The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-11-05
NO HOME OR COUNTRY.
Queer Predicament Of Seminole Negro
Indians, at Present on Texas
Reservation.

According to reports received at the
war department., the so-ealled Seminole
negro Indians, sequestrated on Fort
Clark military reservation in Texas.
have neither country, home nor citizen
ship. The peculiar situation Of these
mongrel people has been under consid-
GRAFTON at the war department for many
years, with view to more clearly de-
lining their legal and political status,
but SO far nothing has been done for
their relief There are about $50 of these
indians. They all reside at Fort Clark,
by permission of the war department,
and are under the control of the post
commander They are reputed to be
peaceable and honest, live in huts and
houses, cultivate some ground, raise Q
little stock. and support themselves by
their own labor. Twenty of them are
enlisted scouts, eight at Fort Clark and
Il at Fort Ringgold, Tex, and as such,
1t is reported, render excellent service.
Their history in brief appears as fol-
lows:
They were originally with the Semi
mole Indians in Florida. About 1849
their ancestors emigrated to Mexico.
Corp. Tibbits, survivor of these move
ments, the Oldest man among them, and
who claims to have been born in the
Indian territory, says: 1--WE remained
IN Mexico until 1870. then reerossed into
United States at Eagle Pass, Tex (old
Fort Duncan.( A number Of us enlisted
as scouts. About 20 of these scouts. with
their families, came to Fort Clark il
1876" He claims that some kind of "a
treaty paper" which was accidentally
burned, promised them homes back il
the Indian nation Gndian territory.)
It seems that by ruling of the in-
terror department they are not bene-
1ciaries in any respect under the Semi
mole treaty of 1866.
Gen. MeKibbin. in his annual report
for 1900. said regarding these people:
Having forfeited their rights to resi-
aence and citizenship in Mexico. and be-
ing neither citizens Of the United States
aor recognized by the Seminoles as part
or their people, some action should be
taIen whereby the status Of these peo-
pie may be defined. 1t is respectfully
recommended that the attention Of con-
gress be called to these people"
Gen. Grant stated in his annual report
IT 1903 that many, if not all, of the
male adults have been at one time or
another enlisted in the army as scouts,
50 that at the present time the entire
adult male population may be regarded,
more or less, as discharged veterans: In
some instances the grandfather. father
and son IN a family having all served as
scouts In the regular army" CAS- II
is, however. they are an interesting
tribe Of mongrel Americans. and de-
pendent as they are upon the mercy and
management of the military at Fort
Clark, they are nothing more than
wards of the military department.
I'm the final consideration Of the
status of these people with the view to
determine what shall be done with
them said Gen. Grant. ssI recommend
that the government purchase or secure
In the Indian territory a tract of land
sufficient and suitable for the support OF
these so-called Seminole negroes. and
hat they be located thereon, with full
permanent title end some immediate
help to start them as farmers.
Gen. Lee. the present commander of
the department of Texas. has just made
a special report to the war department
regarding these Indians III which he in
iorses the recommendations of Gems,
McKibbin and Grart that suitable pro-
vision be made for them. Gen. Lee
speaks of the Indians as deserving peo-
Die" and says that "they have rendered
most faithful and efficient service as
icouts and merit generous treatment
lie concurs. in the Recommendation that
they may be given home in the Indiar
territory. If this should be i1nprac-
ticable," says he, ct is suggested thai
they be permitted foreman on the Fort
Clark military reservation as now: and
n the event of the abandonment of the
reservation, suitable portion Of the same
5e allotted to them for homes. In recoe-
milton Of their past excellent services
md their present usefulness alone the
border as required. it is recommended
that their enlistment and reenlistment
s scouts be continued without reduc.
ion