Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-03-28
PROCLAMATION.
The Long-Expected Oklahoma
Proclamation Issued.
TEXT OF THE PRESIDENTS ORDER.
a Long Preamble Reciting Various Treat
les and Acts of Congress-A Warning to
Greedy Homeseekers-Date Set
" For April 20.

/ WASHINGTON, March 28.-President Har-
rison yesterday issued his proclamation
opening certain lands in Oklahoma to set
Element. The date is set for April ~
next
The Commissioner of the General Land
Office, acting on instructions from Secre-
tary Noble, also Issued an order establish
ing two offices in the Oklahoma Ter
ritory. That for the Western district is
to be located at Kingfsher's stage station
and for the Eastern district at Guthrie.
The two districts are divided by the range
line running through the Territory north
end south, between ranges and west OF
the Indian meridian. Each district con-
tsins approximately the same number or
townships.
The following is the proclamation:
BY the President Of the United States Of america,
ProcidmatioB-
WHEREAS, Pursuant to section of the act
OF Congress approved March q, 1885, entitled
can act making appropriations for the current
and contingent expenses Of the Indian Depart
ment and for fulfilling treaty stipulations with
various Indian tribes for the year ending June
30, 1886, and for other purposes" certain
articles of cession and agreement on the nine
teenth day OF January in the year Of our Lord
eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, by
and between the United States Of America
and the Muskogee Cor Creek Nation OF Indians
were entered into, whereby the said Muskogee
(or Creek Nation OF Indians for the considera-
ton therein mentioned coded and granted to
the United States. without reservation or con-
dition- full and complete title to the entire
western half of the domain Of the said Musko-
gee Tor Creek) Nation in the Indian Territory
lying west of the division line surveyed and
established under the treaty with said Nation
dated the 18th dag Of June, 1885, and also granted
and released to the United States all and every
claim, estate, right or interest Of any and every
description in and to any and all land
and territory whatever, except so much OF the
former domain of said Muskogee Tor Creek)
Nation as lies east OF said line OF division sur
veyed and established as aforesaid and then
used and occupied as the home of said Nation,
and which articles OF cession and agreement
were duly accepted, ratified and confirmed by
said Muskogee Tor Creek Nation Of Indians by
act OF its Council approved on the 31st day OF
January, 1885, and by the United States by
act Of Congress approved March /, 1889, and,
WHEREAS. By section IL OF the act entitled
"An act making appropriations for the current
and contingent expenses OF the Indian Depart
ment, and for fulfilling treaty stipulations with
various Indian tribes, for the year ending June
30 1890, and for other purposes" approved
March 2, 1889, sum Of money was
to pay in full the Semi
mole Nation of Indians for all the right,
title, interest and claim which said Nation
OF Indians might have in and to certain lands
ceded by article three OF the treaty be-
tween the United States and said Nation
Of Indians, concluded June IA, 1885, and pro.
claimed August 16 1856, said appropriation to
become operative upon the execution by the
duly appointed delegates Of said Nation, speci-
ally empowered to do so. of a release and con-
veyance to the United States, of all right title
interest and claim Of said Nation of Indians in
and to said lands in manner and form satisfactory
10 the President Of the United States, and
WHEREAS Said release and conveyance, bear
ing date of March 16 1889, has been duly and
fully executed, approved and delivered; and
WHEREAS Section II Of the act last aforesaid
relating to said lands provides as follows: "Sec-
ton 10. That the lands acquired by the United
Stats under said agreement shall be part of
the public domain, to be disposed of only as
herein provided and sections 16 and So of each
township, whether surveyed or unsurveyed,
are hereby reserved for the use and benefit of
the public schools to be established within
the limits Of said land under such condi-
lions and regulations as may be hereafter en-
acted by Congress. That the lands acquired
by conveyance from the Seminole Indians
sections, shall be disposed of to actual settlers
under the homestead laws, only except as here
in otherwise provided Except that section
a,301 Of the Revised Statutes shall not
apply; and provided further, that any
person who having attempted to, but
for any cause failed to secure title in fee to a
homestead under existing laws or who made
entry under what is known as the COM
muted provision Of the homestead
laws, shall be qualified to make a
homestead entry upon said lands; and, pro-
vided, further, that the rights of honorably
discharged Union soldiers and sailors in the
late civil war, as defined and described in sec
tons % 004 and % COS Of the Revised Statutes
shall not be abridged, and, provided, further,
that each entry shall be in square form as
nearly as practicable, and no person be per-
United to enter more than one quarter section
thereof. But until said lands are open for set
Element by proclamation Of the President no
person shall be permitted to enter upon and
occupy the same, and no person violating this
provision shall ever be permitted to enter
any OF said lands or acquire any right
thereto" The Secretary of the Interior may
after said proclamation and not before permit
entry Of said lands for townsites under sections
23S7 and ass OF the Revised Statutes but no
such entry shall embrace more than one-haif
section Of land. That all the foregoing provis-
ions with reference to lands to be acquired
from the Seminole Indians, including the pro-
visions pertaining to forfeiture shall apply to
and regulate the disposal OF lands acquired
nom the Muskogee Tor Creek Indians by
treaty Of cession and agreement made and con-
Guided at the City of Washington on the 18th
day OF January in the year Of our Lord eighteen
hundred and eighty-nine."
Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison, Presi-
dent OF the United States, by virtue Of the
power in me vested by said acts of Congress,
approved March 2, 1889, Aforesaid, do hereby
declare and make known that so much Of the
lands as aforesaid acquired from or conveyed by
the Muskogee Cor Creek Nation of Indians, and
from or by the Seminole Nation OF Indians,
respectively, as is contained within the follow
tng described boundaries, viz: Beginning at
point where the degree Of longitude g west
from Greenwich. as surveyed In the year
1855 and ISL, intersects the Canadian
river; thence along and with the said
degree to point where the same intersects the
Cimarron river; thence up said river along the
right bank thereof to a point where the
said river is intersected by the south
line OF what is known as the Cherokee lands
lying west Of the Arkansas river or as ths