St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-11-19
No HOME OR COUNTRY.
Queer Predicament Of Seminole Nexre
Indians, at Present on Z Texas
Reservation.

Indians, at Present on Texas
Reservation.
According to reports received at thu
war department. the so-called Seminole
negro Indians. sequestrated ON For
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-
timing their legal and political status
but so far nothing has been done fos
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
II at Fort Ringgold, Tex. and as such.
1t Is reported. render excellent service.
| lows:
They were originally with the Semi
mole Indians in Florida. About l849
their ancestors emigrated to Mexico.
Corp. Tibbits, a survivor of these move-
ments. the Oldest man among them. and
who claims to have been born in the
Indian territory. says: I'VE remained
in Mexico until 1870. then recrossed into
United States at Eagle Pass. Tex. fold
Fort Duncan.) A number Of us enlisted
rs 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 Undian territory
1t seems that by ruling of the In
terror department they are not bene-'
dciaries in any respect under the Semi
mole treaty of 1866.
Gen. McKibbin. in his annual report
for 1900, said regarding these people:
Having forfeited their rights to resi-
dence and citizenship in Mexico. and be-
Ing neither citizens of the United States
1or recognized by the Seminoles as part
of 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. |
20 that at the present time the entire
adult male population may be regarded |
more or less, az discharged veterans; in |
some instances the grandfather. father
md son In family having all served as |
scouts In the regular army" "As II |
Is. however. they are an interesting
tribe Of mongrel Americans, and de-
pendent as they are upon the mercy and
Of the military at Fort
Clark. they are nothing more than
wards Of the military department"
I'm the iinal consideration of the
status Of these people with the view to
determine what shall be done with
them." said Gen. Grant. Il recommend
hat the government purchase or secure
n the Indian territory q tract Of land
sufficient and suitable for the support OF
'hese 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
he department Of Texas has Just made
| special report to the war department
these Indians in which he in
|orses the recommendations Of Gems.
dcKibbin and Grant that suitable pro-
7ision be made for them. Gen. Lee
peaks Of the Indians as deserving peo-
'le." and says that they have rendered
most faithful and efficient service as
scouts and merit generous treatment
fe concurs in the recommendation tina.
hey may be given home in the Indian
erritory. 1T this should be imprac-
Icable." says he. at Is suggested tina,
hey be permitted to remain on the Fort
lark military reservation as now; and
q the event Of the abandonment Of the I
eservatfon, suitable portion of the same
e allotted to them for homes. In recog.
itlon of their past excellent services
nd their present usefulness along the {
'order, as required. 1t Is recommended I
hat their enlistment and reenlistmen, ,
scouts be continued without reduc.
on"