The great West., 1889-12-06

the other (section 8 of the Indian appropria-
tion act) authorized by the president to appoint
dams for the accomplishments of some general
purpose and required that any agreements made
should be submitted ,e to congress fo5 %
last l appointed Charles Foster, Of Ohio,
William Warner, of Missouri, and Major General
George Crook, of the United States army, COM
were, however, authorized and directed first to
submit to the Indians the definite proposition
made to them by the act first mentioned, and
sent sent Of the requisite number to that PROPOSE
ton, to open negotiations for modified terms
under the other acts. The work Of the commits
Of the requisite lumber was, it is understood,
finally obtained to the proposition
made made =, by o,,s,nsn congress although & the
mitted. In view of these facts shall not, as at
present advised deem it necessary to submit the
agreement to congress Tor ratification, but it will
in due Course be submitted for Information.
about 5000, 900 acres of land. The commits
sion provided for by section IA of the Indian
appropriation bill, to negotiate with
TIE CHEROKEE INDIANS
and all other Indians owning claiming lands
lying west of the nnety-sixth degree of longitude
for the session Of the United States ofall such
a1s "a Hn e0hssnsef s hppn
Hon. Jno. F. Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, and
Hon. Alfred NJ Wilson, of Arkansas, and organ
the reprseentatiVes m of the cherokees was held at
Tohlequah July 20, with no definite results.
Gen. John F. Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, was
prevented by i'll health from taking part in the
conference His DEATH which occurred recently,
is Justly and generally lamented by people he
had served with conspicuous gallantry in war
and with great fidelity in peace. The vacancy
ment of Hon. Warren G. sayre, OF
Indiana. A second conference between the
commission and the Cherokees was begl Nov.
6, but no results have yet been obtained, nor is
1t believed that a conclusion can be immediate
ly expected.
The cattle syndicate now occupying the lands
for grazing purposes is clearly of the agencies
responsible for the obstruction of negotiations
with the Cherokees. The large body of agricul-
tural lands constituting what is known the
Cherokee outlet ought not to be and indeed can
not long be held for grazing and for the advan-
tage of a few against the public interests and the
best advantage OF the Indians themselves. The
United States has now under the treaties GER
tain rights on these lands. These will not be
used oppressvely. but it cannot be allowed that
those who by slfferance occupy these lands shall
interpose 10 defeat the wise and beneficial pur-
poses of the government. cannot but believe
that the advantageous character OF the offer
made by the United States to the Cherokee ma
tion for
FULL RELEASE OF THESE LANDS.
as compared with other suggestions now made
to them, will yet obtain for it favorable con-
sideratiOn. Under the agreement made between
the United States and the Muskogee (or Creek
nation of Indians the 10th day of January,
1888, an absolute title was secured by the United
States to about 3 3.5OO.OOO of acres OF lands.
Section II of the general Indian appropriation
act, approved March 2, 1889, made provision
for the purchase by the United States from the
lands The delegates Of the Seminole nation
having first evidenced to me their power to act
in that behalf, delivered proper release and
the United States Of all the lands
me and certified to be in compliance with the
statute. By the terms of both the acts referred
to, all the lands so purchased were declared to
be part OF the public domain and open to set
tlement under the homestead law. But Of
the land embraced in those purchases. being in
the aggregate about five and half million
acres, three and half million acres had already
under the terms of the treaty OF 1866 been ac-
quired by the United States for the purpose of
settling other Indian tribes thereon and had
been appropriated to that purpose. The land
remaining and available for settlement consisted
of 1897, 796 acres, surrounded OH all sides by
lands in the occupancy OF Indian tribes Con
gress had provided no civil government for the
people who were to be invited by my
proclamation to settle upon these lands except
as the new court, which had been established at
MuscOgee, or the United States court in some of
the adjoining states, had power to enforce the
general laws of the United States. In this con-
dition OF things was quite reluctant to
OPEN THE LANDS TO SETTLEMENT
But in view of the fact that the several thousand
persons, many OF them with their families, had
gathered upon the borders OF the Indian terrific
seads with tbe view ceged Of secnrns homo and
that delay would involve them in much loss
and suffering, did, ON the 23d day of March
last 6 or that s the
ment under the provisions OF the law on the
22d day Of April following, at 12 o'clock noon
Two land districts had been established and the
Offices were open for the transaction OF business
when the appointed time arrived 1t is much to
the credit of the settlers that they very gener-
ally observed the limitation as to the time when
hot forpi QfarQ
that those who entered in violation of the law
do not secure the advantage they unfairly
sought There was a good deal of apprehension
that the strife for locations would result in
much violence and bloOdsted, but happily these
anticIpatiOn$ were not realized. 1t is estimated
that there are now I'm the territory about co.
600 people and several considerable towns have
sprung up, for which temporary municipal gov
ernmelEs have been organized. Guthrie is said
to have now a population OF almost 5000.
been established, and three daily and five
weekly newspapers are published in this city,
whose charter and ordinances have only the
sanctions Of
THE voT1UNTARY ACQUIEEENCE
of the people from day to day. Oklahoma City
has population Of 5000, and is proportion
ately as well provided as Guthrie with churches,
lagos have populations Of from one hundred
to a thousand scattered over the territory. In
order to secure the peace OF this new community
in the absence Of civil government 1 directed
Gen.. Merritt, commanding the department
of the Missouri, 10 act in conjunction with
the maashals Of til" United States
to preserve the peace and upon their requisition
to use thet1oops to aid them in executing war
rants and IN quieting any riots Or breaches of
the peace that might occur. He was further di-
rected top,tss his influence to promote good or
der and to- avoid any conflicts between or with
the settlers Believing that the introduction
and sale of liquors, where no legal restraint or
regulations existed, would endanger the public
peace and in view Of the fact that such liquors
must first be introduced il Do the Indian reserva-
tion before reaching the white settlements, 1
further di1eeted the general commanding to
enforce the laws relating to the Introduction of
ardent spinits into the Indian country The
presence OF the troops has given a sense of Sc
curity to- the welltlisposed citizens and has
tended tN restrain the lawless In one instance the
officer in inamedat te command of the troops inter-
fered further thanI deemed iustitable in support
ing the detacto municipal government of Guthrie,
and hes WAS so informed and directed tOlimlt the'
INTERFERENCE THE MILITARY
to the support OF the marshals on the lines in
dicated in the original order. l very urgently
recommend that congress at once produce "a