The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-08-23
KANSAS DISPUTED TERRITORY
what Lieutsnant Pike Cot Indians to
Do-An Incident OF Pixies Exploit
in RepubIfe County.
rom the Kansas City Journal

"
Pswnee Indians were made by Spain 20
hoist the Spanish flag two years after
/ the cession Of Louisiana TO the United
States? In your account Of the Fourth
Of July exercises to be held in COM
memoration of the first flag raising By
I Lieutenant ZebulOn n. Pike, yon did
not explain this"
At the time Of Pixies exploit ar TIE
Pawnee village in Republic county
there was no dispute by Spain Of the
title of the United States to Louisiana
but there was a dispute as TO the
/ boundaries Of this territory. and Kan
sas was in the debated zone. Now
| Spain, or Mexico, claimed alI of the
lands lying south Of the Platte river.
while the United States fixed the boun-
/ Diary line at Rio Grande. In 1906. when
/ informed Of Pixies expedition, the
/ Spaniards, some 500 strong, and led by
Malgares, set out from Santa Fe with
the double purpose Of intercepting
/ Pike and enforcing Spanish sovereign
/ ty over the Kansas Indians. Later.
when Pike strayed oyer into New Mex
leo, he became the prisoner of Nal
cares, though the relations between
the men were cordial and intimate.
Pike and Malgares missed each other
on the plains Of Kansas. Malgares ar
rived at the Pawnee village some three
weeks ahead of the American. and he
! impressed upon the Indians the belief
that they were subjects If Spain. Pike,
in his dairy, quantity says:
! "The Spaniards had left several of
| their flags in this village, one Of which
was unfurled at the chiefs door the
/ day Of the grand council, and amongst
/ the various demands aud charges 1
made, was that the said flag should be
| delivered to me, and one of the United
States flags raised and hoisted in its
| place. This probably was carrying the
/ pride Of the nations a little too far, as
there had lately been so large a force
Of Spanish cavalry at the village,
which had made a great impression on
/ the miLds Of the young men, as to
/ their power, consequence, etc, ,shIch
my appearance with 20 infantry was
! by no means calculated to remove. At
ter the chiefs had replied to various
/ parts Of my discourse. but were silent
as to the flag, again reiterated the de-
] mand for the flag, adding that it was
impossible for the nation TO have two
| fathers; that they must either be the
/ children Of the Spanisrds, or acknOwl-
edge their American father. After a
silence of some time, an old man arose.
/ went TO the door, and took down the
/ Spanish flag and brought it aud laid it
at my feet, and then received the
! American flag and elevated it on the
staff which had lately borne the flag Of
his Catholic majesty. This gave great
satisfaction to the Usage and Kansas,
/ both Of whom avOwed themselves to be
| under the American protection. Per
ceiviUg that every face in the council
was clOuded with sorrow, as If some
great national calamity was about to
befall them, L took up the contested
/ cOlors and told them that they had
now shown themselves to be dutiful
children in acknowledging their great
| American father. 1 had no desire to
embarrass them with the Spaaiards,
l for it was the wish of the Americans
/ that their red brothers should remain
/ peaceably around their own fires, and
not embrOil themselves in any disputes
between the white people, and that for
fear the Spaniards might return there
in force again, L gave them back their
flag; but with the Injunction that it
| should never be hoisted during our
stay. At this there was a great shout
of applause.
"But with all the shouting and ap-
plause the Indians did not grow very
friendly with their American visitors.
The chiefs strongly urged Pike to turn
back and not to attempt any further
| exploration Of the country. At last a
council served formal notice upon the
little band of Americans that if they
attempted to go on they would be
stopped by force of arms. Ny reply
was that had been sent out by the
/ great father to explore the western
territory, to visit all his red children.
to make peace between them and turn
them from shedding blood; that he had
seen how 1 caused the Usage and Kan
sas to meet to smoke the pipe Of peace
/ together, and take each other BY the
hand like brothers; that as yet my
road had been smooth, with a clear
| sky overhead. I had not seen any
blood in our paths But be must know
that the young warriors Of his great
American father we're not women to
be turned back by words; that 1 should
therefore proceed, and if thought pro-
/ per TO stop me- be might attempt il.
but we we're men. we'll armad and