ARKANSAS. 



43 



bills of a similar character and for a like pur- 

 pose have been brought to the attention of 

 Congress. At the session of 1878-79 a bill 

 waa introduced in the House of Representa- 

 tives to establish the Territory of Oklahoma. 

 Its aim was to set up the ordinary territorial 

 government over the Indian country, the same 

 in kind and form as is usually established by 

 Congress when new Territories are created, 



except where the peculiar condition of affairs 

 there required other provisions to be inserted 

 in the bill. The justice and legality of the 

 measure were discussed, but no final action 

 was taken by the House. 



The names of the tribes in the Indian Terri- 

 tory, the area of each reservation in square 

 miles and acres, and the, population of each 

 tribe are as follows: 



The number of white employees in the ser- 

 vice of the above-enumerated tribes is over 

 three thousand, and these are the men who 

 are actually the tillers of the soil in this coun- 

 try. There are about nine thousand other 

 white persons legal residents in this country 

 held by these civilized tribes. Besides this 

 number, there are about three thousand white 

 men without any lawful authority. The area 

 of land devoted to cultivation increases every 

 year, and every agricultural product that is 

 raised in the neighboring States is produced 

 in sufficient abundance to supply the wants of 

 all in the Territory. Live stock of all kinds is 

 reared in excess of domestic demands. There 

 are over two hundred common schools and ten 

 high schools in the Territory. Over six thou- 

 sand children attend the schools. Nearly all 

 the tribes have abandoned the barbaric reli- 

 gion professed for generations among them. 

 There are more church-houses, a greater num- 

 ber of Sunday-schools, and more children at- 

 tend them, than in any other Territory of the 

 United States, without regard to population. 

 The traffic in ardent spirits is absolutely for- 

 bidden within the limits of this Territory. 



After the close of the session of Congress, 

 information was received at Washington of an 

 extensive movement in the Western States with 

 the design of occupying, by unauthorized per- 



sons, of certain lands in the Indian Territory, 

 which had been ceded to the Government for 

 the purpose of settlement by other Indian 

 tribes. The President immediately issued the 

 following proclamation : 



Whereas, It has become known to mo that certain 

 evil-disposed persons have, within the territory and 

 jurisdiction of the United States, beg^un and set on foot 

 preparations for the organized and forcible possession 

 of, and settlement upon, lands of what is known as 

 Indian Territory, west of the State of Arkansas, which 

 Territory is designated, recognized, and described by 

 treaties and laws of the United States and by the ex- 

 ecutive authorities, as the Indian country, and as such 

 is only subject to occupation by Indian tribes, the offi- 

 cers of the Indian Department, military posts, and 

 such persons as may be privilegea to reside and trade 

 therein under the intercourse laws of the United 

 States ; and 



Whereas^ These laws provide for the removal of all 

 persons residing and trading therein, without express 

 permission of the Indian Department and agents, and 

 also of all persons whom such agents may deem im- 

 proper persons to reside in the Indian country : Now, 

 therefore, for the purpose of properly protecting the 

 interests of the Indian tribes as well as of the IJnited 

 States in said Territory, and of duly enforcing the laws 

 governing the same ; 



I, Rutherford B. Haves, President of the United 

 States, do admonish ana warn all such persons so in- 

 tending or preparing to remove upon saia lands or into 

 said Territory without permission of the proper agents 

 of the Indian Department, against any attempt so to re- 

 move or settle upon any of the lands in said Territory. 

 I do further warn and notify any and all such persona 



