Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-11-03
From the Washington Union Slavery Agitation Among the Choctaws

"
 Slavery Agitation Among the Choctaws.
 The Choctaw nation of Indians are governed by constitution modelled after that of the Unit eu otates' designed to recognize and establish
 the general, great, and essential principles of lloerty and free government" Every safe guard that legislative wisdom has yet suggested has been placed around the citizens; and the general machinery of their government is cal culated to secure the ends imboded in their bill of rights"
 On the question of slavery it is declared in the constitution, "The general council shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipa- ton of slaves without the consent of their own CTS, unless where the slave shall have rendered the nation some distinguished service-in which case the owner shall be paid full equivalent Tor the slave to be emancpated. They shall nave no power to prevent emigrants to this na- ton Eom bringing with them such persons as are deemed slaves by the laws of any one of the united States, so long any person of the same description shall be continued in slavery by the laws of this nation: provided that such person or slave be the bona fde property of such emlgrants: and provided, also, that laws may be passed to prohibit the introduction into this nation of slaves who may have committed high crimes in any of the United States They shall have power to pass laws to permit owners of Slaves to emancipate them, saving the rights of creditors, and preventing them from becoming public charge. They shall have full power to obllge owners of slaves to treat them with human'y-to provide for them necessary cloth Ing and provisions to abstain from all injuries to them extending to life or limb and, in case of their neglec or refusal to comply with the direction of such laws to have such slave or slaves sold for the benefit of tie owner or own ers,' etc.
 The constitution was adopted in January last, and'lS now Ill complete operation in the Choc- Jaw nation.
 The treaty of June, 1855, secures to the Choctaws the unrestrlcteI rig Int of self govern ment and full jurisdiction over persons and property within their limits, and provides "that all persons with their property, who are not by birth adopted, or otherwise citizens or members oi either the Choclaw or Chckasaw tribe; and all persons not being citizens or members of either tribe, found within their limits. shaN De considered intruders, and Je ,enloued from ana kept out cf tte sanae by tue Untted .Sates oqent, asslstea, 7 necessary by tue mihtary''
 From the above 1t will be seen that the Choc- taws, in pursuance of the principle of "popular sovereignty" have, in their Wisdom, established or recognized the institution of slavery
 But III the Choctaw nation. as elsewhere there are AGITAroRs. Handy Walker, the Pre- Sldent of the convention that framed the con stltutlon, In an address the Choctaws, while defending that instrument from the violent as. sauits ot lew opponents says: '' cannot al- low this opportunity to pass without admonlsh- lhS our people of the danger of aglating the subject ot slavery. Even il majority of them were adverse to the institution, which Is not the case, It would be suicidal for them to eX- press that opposition, because we have Arkan- Saa on one side and Texas on the other, both slaveholdlnG States, whose people would not sit quietly by and permit another Canada or runaway harbor to be established upon their borderS We are too weak to resist such force. and He lReUjtaJie result tCo,H be Hat ae sSouLi De oUe'r~n, and our nationality destyoyeI, and our country ttken ocay from us, and our people fore ed to ind homes ln barren plains west of us- l do not hesitate to declare that any man, be he white or red, who undertakes to ag;ate the subject of slavery among our people is a,a ene2ay to he peace and ,0etl-6eiay cf tie ChoctaU na- tion."
 And such is doubtless the opinion of the ma Jorlty of that people,
 It IS fact which admits of no doubt-thein- formation comes from a reliable source-that
 
 sonarles among the Choctaws Instead of con- finlng themselves to the Christian instruction of the "red men," and promoting the reign of harmony and good will, they seek to kindle the flame of civil war. The more rehecting part of the nation freely express the opinion that these pale-faced agatorS should be driven out of the country, because they justly consider them dangerous to the peace of the people. In a word "enemlpS' tO SocAl nr1ar
 It does Hot require much wit to perceive. in view of the circumstances above stated. that the Choctaws are likely to get into a difficulty similar to that which has given the government and people so much trouble in Kansas, and that the abolltonlsts at their dangerous work even among the Indians. The Indian agents would have no fear of being unable to manage the Indians, If they were let alone; but, we repeat, the missionaries are for the greater part aoohuonlsts who do aught else but fomeut difficulties.
 There is reason to belve that an organized plan to abolltionlze the southwestern superin- tendency has been matured. Ifsuccess should crown these efforts there may be are-enactment of the late dis5racefll scenes iu Kansas
 The missionaries, from their constant inter- course with the Indians at their firesides, sick beds, and sta ted religious meetings, exercise great influence over them.
 Regarding the language of TAndy Walker as that of larger, if not the larger, part of the CnoctaWS-" that any man, he be white or red, who undertakes to agitale the subject of slave ry among that people, is an enemy to the peace and well-beng of the Chnctaw natiou"-we anticipate all expulsion of the abolition mis- souaries, if not the adoption of measures If more decided character toward them
 L!NnS uhser goven ment with rights se- cured by free misunderstanding to es- tablISh the happiness of the people on a per manent basis--protected in ther possessions by treaty with the United States, and asserting the principle of self-g f-government--thesc Choc- jaws should be encouraged in their aulabe designs without the mpertnent interference of agitators, whose efforts have already had the effect of producing discussions, and threaten to produce civil war.