The Red Cloud chief., 1889-02-15
THE CREEK n
Il Special Message to Congress-
on the Subject
1he President Transmits a Provision.l
agreement Made With the Creeks tn
BELL Their Lsnds-CIe.ring the
Way to Oklahoma.

the President sent t. both houses Of Con.
Efess yesterday afternoon announcing the
cession OF the Oklahoma and other lands
10 TIE United States. 1t was seen at once
mat by this cession every possible argu.
hlent against the creation OF the Territory
OF Oklahoma would fall to the ground.
Ii viii be observed that the agree
ment with the Greeks, which was
AT the Interior Depart
ment January -, soon after the
successful conclusion of General Viewers
parliamentary struggle, j., an absolute
cessicn of the land, and that the agree
ment was prompt y ratified toy the Creek
S"uncii, and returned to the President,
wAo lost no tims in having il before Con.
gress. The friends Of Oklahoma are over
whelned with joy at the suspicious resul,
of the negotiations. The me sage and
agreement Will lie referred to the Indian
Committee of the House and Senate and
there is no doubt but that it will he rati-
fed.
The following is the full text Of the
Presidents message:
70 IN. Congress:
transmit herewith for approval and ra;fhca
fion a provisional agreement lately entered into
between the Government OF the United States
Gnd the Creek Nation OF Indians through their
GUY authorized representatives. and which has
been approved by the National Council OF said
Nation. 10y which agreement the title and inter-
est o: the said Greek Nation OF Indians in and TO
ali lands in the Indian Territory or elsewhere.
except such as are held and occupied as the
homes OF SAID Nation, are ceded To the United
States.
The eighth lection OF the Indian Appropria
lion bill. approved March 3. 1885. authorized
thc President ito open negotiations with the
Greeks Seminoles and Chcrokces for the pur-
pose Il opening 10 settlement under The Hone
stead laws the unassigned lands in The Indian
Territory, ceded by them respectively TO the
United States Toy the several treaties of August
u. lsoG, March Il. Is66, and July 70, Isis" This
section also contains an appropriation IN
furthcrance Of its purpose. and requires that
the action Of the President hereunder should
he reported 10 Congress. The unassigned lands
thus referred TO should be construed TO be
those which have not been transferred by the
United States IN pursuance OF the treaties
mentioned IN the section quoted.
The treaty with the Creeks l. dated July II
istG. II was confirmed ty the Senate resolution
PASSED July -. 1856. and was proclairDed August
il. 1876. IA Stats. 1851. The third ar icle OF
she treat makes "A cessinn Of lands IN the FOL
iow Ing words: In compliance with the desire
Of the United States To locate other Indians
ana freedmen thereon. the Creeks hereby cede
and convey TO the United States. to be sold to
and used ~ homes for such other civilized
Indians as the United States may choose
10 settle thereon the west half OF their
entire domain. 10 he divided 10y \ line running
north and south Thu eastern half OF said Creek
land being retained by tuem. shall, except rs
herein otherwise stipulated. toe forever set
npar; as a home for said Greek Nation. and. IN
rurSid. ration OF said c.ssion of the west
hal. OF their lands. estimated 10 contain
3,.o.5Go acres, the United States agree
20 pay the sum OF thirty t3p cents
Yer acre. amounting 10 $50 To- The pro
visions that the lands conveyed were ito be
sold 10 and used a. ,o,nes for such other civil
ned Indians. etc. ha. been steadily regarded
n "A limitation upon the grant made 10 the
United States. SUCH u construction \ admitted
a. Toe the tru. one IN many ways, especially 10y
the continual reservation OF the ccGcd lands
from settlement by In. whites, by the same on
= portion 81 The same 20 Indians by the use OF
s;ner portions a. the home @. IaGiaus and also
IL. various prov .sions IN proposed legislation ia
Congress Thus The ball how pending for the
or aniyaiou 81 Oklahoma Provides for the pay
m.ui 10 the Creeks and Scrainolcs of the ordi-
rary Government price OF sl:I per acre. less
lhc amount heretofore paid.
The section Of the Law q: 1855. Arsi above
quoted appears also 10 have been passed. in
cont uplatioa not only of the existence OF a
claim on ihc part az tho Creek, hut of the sub
s;ant.al foundation az fha; claim in equity. "
not IA law. and ia ac~kuowl cdcinrnt OF The duty
al The Government To satisfactorily discharge
the claim ~ IA. Indian people before putting the
'Gnd 10 IA. free uses of settlement and Terrific
raj occupation 10y whites. But II seems 10
have been considered that 80 far as the
LANDS had been assigned they NAV fairy be
taken 10 Ice such a. under the treaty were TO
De- sod A. TO these, they having been As
k;racd or sold IN accordance with SAID treaty,
Ihc claim OF the Greeks thereto has been en-
s,,.T~ H.-.l,--R .,l IA, .aa. tr.,, .h. I-n,.aN
States passed uuburdencd with any condition
ar limitation Ia the grantees This seems To-
be All entirely clear proposition.
The unassigned lands must he those which
Ore unScld. because not only IL that the fair
Significance. AZ the term. n used technically. in
COM eyancihE. but because the limiting con
Gition m The Greek treaty WAS that the lands
should I've sold &c. AS we | A. used as homes for
other Indians. The total quantity Of lands in
thc western half OF the Creek Nation. anu which
were ceaedi in 1896. il 3. ias. 4.s ~ acres. The as
Nigled lands As above defined are in three
bodies: J. the Seminole country. 10y the treaty
OF $50. aslko acres. :. The sac and Fox
reservation. sold and conveyed hy article
s:x OF the treaty Of February Is 49,,
tI5 Stat. 49,. amounting 10 a.. e6s.G5. j. the
Pawnee reservation grantee by section : Of the
act OF Congress of April u, ls.6 30 stat, 29i.
for which The Government received The price
allowed the Creeks. ~ cents per acre. 53,oIa ~
Ilt4AtiG - u "a a>NiNt'o va StAA sssiIs vi
49, 6.S9,. ana leaving A. the total unassigned
lands 2.dCa. 80 q. OF this total quantity Of I'm
assigned land which Is subject 10 the negotia-
ticrs provided for under the law OF lSN there
SHOULD lee "a further division made In considering
the sum which ought fairly 10 be- paid In dis
charge Of the Greek CLAIM thereto.
In that part " these lands called the Okla
hou;a country no Indians nave been allowed ~
reside by ANY action OF the Government nor
has ANY execution been ATTEMPTED a. the limit
ir- condition az the crssicn OF $3.50. The guam
,tv Of these lands carefully computed from the
surveyors Is l.Sas, .u1.o acres. The remainder
OF these unassigned lands has been appropriated
N some degree Ia Indian uses, although still
within the control Of the Government.
Thus by three executive orders the following
Indian reservations have been created First.
by President Grant August ~. lisa. the rcser-
vat,os Of the Chey' mes anu Arapahors which
crn.Sacc& of this land 6i9. ssa ~ ACRES; second.
by President Arthur August /. ISIS. the reser
va,,on for the Iowa ~ CONTAINING -. az. g. acres: ,
third by President Arthur August IL lS<a. the
K,clspoo reservation embracing 3S.<6S.6l
acres: fourth. = tract set apart for
ahe Po,tawaiomies by the treaty o; Feb
fuarv -. So. rs statutes ssh followed by the
net O, Man Is. 1872. 81. statutes 1891 ~ which
individual aIlcImcuts were authorized upon the
tract. though bit very few Indians have selected
and psid for such alloimeu;s according 10 the
PROVISIONS OF the law. The entire quantity OF
The Pottawa,omie reservation l. Ss.'i6.s, acres
This shows the quantity OF lands unassigned
but 10 some extent appropriated 10 Indian
uses 10y the Government amounting TO
%sNts0Fa
Fvn he lands which are not only unassigned
fut are nnoccuriea. and which have been IN NO
WAY appropriated il appears clearly Jus, and
r,cht tha; a price OF ~ least f-:a should be al
lowed TO the Creeks. They held rlore than the
ordinary Indian title. for they haG . patent in