In accordance with this stipulation and an act of Congress approved June 5, 1872 (17 Stats., p. 228), the Kansas and Osage tribes of Indians were settled upon the tract of country lying between the Arkansas River and 96°, the Kaws occupying a tract of 100,141 acres and the Osages a tract of 1,466,167 acres. The price paid for these two tracts was 70 cents per acre. By the fourth section of an act of Congress approved April 10, 1876 (19 Stats., p. 28), there was set apart, for the use and occupation of the Pawnee Indians, a tract of country comprising 230,014 acres, out of the lands named in the sixteenth article of said Cherokee treaty, the price not to exceed 70 cents per acre. The Pawnees have been in possession of this reserve for several years, but no payment has been made to the Cherokees. The lands were appraised last year by a commission appointed under the 5th section of an act of Congress approved May 29, 1872 (17 Stats., p. 190), at an average valuation of 59.9 cents per acre. The remainder of the Cherokee lands west of 96° (6,344,562 acres) is unoccupied, the United States not having as yet settled thereon any other tribes. By the third article of the treaty concluded June 14, 1866 (14 Stats., p. 786), the Creek Indians ceded to the United States, to be sold to and used as homes for such other civilized Indians as the United States may choose to settle thereon, the west half of their entire domain, at 30 cents per acre. Of this cession there were sold to the Sac and Fox Indians, at the price paid the Creeks, 479,667 acres, and to the Seminoles, at 50 cents per acre, 200,000 acres. There are included in the Pottawatomie "30-mile square" tract 222,668 acres, from which, by an act of Congress approved May 23, 1872 (17 Stats., p. 159), allotments were authorized to be made to the Pottawatomie citizen band, and the absentee Shawnee Indians, the cost thereof to the United States (viz, 30 cents) to be paid by said Indians. No money, however, has yet been paid, though a number of allotments have been made. Of the remainder, a portion is occupied by the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians, by authority from the President, dated August 10, 1869, and the remaining portion is unoccupied. By the third article of the treaty of March 2, 1866 (14 Stats., p. 755), the Seminoles ceded to the United States their entire domain at 15 cents per acre, being the land ceded by the Creeks for the Seminoles in the treaty of August 7, 1856 (11 Stats., p. 699). Of this cession, 353,209 acres are included in the Pottawatomie "30-mile square" tract for the settlement of the Pottawatomie citizen band of the absentee Shawnee Indians as recited in the Creek cession. Of the remainder, a portion is occupied by Cheyennes and Arapahoes, by authority from the President, dated August 10, 1869, and the balance is unoccupied by any tribe. By the ninth article of the treaty of June 22, 1855 (11 Stats., p. 613), the Choctaws and Chickasaws leased to the United States all their lands west of 98°, viz, 7,713,239 acres, for the permanent settlement of the Wichita and other Indians, the United States paying therefor the sum of $800,000, and by the first article of the treaty of April 28, 1866 (14 Stats., p. 769), in consideration of the sum of $300,000, the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians ceded all of the lands west of 98° named in the treaty of June 22, 1855, and known as the "leased lands," to the United States. By the second article of the treaty of October 21, 1867 (15 Stats., p. 582), the United States set apart out of these leased lands a tract of country containing 2,968,893 acres as a permanent home for the Kiowa and Comanche Indians, the consideration therefor being a relinquishment of all their right to occupy permanently the territory outside of this tract, including their old reservation, as defined in the treaty of 1865. By an unratified agreement, made October 19, 1872, the Wichitas were assigned another tract of country out of these leased lands, embracing an area of 743,610 acres. The Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians, by authority from the President, dated August 10, 1869, occupy 2,489,160 acres, and the remainder of these leased lands (1,511,576 acres) are unoccupied by any tribes. The above was the condition February 15, 1878. Since that date the Poncas and Nez Percés have been moved to and now occupy a portion of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands, being a portion of the Cherokee lands west of the Arkansas River, the former 101,894 acres, and the latter 90,135 acres. The unoccupied lands in the Indian Territory are held by the United States. Under date of May 23, 1879, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs reports as to these lands as follows: In reply to the last inquiry contained in said resolution [viz, resolution of United States Senate May 14, 1879], "whether it is the intention of the Government to use such unoccupied lands for the settlement of Indians and freedmen; and if the Government has such intention, what Indians and freedmen are to be located on such lands,” I have to state that it is the intention of the Indian Department, whenever the policy of the Department and the best interests of the Indians demand it, to appropriate such unoccupied lands for the use of any Indians, where their removal to the Indian Territory is not prohibited by existing treaty stipulations or laws. For a map of the Indian Territory, showing all the reservations and unoccupied land therein, see S. Ex. Doc. No. 124, second session Forty-sixth Congress, March 18, 1880, which is a report from the Commissioner of the General Land Office in response to Senate resolution of March 11, 1880, and exemplifications of land patents issued to Indian tribes in Indian Territory, and copies of applications of railway corporations and action thereon, with map. See S. Ex. Doc. No. 26, first session Forty-sixth Congress, and S. Ex. Doc. No. 32, second session Forty-fifth Congress. PUBLIC LAND STRIP. The "Public Land Strip," or unoccupied public lands west of Indian Territory and south of Kansas, is a part of the territory ceded to the United States by the State of Texas in 1850. The area of the Public Land Strip is estimated at 10,800 square miles, equal to 6,912,000 acres. It is not attached to any judicial district. The only legislative action in regard to it is some incomplete measures, one of which was bill S. No. 1648, Forty-fifth Congress, third session, providing for the survey and sale of said lands; also bill S. No. 1783, Forty-sixth Congress, second session, granting to the Commissioner of the General Land Office general authority to survey public lands of the United States, islands, &c., neither of which measures have resulted in law. This territory remains unsurveyed and unoccupied. It is public domain, but the land laws have not as yet been extended over it for survey, sale, or disposition. During the Revolution and afterwards Congress held its sessions in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, and Trenton. Having been interrupted at Philadelphia the sessions were removed to the halls of the college at Princeton. In 1784 commissioners were appointed to procure a site for the Capital, between two or three miles square, upon the Delaware River, and erect suitable buildings, but nothing was done by them. In 1789 a bill passed one House of Congress in favor of a location upon the banks of the Susquehanna. The present seat of government (District of Columbia) was selected by virtue of acts passed in 1788-'89 by Virginia and Maryland ceding ten miles square upon the Potomac under the name of Connogocheague. The first session of Congress was held in the District November, 1800. Washington City, in the District, is the political capital of the United States. It is situated on the left bank of the Potomac River between two small tributaries-the one on the east called the Eastern Branch and the one on the west called Rock Creek, the latter separating it from Georgetown, which is also embraced within the limits of the District of Columbia and under the direct control of Congress, as was the city of Alexandria at one time. The seventeenth clause, eighth section, first article of the Constitution of the United States says: "Congress shall have power to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the Government of the United States," &c. In pursuance of this provision the State of Maryland, on December 23, 1788, passed "An act to cede to Congress a district of ten miles square in this State for the seat of Government of the United States." And the State of Virginia, on December 3, 1789, passed "An act for the cession of ten miles square, or any lesser quantity of territory within this State, to the United States in Congress assembled for the permanent seat of the General Government." These cessions were accepted by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and the permanent seat of government established by the "act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States," approved July 16, 1790, and the act to amend the same, approved March 3, 1791. The district of ten miles square was accordingly located, and its lines and boundaries particularly established by a proclamation of George Washington, President of the United States, on March 30, 1791, and by the "act concerning the District of Columb a," approved February 27, 1801, Congress assumed complete jurisdiction over the said district, as contemplated by the framers of the Constitution. The legislature of Virginia passed an act on February 3, 1846, providing for the acceptance by the State of Virginia of the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, whenever the same shall have been receded by Congress; and on July 9, 1846, an act was passed by Congress, entitled "An act to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia." The county of Alexandria, thus receded to the State of Virginia, comprised all that portion of the original district of ten miles square which lies south of the Potomac River, so that by the act of retrocession the District of Columbia was reduced to the county of Washington, comprising all that part of the original district which lies north of said river, and including within its limits the cities of Washington and Georgetown. Until 1871 the Government of the District of Columbia was of the ordinary municipal character, resting upon charters granted by Congress, from time to time, to the cities of Washington and Georgetown. These charters continued in force until June 1, 1871, when they were repealed by an act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide a government for the District of Columbia," approved February 21, 1871. This act created a territorial government for the District, vesting the executive power and authority in a governor and secretary (appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate), and a legislative assembly, consisting of a council and house of delegates; providing for the appointment of a board of public works; and authorizing the election of a Delegate to represent the District in Congress. pro The Territorial government thus established was in its turn abolished by the visions of an act of Congress, entitled "An act for the government of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes," approved June 20, 1874. This act provided for the appointment by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, of a Board of Commissioners, three in number; that such board should “exercise all the power and authority now lawfully vested in the governor and board of public works” of the District of Columbia, with certain unimportant limitations; and limited the representation in Congress to the term of the then incumbent. Since June 20, 1874, the Government of the District of Columbia has accordingly been administered by a Board of Commissioners, appointed by the President, in pursuance of the act of Congress of that date. DERIVATION OF NAMES OF THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. Delaware (after Lord de la War); Pennsylvania (Penn's "Sylva”—woods); New Jersey (after the Isle of Jersey); Georgia (after George II. of England); Connecticut (Indian, Qunni-tuk-ut-Upon the long river); Massachusetts (Indian-About the great hills); Maryland (after Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I. of England); South Carolina (after Charles I. of England); New Hampshire (after the county of Hampshire, England); Virginia (in honor of Queen Elizabeth of England, Virgin Queen); New York (after Duke of York—afterwards James II. of England); North Carolina (after Charles I. of England); Rhode Island (after the Island of Rhodes). FRONTIER AND COAST LINE OF THE UNITED STATES. The United States has a frontier of about 10,000 miles; 3,500 of which is sea coast, 1,600 Gulf coast, and 1,500 lake coast, or, more distinctly, as follows: Length of the Atlantic coast, from the mouth of the St. Croix to the St. Mary's River.. Length of Gulf coast acquired by annexation of Texas, from the Sabine to the Rio Grande. Total Leaving a land frontier line of about 4,880 miles. POPULATION OF THE COLONIES. Miles. 1,450 450 1,200 400 1,620 5,120 In 1624 there was an immigration of 9,000; in 1649 the colonies numbered 15,000; in 1689 the colonies numbered 200,000; in 1715 the colonies numbered 434,600; in 1733 the colonies numbered 750,000; in 1776 population of the United States was 2,243,000. POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES. The population of the United States in 1790 was 3,929,214; in 1800, 5,308,483; in 1810, 7,239,881; in 1820, 9,633,822; in 1830, 12,866,020; in 1840, 17,069,453; in 1850, 23,191,876; in 1860, 31,443,321; in 1870, 38,925,598; in 1880, 50,152,866. REFERENCES. Bancroft's History of the United States. Hilliard's History of the United States. Congressional Annals Debates, Globe and Record, 1789 to 1880. Charters and Constitutions. 2 vols. Ben: Perley Poore. Constitution of the United States. Hickey; Alexander Cummings' Revision. Journals of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, 1789 to 1880. Statutes at Large United States. Little, Brown & Co. Reports of Commissioner Indian Affairs to 1830. Areas of political divisions of the United States. J. W. Stocking. Ninth Census. Reports Supreme Court United States. CHAPTER XXXIV. TENURES IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES. FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND LAND TENURES IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES, WITH EXAMPLES OF WARRANTS, MANNER OF LOCATION, AND METHODS OF SURVEYS. At the period of the Revolutionary War, although the thirteen colonies were under the sovereignty of Great Britain, many of their institutions and customs were of their own selection and adoption. Distance from the home government, and difference in charters or grants and forms, aided independence. There were three forms of colonial government: The provincial, the proprietary, and the charter. The provincial government had no fixed constitution, but was governed by commissions created at pleasure by the King. A governor and council were appointed, who were invested with general executive powers. They were authorized to call a general assembly consisting of two houses (the assembly being the lower and the council the upper house) of the representatives of the freeholders and planters of the province. The governor had an absolute veto, and could prorogue and dissolve them. The general assembly had power to make all local laws and ordinances for the government of the colony and its people not inconsistent with the laws of England. At the beginning of 1776, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were provinces as above defined. The proprietary governments were grants by patents for special territory to one or more persons, from the Crown, giving them rights as proprietary or proprietaries over the soil, with general powers of government, in the nature of feudatory principalities or dependent royalties; subject, however, to control of the King. The governors were appointed by the proprietary or proprietaries, and the legislatures were organized and called at his or their pleasure. Executive authority was performed by him or them or by the governor for the time being. Pennsylvania and Delaware, with William Penn as proprietary, and Maryland, with Lord Baltimore as proprietary, were the three colonies with this form of government at the beginning of 1776. Charter governments were corporations (political) created by letters patent, which gave to the grantees and their associates the soil within their territorial limits and powers of legislative government. Their charters provided a fundamental constitution for them, dividing the powers of government into three functions or heads, viz, legislative, executive, and judicial, and providing for the mode of exercising these powers, vesting them in proper officials. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, and Connecticut, were the colonies possessing this form of government at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War of 1776. All the colonies enjoyed generally the same rights and privileges.* *See Story on the Constitution. 30 L O-VOL III |