Presidential Order Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order—Chehalis Land Returned Back to Indian Use

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Friday, October 1, 1886

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2 min read (313 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Grover Cleveland on 1886-10-01, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "—Chehalis Land Returned Back to Indian Use." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: This action represents an orderly exercise of Article II administrative discretion, managing the internal machinery and personnel of the executive branch without abridging the ancient liberties of the people.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ That the following tract of country in Washington Territory, reserved for the use and occupation of the Chehalis Indians, by order of the Secretary of the Interior, dated July 8, 1864, be, and the same is hereby, restored to the public domain: Beginning at the post-corner to sections 1 and 2, 35 and 36, on the township line between townships Nos.

▪ It is further ordered that the south half of section 3 and the northwest quarter of section 10, township No.

▪ 15 north, of range 4 west of the Willamette meridian, Washington Territory, be, and the same is hereby, withdrawn from sale or other disposition, and set apart for the use and occupation of the Chehalis Indians.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners

Total Words

313

1,772 characters

Estimated Read Time

2 min

@ 200 words / min

Flesch-Kincaid

9.8

Post-Grad reading level

Constitutional Polarity

+0.02

Framers' Alignment index

📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order, "Executive Order—Chehalis Land Returned Back to Indian Use," Grover Cleveland (Oct 1, 1886). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-chehalis-land-returned-back-indian-use.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →

Executive Mansion, October 1, 1886. It is hereby ordered that the following tract of country in Washington Territory, reserved for the use and occupation of the Chehalis Indians, by order of the Secretary of the Interior, dated July 8, 1864, be, and the same is hereby, restored to the public domain: Beginning at the post-corner to sections 1 and 2, 35 and 36, on the township line between townships Nos. 15 and 16 north, of range 4 west of the Willamette meridian, being the northeast corner of the reservation; thence west along the township line 240 chains to the post-corner to sections 4, 5, 32 and 33; thence north on line between sections 32 and 33, 26.64 chains, to the southeast corner of James H. Roundtree's donation claim; thence west along the south boundary of said claim 71.50 chains to its southwest corner; thence north on west boundary of the claim 13.10 chains; thence west 8.50 chains to the quarter-section post on line of sections 31 and 32; thence north along said section line 40.00 chains to the post-corner to sections 29, 30, 31, and 32: thence west on line between sections 30 and 31, 25 and 36. 101.24 chains to the Chehalis River; thence up the Chehalis River with its meanderings. keeping to the south of Sand Island, to the post on the right bank of the river, being the corner to fractional sections 1 and 2; thence north on the line between sections 1 and 2, 73.94 chains to the place of beginning. It is further ordered that the south half of section 3 and the northwest quarter of section 10, township No. 15 north, of range 4 west of the Willamette meridian, Washington Territory, be, and the same is hereby, withdrawn from sale or other disposition, and set apart for the use and occupation of the Chehalis Indians. Grover Cleveland.