The Kansas Herald Of Freedom

Kansas and its Indians

We alluded last week to the treaty lately concluded by our government with the Ottawa Indians, by which they are to become citizens, with power to alienate their land, &c., which is all as it should be so far as it goes. This should be followed by a thorough effort on the part of the government to extinguish all the Indian titles within our borders. Most of the lands held by them are the choicest and best we have, and the go-a-head-a-tiveness of the age requires that these lands should be cultivated and improved.

We would by no means have any injustice done the Indians in this matter, and there need not be; but the spirit and progress of our people require that these drones upon the body politic should by some means be removed. The sooner the government takes the matter by the horns, the better: and we trust not a single session of Congress will pass away without the thing being arranged for in some way. It is an important question, which sooner or later has to be met, and why not do it at once, and have an end to it?

The Pottawatomies, for instance, hold a large tract which may be said to be the very heart of the Territory. Many of them are enlightened and educated, and we are told that such are in favor of selling and becoming citizens, like the Ottawas, or in some way to fix things with a view to the ultimate extinguishment of their titles as now held. Our hope, therefore, is that no more time will be lost unnecessarily in this matter, and that the wheels will be speedily put in motion for the accomplishment of so desirable an object. This is a question in which all parties will unite, and the government need therefore meet with no very serious obstacle in its efforts upon the subject.

Kansas being nearly the geographical center of the Union, and her soil as rich as any that the sun shines upon, it is due to her citizens that these Indian titles give place to the onward march of the age, instead of remaining an incubus upon us, as they now are. Who will be the first to move in this matter?—Kansas Herald.