The Forrest City times., 1904-10-21
NO HOME OR COUNTRY.
Queer Predicament of Seminole Negro Indians, at Present or 2 Texas
 Reservation.

According to reports received at the war department the so-calied Seminole negro lHFiaHs seqHestrated on Fort Clark military reservation in Texas, have neither country. home nor citizen ship fha peculiar situation of these moHgfal people has heen under eonsid- eratipn at tbe War department for many years. with a t5ew 10 more clearly de- lia.ns thatH ,eeaI and political status. but so lar nothing has been GoEe for their relief There are about 150 of these Indians They all reside at Fort Clark. by permission oI the war department. and are gn4ar the control of the post i eommauder They are repnted 10 be peaeeable and honest. live in hus and houses. cultivate some ground. raise 1 little stock. and support themselves by l their own labor Twenty of them are enlisted scouts eight at Fort Clark and Il at For. kiHsgoid. Tex. and as 5ucu. Il IS reported. render excellent service Their history in brief appears as fol. i lows.
 They were originally with the Semi. | ''SiN AL4ti iii49 III ' tJi iud RDOII IS4t their ancestors emigrated to Mexico Corp. Thbits. a survivor Of these move ments the oldest man among them. and who claims to have been born In th9 i Indian territory, says: We remained in Mexico until 1870. then recrossed into United States at Eagle Pass. Tex (0Id Fort Duncan) \ number Of us enlisted i ScGNtS ! bnut 1O 9f koa1= sft their families. came to Fort Clark fu 1876 He claims that some kind of a treaty paper" which was accidentally burned, promised them homes back F the Indian nation Qndian territory0 It seems that by a ruling of the in. te-ior department they are not bene. fieiaries ill any respect under the Semi. nole treaty of 1S56
 Gen. MeKibbin. in his annual report for 1900. said regarding these people.
 Having forfeited their rights to resi-. denee and citizenship in Mexico and be. Ing neither citizens of the United States nor recognized by the Seminoles as part of their people. some action should ba taken whereby the status of these peo- pie may be defined. It is respectfully recommended that the attention of con Gress be called 10 these people"
 Gen Grant stated in his annual repor, of l9o5 that many if not all. of the male adults have been at one time or another enlisted in the army as scouts so that al the present time the entir- adult male population may be regarded more or less, as discharged veterans. ir some instances the grandfather. father and son in family having all served a4 scouts in the regular army" AS | Is, however they are an interesting tribe of mungrel Americans. and dc. pendent as they are upon the mercy and management of the military at Fort Clark, they are nothing more than wards of the military departm ment"
 In the final consideration of ths status ot these people with the view tc determine what shall he done With them. said Cen Grant T recommend that the government purchase or seearz in tho Indian territory a tract of Ian. sufficient and suitable for thc support oi these so-eaIled Seminole negroes aua that they be located thereon. with ful permanent title and some immediate help to start fhem as farmers
 Gen Lee. the present commander 3t The department of Texas has just made special report to the war department reeardine these Indians in which he in dorses the recommendations of Gers Mckiboin and Grantthat suitable pro vision be made for thcm Con Lee sPe4te o1 the Indians as adescr1fra rea- pie and says that they have reuGarsG m4~t faithful and efficient sefv.s a= sa9HHs a0d merit generous treatmclt." He ranrffs ir the recommendation tH4s thee nay b. eIYen q Eomcfn the IqE#8- territolY TT tlis should ta iapfae- tiraH'a. says to. "Itis sgsoestea e#a, tAes# be nsfm.tted taremain n=tf.e Fa5f Clark m}4tar> reservation a. nan aH3 In taa event eftbe abandonment If .l.. rezeffaatea .3itabae portion of the >aa9a be allotted tothem for homes. In raeas. n.tfan of their past excellent ser159.- and thoir present usefulness along fHe boftltr as required Il Is recGmmeEts4 that their enlistment and reenHstnaat as scouts be continued without redar- ton