Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-20
THE wINNEBAGo RESERVATION.

The trouble in Dakota, to which we re-
ferred on Saturday, has eliminated, and
the President has by proclamation restored
the old Winnebago reservation to the In
dians, and revoked the executive order
made by President Arthur, February 9th,
opening it to settlement The ground of
President Cleveland's action is that BY the
Sioux treaty of 1868 the reservation was
sacredly dedicated to the Use of the Indi-
ans, and that the good faith of the Gov
eminent is solemnly pledged to the main
tenance of that treaty, and that to sustain
the order throwing the lands open to en-
try will create distrust among the Indian
tribes, hinder their education, and gener-
ally result badly lie takes the ground
also that the executive order of February
9th, being in contravention of a treaty,
was void and imperative. The latter con-
clusion of the law of the case Is, of course,
the stronger, and assuming it to be the law,
really ends the dispute. But there is an
other side to the case, and it will, very
likely, engage the attention Of Congress at
its next sitting, In the first place, it is
admitted that the Indians do not need the
land It was originally reserved to them
for needful purposes. They no longer use
1t for such ends. What the land is worth
at Government valuation would be vastly
more useful to the Indians if paid over in
coin. The settlers are the heads Of some
500 families. They arc not raiders or
tawbreakers. They entered upon the lands
under an order of the Chief Executive that
eyas operative to the extent, at least of
permitting them to peaceably enter
and make their homes on the lands.
Tina; order was issued after the whole ques-
tien had been laboriousIy, exhaustively
argued before the President, and he and
his legal advisers decided upon his right
10 return the lands 70 the public domain,
and 10 usefulness. No rights of the Indi-
ans we're interfered with-none of their
possessions were disturbed, ortheir lands in
nse taken, nor any lands that they can
possibly use The members of the tribe
have left TO them over 500 acres to each
family of four persons. The majority of
the settlers are cx-soIdiers of the Union.
who have gone upon the lands TO perma-
nently improve them and bring them I'M
der the pillow, and make them contributive
90 the general veal. In their appeal to
President Cleveland the settlers, on the
5th Of April, pointed ont that they were
not in!erlopers; Not a man in our ASSo-
citation moved upon this land until the
highest authorities Of our Government
permitted him, although many Of US have
waited patiently for homes therein for
fully two years. Feeling that the land is
our own, we respectfully submit our deter
mination, adopted this day, namely; That
ne will not leave cur homes Unless forced
50 do 40 by the troops of that Government
for which we have heretofore fought, and
which gave these homes to Us under an
implied promise TO protect us and our fam
ilies-a promise not lightly to be disre-
garded."
In reply to this President Cleveland
warns them to vacate the lands within
sixty days, and in case of refusal notifies
them that they viii be forcibly elected.
Tbe settlers must submit to the law. They
cannot justify any resistance by force of
arms. Their appeal is to Congress- and
that body should right them, and buy the
lands if need be, and thus benefit the rem
nant of the Indian tribes held to he enti-
,,ed to them. As the case DOW stands the
indians cannot occupy the lands, and the