CHAPTER XCIII.

Territories.

UNTIL a very recent date there has been, west of the States, a vast uninhabited stretch of country, extending to the Pacific ocean. This territory, however, was constantly becoming less as the people pushed out from the inhabited portions into these almost boundless and unoccupied regions. This process has been going on ever since order was established at the close of the Revolutionary war. But it was the discovery of rich mines of gold and silver in this western wilderness that gave emigration thither an unprecedented impulse. Within the past twenty years, heretofore unexplored, uninhabited, and almost unknown regions have become peopled. States have grown out of them, and the whole of this almost interminable waste has been explored and surveyed. Boundary lines have been fixed and Territorial governments established, so that no part now lies outside of an organized local government. Every spot of this heretofore trackless desert may now be localized and described as a part of some State or well-defined territory.

Having given a brief account of the States now in the Union, it remains for us to give a similar account of the Territories, which embrace all outside of the States, and, together with them, cover the whole area of the United States.

These Territories we give as they exist at the close of the year 1868. After a few years, several, if not all of them may become States. Besides, from their immense size, (as may be seen by looking at their areas,

(shown below,) they will probably be divided into two or three parts, and these parts will receive new names, and finally come in as States. Each one of the most of them contains land enough to make three States, larger than the average size of those now in the Union. And in estimating the number there will be when all the existing Territories shall be formed into conveniently-sized States, we may safely say there will yet be added from twenty-five to thirty new ones, although we should not enlarge our boundaries by the acquisition of any new territory.

The following is a list of all the remaining Territories, placed in the order of the times when their Territorial governments were formed by acts of Congress:

Arizona,

Feb. 24, 1863. {

Idaho,

Montana,

Was cut off from New Mexico. Area and population unknown. Mar. 3, 1863. Area and population unknown. May 26, 1864. Area and population unknown. In this brief statement we do not notice any of the laws made for their government, or the officers appointed to administer it. Suffice it to say that they have a Governor, Secretary and judges of their courts, who are appointed by the President, by and with the consent of the Senate. The laws organizing their Territorial governments are of course enacted by Congress; and so are all the general laws relating to their administration. But they are allowed to elect and organize a Territorial Legislature, and to regulate their own internal affairs. The laws of Congress, and all the provisions made by it, or by their Territorial legislation, and all the officers appointed to administer them, are of a temporary character, are made only for a temporary government, and all disappear as soon as the Territory is admitted as a State.

CHAPTER XCIV.

Indian Territory.

THIS part of the United States requires a special notice, because it differs widely from any other. While it is located within our own boundaries, it is in some respects like a foreign country, and its inhabitants like foreigners; yet it is not a foreign country, but a domestic dependency, and the various tribes inhabiting it are domestic dependent nations, if we dignify small tribes of savages by such a sounding title. The Indian Territory lies west of the Mississippi river, west of the State of Arkansas, and north of Texas, and is of large dimensions, containing no less than 71,127 square miles, or 45,521,280 acres. The United States government, finding that there were frequent collisions, broils and difficulties, and sometimes wars between the whites and Indians, while in close proximity to each other, in some instances persuaded the Indians, and in some cases compelled them to leave their homes and lands, and remove to this Territory, where they could live more apart from the whites, and enjoy their own laws and customs without molestation from white neighbors. This Territory has thus become the residence of a number of tribes, each having its own section of country within the Territory, or Indian country. Here the United States exercise no authority over them, excepting in certain crimes perpetrated by them against the whites. Of crimes committed by Indians against Indians, it takes no cognizance. For this purpose, the Indian Territory is annexed to the judicial district of the adjoining States, (viz.: to Ar

kansas and Missouri,) that they may be tried and punished by the United States circuit and district courts when sitting in these districts. They are allowed to live under their own laws, follow their own customs, and indulge in their own modes of life. The land has been ceded to the Indians, each tribe owning the portion allotted to it by the United States. It is quite probable that after the Indians have reached a higher grade of civilization, and become more assimilated to the customs and usages of the white people, that they will apply to Congress for admittance into the family of States, and become an integral part of the United States. But at present they occupy this semi-isolated condition, are under our protection, and partially under our criminal laws. The United States would protect them against foreign invasion or harm, in case interference should be attempted. The government protects them against our own people; for it will not allow them to trade with, nor even to go among them without permission. The provision made by the United States for the preservation and well-being of the Indians, by assigning them a location in the Indian Territory, does not, however, include all the Indian tribes; those now inhabiting this Territory are principally from the tribes east of the Mississippi river; many tribes west of that river still remain in their original homes, or have moved to certain localities which have been reserved for them, called Indian reservations, where they are protected by Indian agents appointed by the government for this purpose, and also to look after other Indian affairs.

The population of the Territory at the last census was 9,761; while the whole number of Indians in the United States amounts to about 300,000.

CHAPTER XCV.

The Wars of the United States.

1. So many acts of the government, and so many laws of Congress have had especial reference to the wars in which the country has been involved, that it will throw much light upon them to give a very brief historical sketch of the different wars in which the United States have been engaged.

2. The first in order of time, and in the results which followed, is the Revolutionary war, as it is called in our own country. This war was begun and consummated, however, before our government existed; for it was fought for the express purpose of gaining the power to establish a government for ourselves. This the people could not do while they were under the power of the English government, which oppressed them with bad laws, and with corrupt and oppressive administration. Petitions for relief, and strong remonstrances against such oppression, proved utterly abortive. The people resorted to arms with a firm determination to redress their wrongs by force, as all other means had failed.

3. This statement gives the reasons for this war. It commenced on the 19th of April, 1775-or rather, on that day the first blood was spilt. Some preparations had been previously made, since it had been seen for some time that the stubborn acts of the English government, and the determination of the people to redress their greivances, would pretty certainly lead to a con

test.