The St. Johns herald. (St. Johns, Apache County, Arizona Territory [Ariz.]) 1885-1903, 1885-02-12

| HAtA4 Ai4dlttltS ttN ' 1ONtFo eAi14Oo hLNi
the United States organized thi
vast domain into territories.
Hence, the government has al
ways recognized the Indian title t.
| these lands. Subsequent to tht
abolition of slavery, the U. S. mad,
a treaty with the five civilized tribe;
of Indians occupying the Indiar
Territory, and extinguished tkeil
title to the western portion OF the
territory; ostensibly, for the pur-
pose of settling freedmen and other
tribes of Indians thereon.
The treaty under which said
lands were obtained. was made with
the Seminoles, March q, 1866
with the Creeks, juno II, 1866
with he Cherokecs, July 10, 1866,
and with the Choctaws and Chica-
saws, about the same time. This
tract was taken charge of by the
general Government, and was or
dered to be surveyed and laid off
into townships six miles square,
which was accordingly done.
Subsequent to this purchase
from the Indians, the freedmen, by
act of Congress, were made citi-
rzens of the United States; hence,
they have no more right to occupy
these lands than white citizens
have. Since its acquisition, how
ever, the United States Govern
ment has appropriated about 10,-
100000 acres of this land in the
settlement of various small tribes
aOf Indians (those removed from
States and other Territories) viz
the Sacs and Foxes were ceded
AS, ,667 acres; the Potawatomies,
575,577 acres; the Wichitas, 743,-
610 acres, and by Executive order,
the ComancheS, Kiowas, Chyennes,
Arrapahoes, Kickapoos, Pawnees,
Towas, Missouris, Ottoes, Ponas,
Nez Perces, Kansas, and other
tribes were given reservations.
Since settling the aforesaid tribes
on these lands, Congress has passed
a law prohibiting the settlement of
any more Indians in the Territory.
There still remains about 15,-
000000 acres of these lands unas-
signed. The Indians say these be-
long to the United States.
Indian Commissioner Price de-
clares they are Government lands.
and the United States Commits
sioner regards them as such, and
has put his stamp upon them as
United States public lands in the
late map published by the general
land department. They are doubt
less a part of the public domain
bought of France in 1903, and pur-
chased Of the five civilized tribes
OF Indians by treaty in 1863.
AS there are no freedmen to set
tie on these lands, and as Congress
has made a law prohibiting the
settlement of any more Indians in
that Territory, what is Congress
going to do with these lands? Do
they intend to keep them for the
stock rings to herd their cattle up
on, and protect them by the Unit
ed States army against the intru-
sion of settlers, and allow the thous-
ands Of homeless families to go
uncared for?
The time has come when the
people demand recognition, and
Congressmen who do not heed the
warning-let them beware
This so-called Oklahoma is in
deed a beautiful land" 1t COM
prises some of the richest, most
fertile lands in the United States.
The general lay of the country is
undulating; the land consists of
prarie and timber lands; the soil is
a rich black loan, and produces an
abundance of nutritious grasses.
The timber consists of oak, black
walnut, pecan, blackberry, ash and
cottonwood.
The country is watered by mum
erous stleams-tributaries of the
Arkansas River.
Along the principal streams
there are heavy bodies of saw tim
Der, and in the Wichita Mountains
there is pine timber. These noun
tains are situated in the southwest
ern portion of the Territory. 1t is
a beautiful range of mountains in |
terspersed with numerous rich val
lcys watered by mountain streams. /
It has salubriOus climate favor
able to health. The mean altitude |
of the country is about 1900 feet |
above the ocean. A. 3. PARKELL. /
1..-.--zzz-1-szz-.y1g-1z.
Captain Morton, who was up
here recently from Fort Apache,
us that Indians living
oro,,,,J +;,o ooct oro ,-or,, indus /