Washington telegraph., 1865-11-01
Mes.sge Of P. P. PitchIynu.
PRINCIPAL CHEF OF THE CHoCrAw NATION
To TIE GENERAL CoUxcIL.
Feil0tc- Citizens Of the Senate and
of he Uohsc OF RenrcSenLnt;rcs:

TO THE GENERAL COUEcIL.
! Feltotc- Citizens of the Senate and
Of the House Of Representatives.:
The emergencies of our national affairs again
require ine To convene You in extra session
Ny proclamation issued cow rltinp the Gen,
erat Council IN extra session on the 18th June
/ last, which was thought by all TO BE- eminentv
necessary and required at the time. But the
arrival Of military commissioners i'll the Choc-
/ taw Nation, ana the agreement made with them
/ TO send civil commissioners from their Govern
ment to treat with us i'll our country, did away
with the necessity OF the Council at that time
] The Proclamation was, therefore, revoked. 1t
was desirable on the part OF the Federal author
tiles to meet Us at as early day possible
owing to the unsettled state OF affairs, and to get
4 the advantage. OF grass, Nc. 1ou will see that
! the COuvtntu oi the General Council could
not be dispensed with at this time, as the first
I OF September the time fixed for the L.. s
Commissioners To arrive, therefore il was nrees-
sary that the Council should be in session for
| the purpose OF appointing commissioners to meet
| them al the time designated | apprehend that
1 there Is no constitutional inpediment TO this
session extending into the regular should events
and our affairs require it. The time has now
arrived, gentl, men, Tor us TO meet and contem-
plate questions and principles in which the
Iuture destiny of our people is involved. Let
ms meet them wiih camness, hrmness, aud de-
! Liberation, and prove ourselves equal TO the oc-
! caslOn, and uNncc AN Unyitlding determination
I to be gHidod by the precept ot truth and wis
dom. We ara now to place upon public record,
aud which will become future history. the mo-
/ iiyes and causes that actuated the ChOctaw
! Nation III tlle late momentOUs struggle between
tue citizens OF the United States. The causes
that led TO that ill-iattd and unhappy struggle,
had been IN agitation. with more or less violence
and contention, fur the past forty years and
that uotlling more ur less than the institu-
| tiUn ot African sIaYsry. This is essentially the
[ grea. cause OF all their -wOes-ths cause from
which ali the evils sprung. 1t is mot necessary
| tor TO enter into discussion OF the merits
of that qucs ion from the fact that il is eiiectu-
/ ally settled, "Ice ana forever; ana settled IN
sucA manner as lsa,,s no ground for appeal
uu Lemuutur ceu be Aied, the arbitration of the
sNofu tlas forever cOn,iguc it to oblivion.
/ IL Is a WrltkuUwu historical fact that the
hand of husti'ity mas never before been raised
against the citizens Oi tine United States by the
/ Choctaws: Oh The other hand, they have ever
ue-4. faithful, Uustfut and cuntIding, and many
batJlr-iialG5 have illustrated their devotion aud
h4rIiy y 10 the wiite people OF that Government
aud the hostile haud would l4ot nave been raised
ia tin. late war, Lad not ilapeIIuus cTcumst tances
, OVER which they had nu control Impcled them.
We regarded the contest as white mans war,
a matter TO be settled 10y themselves, and in
which the ChOctaws had no wish to interfere.
/ We regarded it As political war among tho
great American family, TO be settled in their
own way, ana whatever may have been the
acton oi the Choctaw Nation at the commence
nient of the war, impartial history will show
that we acted from motives of seii-pTeservation
and national protection. We were told that
could not occupy neutral position Ill the con-
test, and THAI we We're compelled to take sides
Oar feeble physical force could offer no resis-
lance. We were withUut arms and ammunition.
Our proximity to two powerful slave States
l.
clarrd that our neutrality would be the portal
through which lhey would be assaied. They
saiu those who We're not lUr them were against
them, anu promptly and sauguinarily they car
ri-d out tins principle towards those OF their
own citizens WHO adhered to the Union.
Now 1 app, al to every candid and unprcJu-
diced man IN the United States, was it not better
fcr the ChocIaw Nation to Join hands with the
southern states anu thereby avert the demon
ut war from their country To considerable ex-
tent than TO have attempted neutrality and
thereby had the country seized and taken pos
session ~ by the South, and the battlefield,
with all It's terrible desoiations, brought TO our
duoIs This is the position ia which we were
placed. The Government OF the United States
Was pOweTitss To protect us, such was the mag
uitde OF the revolution. They abandoned the
military forts placed in our country for our
protection. 1t Is not for me TO inquire into their
motive for this. We know were left to work
and no alternative left us but to fall back be-
hind the entertainments OF the South to avoid
anuihiiatiUu. The entire argument can be stated
in a few words. The Choctaw Nation was com
PEELED To pursue the course she did. A regard
lor AL that We're near and dear prompted it.
Nationai-s4tety prompted it seIt-detense prompt
ed it; and, lastly, the protection of homes,
families and friends, prompted it. Such is the
force OF circumstances in national as well as in
individual affairs. | feel assuree that the Gov
erument OF the United Stares, under their
statement of facts and in consideration of ear
past history, viii treat with us in a liberal and
generous manner. No good could be derived
tlom pursuing different policy. They have
ever done the past and / trust will con-
tnue to 50 DO IN the future. ..r
The result oil this war has left our once pros
porous and happy country in an impoverished
and almost helpless condition. Thousands of
our people have been brought to want and sut
fernz. Our stock has been driven off and
wantonly destroyed, and that by those who
should have been our friends. large number
of our homes have been burned and fencing
destroyed. Our agricultural interests have been
necessarily neglected, and farming implements
have been worn out, and without material ter
more. Our schools, once the hope and glory
of our Nation have been suspended, and our
churches, where met to worship God, that
once full of people, now has she became as
a widow" This lamentable condition of affairs
gentlemen, demand your immediate and grave
attention. We must make up our minds TO fall
in with the great current of human thought
which has in the last few years undergone
great change. Old things and systems are be-
ing laid aside, and new ones are rapidly taking
their place. We must bend to the civilized
world. NE cannot expect the civilized world
to bend to us. Great changes and innovations
are being made i'll the moral, social and political
world. If we would avoid being overwhelmed
by the inexoTable march of the white man west
ward, who carries with him progress-progress
in schools, progress in agriculture, progress In
all things that elevate and make man powerful
we must do something more for ourselves
than we ever did before. There is time-and
barely time-to save ourselves from being sub
merged by the deluging tide of white emigla-
ton that is flowing To Mi up the great country
west of u.s.. There is now country from the
Atlantic to the Pacific but is embraced within
State or Territorial bounds, and which will, in
the course of few years, become populous and
powerful States of the Union. Look which
way you may, snl you will see the country be-
yold the limits Of the Indian territory under