The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-03-26
srArus oF oKLAHoMA.


EDIroRs NEws-So much has been
said in defense of the Oklahoma boom
ers, and SO much abuse heaped upon the |
government for its faithfulAess in exc
cutting the law and in keeping its treaties
and stipulatIons with the Indians invio- |
liable, that perhaps PLAIN statement of
the relation subsisting between that
country and the United States govern
ment might save those who are casting
longing eyes upon that "goodlY land'
both time and expense in their efforts TO
get possession Of it.
To the laW-abiding citizen. and to
those whose desire is 70 'do unto others
as they wish others should do unto
up the fallen, give knowledge to the ig-
norant. morals 20 the vicious and i'm
moral, and civilization to the uncivIl-
ized-to such. say, 1t would
seem superiuous to make any
other statement than the fact
that by act Of congress over fifty years
ago, what is known as "the Indian Terri
tory" including what is now called
Oklahoma, was forever set apart for the
settlement OF Indians; and that some
time after the settlement of Oklahoma
by citizens of the United States began to
be agitated, and the Indian title ques-
tianed, the secretary of the interior, IN
order perhaps TO get rid Of little I'M
pleasant responsibility as well as to SET
tie the trouble, appointed three commits.
sioners whose duty IL was to investigate
all the facts bearing upon the case. Those
commissioners in making their report
said that in accordance with an act of
congress and existing treaty stipulations
not be opened for settlement. But
these facts do not satisfy those
men whose desire is to
'go IN and possess the land" They
claim that in the treaties OK 1866 Okla
homa was ceded 10 the United States by
the Indians. We grant that this is true;
but like many other unqualified state
ments 1t is not true in fact. I will en-
deavor to show how this is.
We have first the act of congress set
ting apart "the Indian Territory" for the
settlement of Indians. The Indian tribes
are 80 many foreign nations within the
limits OF the United States and terri
tories. The Indian Territory is held in
trust by the United States government
for the settlement of any tribes that can
be induced to locate there. It is IN no
sense q gift to the Indians, but Is held
for them and to be gwen in exchange
for lands which they claim at the time OF
their removal to the Territory. In
this way what are now calledl the five
civilized tribes. the Cherokses, Choc-
taws, Chicasaws, Creeks and Seminoles,
were settled there. At the time of their
removal to the Territory they depended
largely upon "the hunt" for their sub
slstance; hence they purchased more
lands than they otherwise would. But
they bought and paid tor it, and whose
business is It? When the Creeks and
SemInoles removed to the Territory they
purchased large tract of lands, including
what Is now Oklahoma, but at the close
of the civil war they had become 80 far
advanced 10 civilization and the art of
agriculture that they had almost wholly
gwen up "the hunt" for the labor OF the
field and the products of the soil. And
when the treaty of 1866 was made
| they sold TO the United States
| government large part of
their s-OklahomA - upon
certain condition. Just here comes in
the qualifications of the cessIon of the
Oklahoma country to the United States
which the boomers overlook. This
country, as has already been stated, was
held in trust tor any tribes of Indians
that might wish to locate there. The
Creeks and Seminoles purchased it at q
price, and in entering into treaty with
the government at that time, it was viz
tually treaty between foreign govern
ments for foreign lands held in trust by
the government for foreign tribes of In
dians within the bounds of her own do
main. In making the cession to the
government, the Creeks and Seminoles
having by the same treaty freed their
slaves, had it expressly stipulated that,
it should be for their freedmen, or any
friendly tribe OF Indians the government
might induce to locate there. 1t is eVi.
dent from this provision in the treaty Of
1866 that the government could not do
otherwise without ignoring the original
act of congress setting apart the Indian
Territory forever for the home Of the In.
dian, for the sale and cession Of said
country could not and does not invaIidatt
said act.
When in the territory some time ago
stopped few days with Mr.. johnson
who has been United States interpreter
for many years. He was the interpreter
at the treaties of 1852 and 1866, and he
showed me the treaty Of 1866, in which
the cessIon OF Oklahoma was
made. He said they have nc
other understanding than thai
IL is to be reserved for Indians in accord.
ance with the treaty, and that citizens oil
the United States are to be excluded in
compliance with the intercourse laws.
trust have made plain the founda.
tion upon which the friends of the
Indians, as well as Ioyalists to the gov
eminent, stand in reference to that
country. l admit that there may be some
acts of congress, or of other elements OF
government from which agitators may
endeavor to take advantage of technicali
ties IN order TO succeed in their purpose;
but by fair dealing, a title to Okla
homa cannot be acquired in any
other way than by repeating
the original act setting 1t apart for the
Indians, and violating the treaties with
the Creeks and SeminOles, and perhaps
other tribes. And should this be done
and the country be settled, many of the
boomers would soon learn that they had
made much ado about nothing" for il
is not as good and healthy a country al
Kansas. II. B.
| What blaine IA Doing