Year: 1879

The committee find that tho grants OF lands to rail-
road companies conditional upon tho consent OF the
Indians. were ili-advsed. and recommend that they
be repealed. They also find that the tribes have
been induced to support for several representa-
tives at Washington who opposed the organiza-
ton of civil government for the Territory and that
the Cherokee nation alone has expended nearly
100000 for that purpose 1t is asserted by the re-
port that out OF total population OF
over sixty-eght thousand. moro than two
thirds of whom speak the English language.
twenty thousand white and colored lawful resi-
dents Of the Territory without protection against
violence and crime. and that the civil affairs Of the
Territory in equally dcplorablo condition. so
that neither the lives the property of the white
and colored residents. who not members by adop
ton of the Indian tribes. have any protection. Tho
power of Congress establish courts of justice being
provided for in the constitution of the United
States and in the treaties with tho five nations.
the bill accordingly makes detailed provisions for
the administration Of justice and the protection of
property. Tho committee conclude that the lands
held in common by the tribes can be divided In
severalty among the Indians without confirming tho
conditional land grants and that such allotment of
lands is essential to the complete civilization Of
these Indians. and must be the natural result of tho
proposed action OF Congress, making all residents of
tho Territory citizens.


After defining the limits of the judicial district
the first twenty-five sections of the hin are devoted
to the details OF the in which justice shall be
administered. United States court is established
to meet twice year Mt Muskogee, in the Creek ma
ton. with the same powers and civil and criminal


Jurisdiction other United States courts provision
being made for tho appointment of judge. district
attorney marshal, and all the machinery necessary
to give effect to the decrees Of the court we'll for
the selection of jurors. Appeals from decisions of
ha fCf Init
Court for the district of Kansas.


Section 81 repeals the conditional grants of lands
to railroad companies. thus removing what the
committee consider to be tho main objection that
has been urged against opening the Indian Territory
to individual Indian enterprise and white settlement
Section % declares all Indians belonging to the
Cherokee Creek Seminole Choctaw and Chckasaw
nations, and all Indians who may hereafter become
members of them, to be citizens Of the United States
under the constitution and federal laws entitled
to all the rights and privileges Of other Amer
ican citizens. Instead of one delegate from
each Of the five nations as the committee
had contemplated the bill provides for one
delegate to Congress from the whole Territory the


first election to take place the first Tuesday after
tho first Monday Of November next. The general
scope Of the report and bill is to place the Indian
Territory, far as it's peculiar circumstances will
admit in the same position tho other Territories
of tho United States except in regard to government
lands. The question Of opening such lands in the
Indian Territory to settlement is not dealt with by
this BILL but will it is understood, be made the SUBJ
ject Of report from the Senate Committee Public
Lands before whom bill providing for their survey
and disposition under the Homestead and Prcemp-
tion laws is now PENDING


ARMY Observation-Disclosures TO THE
BURNSIDE BILL


limit ffadh hvC Gar prrps ia
to-day for incorporation into the Army Appropriation
bill now before the Senate Committee on Appropra-
tons provide that $50 much of existing law limits
the number Of officers the retired list shall be
pended that every officer other than general officer
who shall be sixytwo years Of age OF the passage
this act shall be at retired and that all such
officers who at the passage Of this act shall be be-
tween the ages of sixty and sixty-two shall be mt
once transferred to the reserved list. and they
reach the age Of sixty-two they shall be retired"


The amendments also provide that field officer
shall be transferred from the reserved list the line
unless he shall have served therein at least twelve
years. and that the chiefs Of the staff depart
ments and Of the Corps of Engineers shall be
appointed by selection from the department corps
in which tho vacancy occurs.


An amendment offered in connection with the fore
going classifes the engineers part of the 'lnc"
and defines the corps Of general officers to consist
Of 1.-THE general the lieutenant general, three major
generals and six brigadier generals


STHE CLERICAL FORCE IN THE PENSION oFF1cEvN
ANSWER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR


TO A RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE.


The Vice President this morning laid before the
Senate communication from the Secretary of the
Interior In answer to resolution of January 81,
inquring what additional clerical force will be neces
sary in the Pension and Surgeon Generals Offices to





ment Of their claims. In his communication the
Secretary encloses q letter, in which Commissioner
Bentley says:-


understand this inquiry relates to the general
business of this Office and not particularly to the
emergency created by the passage the act Of Janu
airy 25 granting arrears, and accordingly make the
following responee:-


II is my opinion that no increase of force in this
bureau can secure to applicants for pensions a
prompt adjustment of their claims under the system
now established by law for their settlement
Under that system the delays in the settlement OF
claims in this office cannot be materially reduced
except by furnishing higher order of talent that
them experts in the examination and consideration
of testimony. Persons of the requisite educa-
ton and experience cannot be employed, except
in few instances. upon the mcagre salaries which
allowed in this Office and the result has been that
comparatively few such persons have been employed
He quotes from his annual report for 1876 ut con-
siderable length this subject and says tho obscr-
vations Of tho past two years have tended confirm
\thc view there expressed.


THE POTTER NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE


COMMITTEE REGARDING THE EXAMINATION OF


WITNESSES IN NEW YORK.


Tho Potter investigating Committee met at half
past eleven o'clock this morning and immediately
went into secret session The Chairman tho letter
from DIR. Green, president Of the Western Union Tce-
graph Company which has already been published
fow comments were made upon the explanation
therein given and with regard the publication OF
the letter before IL into tho hands of the COM
mittce. after which 1t ordered to be laid on tho
table,


In conversation which in reference to Tho
proceedings of the subcommittee at New York the
democrats iptimated that they had desire to call
other witnesses. republican member asked IL they
had closed their altogether and in rcpy IL was