San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
SYCUAN, PALA AND OTHER S.D. RESERVATIONS ESTABLISHED IN 1875
On Dec. 27, 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant issued an executive order establishing nine small reservations in San Diego county for several Mission Indian bands, including the Santa Ysabel, Pala and Sycuan. A copy of the order was published in The San Diego Union on Jan. 23, 1876.
The Union, reversing a long policy of opposing land rights for indigenous people, had endorsed a plan for a reservation system in a article on Oct. 19, 1875 as a solution for the “Indian trouble” stirred up by Manuel Olegario (also known as Olegario Calac), a Luiseño leader who had campaigned for a permanent home for those who had been evicted from most of their ancestral lands.
In November of 1875 Olegario traveled to Washington D.C. where he met with Secretary of the Interior Chandler and President Grant, who later issued the executive order.
From The San Diego Union, Sunday, January 23, 1876:
THE MISSION INDIANS — IMPORTANT EXECUTIVE ORDER.
The Register and Receiver of Public Lands at Los Angeles have received the following executive order reserving certain lands in this county for the occupancy of the Mission Indians. We are at a loss to understand how so important an order as this should have escaped the attention of the telegraphic reporters at Washington:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, GEN’L LAND OFFICE. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 1876. Register and Receiver, Los Angeles, California:
GENTLEMEN — There has been received at this office from the commissioner of Indian Affairs a copy of an executive order, of which the following is a transcript, and I have to direct that you note on the plats and records of your office the fact of the tracts therein described for the permanent use and occupancy of the Mission Indians in Southern California, in such manner that they shall be withheld from any other disposal or entry whatever, viz.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 27th, 1875.
“It is hereby ordered that the following described lands, in the county of San Diego, California, viz.: --(San Bernardino Base and Meridian):
“Portrero—including Rincon, Gapich, and La Joya, T 10 S R 1 E, Sections 16, 23, 25, 26, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and fractional sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, and 29.
“Cahuila—t 7 S R 2 E, Sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, and 36; T 7 S R 3 E, Sections 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35; T 8 S R 2 E, Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4; T 8 S R 3 E, Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
“Capitan Grande—t 14 S R 2 E, Sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, and 36; T 14 S R 3 E, Sections 31 and 32; T 15 S R 2 E, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; T 15 S R 3 E, Sections 5 and 6;
“Santa Ysabel.—including Mesa Grande, T 11 S R 2 E, S 1/2 of Section 21, N W 1/4, and E 1/2 of Section 28, and Sections 25, 26, and 27; T 11 S R 3 E, Sections 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36, and fractional sections 29, 30, and 32; T 12 S R 2 E, Sections 3, 10, 14, 15, and fractional section 13; T 12 S R 3 E, Sections 1, 2, 12, and fractional Sections 3, 4, 10, 11, 13, and 14.
“Pala—t 9 S R 2 W, N E 1/4 of Section 33, and N 1/2 of the N 1/2 of 34.
“Agua Caliente—t 10 S R 3 E, S E 1/4 of Section 23, S E 1/4 of 24, W 1/2 of 25, and E 1/2 of 26.
“Sycuan—t 16 S R 1 E, Section 13. “Inaja—t 13 S R 3 E, N E 1/4 of Section 35. “Cosmit.—t 13 S R 3 E, N 1/4 of N E 1/4 of Section 25.
Be, and the same are hereby, withdrawn from sale and set apart as reservations for the permanent use and occupancy of the Mission Indians in Southern California. “[Signed] U.S. Grant.” Acknowledge your receipt of this and report the proper annotations made on your plats and records, when that is done. Very Respectfully,
S.S. Burdett. Commissioner.