The true Democrat., 1854-11-29
The Choctaw Nation-Abolition Threats-R. w. Johnson's Indian Territorial Bill


 Territorial Bill
 The general council of the Choctaw Nation met on the lst day of November, and organized by electing SANDY WALKER president of the Senate, and VIM. RoEBUoK speaker of the House of Representative.
 Below we give so much of the message or G. w. HARKINs, the chief, as refers to mat ters of national and general interest It IS lm- possible for us to withhold the expression ol our high appreciation of the independent stand the chief has taken, and the manly tone he as- sumes in promulgating his views. Ills earnest appeA to the council not to be moved by the threats of the aboitionsts, to the repeal Of that law nassed at their last sitting, prohibiting the abolitionists from insructing their slaves, IS dlc lated by the soundest sentiments of humanity. The slaves of the south should not be visited and instructed by missionaries sent from the north imbued with fanatical ideas and notions hostile to the institution of slavery. Their doctrines insdiously inculcated and instilled in- to the negro mind, not only render our slaves worthless, and even dangerous but destroy the happiness-that habitual cheerfulness, which is the characteristic of the negro of the south The recommendation of Mr. Harkins that the Choctaws should rather give up the missiona- ries sent out to them by northern societies, than yield to their demands to permit them to in- struct the slaves, is both wise and humane
 Mir. Harkins also recommends to the council the propriety of giving notice to the govern ment of the readiness of the Choctaws to avail themselves of the provisions of the Indian Ter ritorial Bill introduced into Congress by Robt W. Johnson.
 This bill provides for the erection of three territories in the Indian country lying west of this State. "'The substance of its main fea- lures is," to use the language of Robt. w. John sons report upon the subject, that it leaves the laws, legislation, rights of property in the soil, judicial tribunals, and modes of exercise of the legislative power of these Indian na- tions, untouched; turns their principal chief in- to governor elected by the people and con- missioned by the President; gives them a dis tinct court and delegate in Congress-; pays to a limited extent the expenses of the Executive and the legislative departments, and makes the inhabitants of these Nations citizens of the United States, entitled to the protection of the constitution He further adds that "this bill has no political, party or sectional features, but is intended solely as a measure of justice to. q brave, intelligent, but oppressed and unfortu- nate race. It is meant to place something to the credit of this government against the long array of injuries done to the red man with which our annals are running over.'
 This bill, the substance and object of which are thus briefly stated in the two extracts we have taken from the report made upon it by Robt. w. Johnson, is intended as a means to preserve the Indian races from that utter annl- hiation which inevitably awaits them from the wave of white population which has 50 often before oversprcad their homes and driven them from the graves of their fathers.
 The Choctaw chief recommends the acccp- tance of the terms of the bill, and the enlght- ened and liberal view in which he presents the subject leads to the hope that his recommen- dation will be concurred in by the council
 The provisions of the bill are most favorable to the Indians. It will entail some expense upon the national treasury, but nothing more than what justice to brave, intelligent, but oppressed and unfortunate race,'' demands.- Something should be done to rescue the Indian from the extinction which has heretofore been regarded as his final doom
 The bill itself is the fruit of the long expe- rience of Robt. Johnson, derived from his po- sition as chairman of the committee on Indian affairs during service of six years in the lower branch of Congress. To both of our present Senator's Mr. Sebastian, as chairman of the Senate committee, and Mr. Johnson as chair man of the House committee on Indian affairs, the Indian race are many-many ways indebt- ed. The labor they have performed and the service they have done in this behalf, have re- aected the highest credit upon them as humane and phi1an+ hrOnic leUSlators