The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-23
NLYIII Congress.



WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-Mr. FRYE,
from the committee on commerce, ro-
ported favorably tho bill recently in-
trodUced by himself for the encourage
ment Of the American merchant macine
and TO promote postal and cOmmG. :ial
relation with foreign countries. Placed
on the calendar.
Mr.. MANDERSON, from the commit
tee on printing, reported favorably the
concurrent resolution, providing that
the Congressional Record should bo an
accurate transcript of the actual pro-
ceedings and debates of the two houses.
Tho Oklahoma resolutions of Messrs.
Plumb and Vest we've paced before the
senate. -
Mr.. Vest withdrew his resolution. In
doing so he took occasion to say there
could be no doubt whatever, that, as the
laws stood, the Oklahoma lands were
not at this time subject TO settlement
by white people. The president, there
fore, was unable to do otherwise than
as he had done. He was astonished to
see that statements had been made at
the other end of the capitol TO the effect
That the president, IN h!s adiioa in .Ss
matter, Was violating the law. Nothing
could be farther from the fact. The
president was compelled to execute the
law, ana the law was clearly and un-
questionably against permitting white
settlers TO go ON these lands. Mr.. Vest
believed IL Inevitable that these
lands would in time be opened mn TO
such settlers, but that time was
not now. lie p.css.d the hone
that congress would take action on the
matter and avert bloodshed. The re-
manning rights of the Indians to the
lands IN question should be purchased,
Mr.. DAWES said we had no righs To
open up these lands for settlement, The
United States could not trample on its
own treaties.
Mr.. HARRISON suggested that the
committee ON Indian affairs might NJ
once report uniavorably on the petition
recently presented to the senate which
prayed for the opening up of the Okla.
homa country. On the question of adopt.
ing such report the yeas snd nays might
be called and record the sense OF the
senate thus secured, which might have
the elect to prevent the conflict now
threatened.
Mr.. Nancy said this was n good on.
porlunity Tor the government To put lis
seal condemnation upon the lawless
ness. The lands which formed tho SUBJ
iect OF this debate had never been SUR.
veyed, soctloni2ed or sub-divided, They
were, therefore, In no way open for set
tlement.
Mr., PLUMB believed that most of the
people that went into the Oklahoma
country went there under the cunvic-
ton that they had u legal right to
go there,
MIR. MAXEY did not see how tbey
coulu entertain such a conviotion. siure
they had been notified by every prac +
cable means that they had no such
rights.
Mr.; PLUMB said much misundot-
standing had heen created bv the rn,,,or
that United States Judge In Kansas
had decided that these | nds wer, nuh.
lie lands Of the United States. The do.
eisiOn was not TO that effect, however,
Mr.. Plumb's opinion was that the lands
could be opened TO settlement by con
gress and tho president, without the
consent OF The Indians. II prompt ac.
ton was taken Mr.. PlumO had no doubt
an entirely Just and peaceful solution
OF the difficulty would be arrived et
with due regard TO the rights of the In.
dians.
Mr.. Plumb's resolution, calling ON the
president FOR his views as to the present
status OF the Oklahoma lands, was then
agreed to.
Mr.. VEST then re-oflered his resolu.
uon, directing the secretary of the treas
ury TO ascertain and report upon what
terms the Creek aud Seminole Indians
would surrender all their remniuinu
rights to the land in question. He re-
quested that the resolution lay over I'm
tomorrow, when he would mako IL