Description:

Grover Cleveland
Washington, D.C., July 19, 1885
Grover Cleveland Writes Gen. Sheridan Re: Military Control of Indian Reservations
ALS

Grover Cleveland autograph letter signed to General Philip Sheridan. 1p, measuring 7.75" x 9.75", Washington, D.C., dated July 19, 1885. Signed "Grover Cleveland" and addressed to General Sheridan at Fort Reno, Indian Territory. Cleveland writes about placing a Reservation under military control and hints at discussing a question regarding cattle. Marked "Sent" and "Copy in Tel. book." The letter has been mounted to another sheet, measuring 8.5" x 10.75" overall. With flattened mail folds. Small tears at the upper edge and a few small staple holes at the top left corner. Boldly signed.

Reading in full:
"Your suggestion as to placing the Reservation temporarily under military protection and control is a good one. Will as soon as possible give you our views more explicitly upon that and the cattle question."

Philip Sheridan had fought in several Indian wars prior to the Civil War and had even lived with a native Takelma woman during his tour of duty in the Oregon Territory during the 1850s. After the Civil War concluded, Sheridan continued his military service fighting in the Indian wars. When Grover Cleveland started his first term, most of the major Indian wars were over and an estimated 260,000 Native Americans lived on 171 reservations across 21 states. Regarding himself as an Indian reformer, Cleveland sought to assimilate them into white society by means of education, private land ownership, and parental guidance from the federal government. He eagerly supported and signed into law the Dawes Act of 1887, which empowered the President to allot land within the reservations to individual Indians - with all surplus land reverting to the public domain. It was a disastrous policy that robbed Native Americans of much of their land and did little to improve their way of life.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.75" x 9.75"
  • Medium: ALS

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