
was then agreed TO.
Mr.. Vest then re-offered his reeulu
ton directing the secretary OF tbs
treasury to ascertain and report upot
what terms the Greek anC
Seminole Indians would surrender al
their remaining rights TO the land IL
question, He req lested that the reso
luton lay over till Tomorrow, wheu
be would make 10 more comprehensive
The resolution was laid over accord
inVly.
Tue senate then went into executiv
session with reference to the Nicara
qua treaty. When the doors were re
opened the senlte adjourned.
TaE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
In the house this morning, on TIA
motion OF Mr.. Lsnham OF Texas, TIA
senate amendments were conourred ii
to the house bill authorizing appoint
ment OF commission TO run an,
mark the boundary lines be-
tween n portion of tn
Indian territory and TeNa
IN connection with a similar commits
Nlpn hHinlAteh ny lut hlhAt ol AFAht
Cobb of Indiana presented the cor
ference report on the Oregon Centrs
forfeiture till and It was agreed 20
The house reeedea from its disagree
ment to all the senate Amendments.
The house hen went into commit
tee of the whole on the Indian appr,
priation bill
On the motion Of Mr. Ellis Of Louis
ana, au amendment was adopted d
rectlng the secretary Of the interio
TO prepare a llst OF all the approve,
and pending claims OF citizens ON a.
count OF Indian depredations, aud II
port the same 20 congress on IA
fret Monday OF next December
Mr.. Chace Of Rhode Island the
spoke In support OF an Increase In III
appropriation for the Indians at th
Fort Peck agency.
Dir. Maglnnls OF Montana attribute
the starving condition of the Indian
at that agency u the inefiiciency OF I'll
Indian department,