The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1869-01-26
NO.. 81.

experiment has been made towards the
civilization OF any Indian people by the
civil department Of the government II he's
been successful, but never under tie di-
rection and exclusive control Of the War
I Department. We refer TO the Cherokee.
Creek, Seminole, Choctsw and Chickasaw
nations as confirmation ofthis statement.
i Some of these nations have now as good
a system of public schools % any State
in the Union. and As great . proportion
OF their people are able to read and write
as the people Of any of the States. This
advancement has been accomplished
through the peace department OF the gov.
eminent. We are satisfied that IN the e.
timation of the great mass Of the Indian
people the proposed transfer 10 regarded
As an act of hostility by the United States
Government towards them, whether ~
intended or OF,
But, sir, IL there is any good reason
|. Why the supervision Of the nomadic
bands of Indians should be placed In the
hands Of the Department Of War, does
the same reason apply to the civilized
nations? That such o course will sc.
riously dsrsnge our relations with the
government and be along step backwards
In the march Of progress We do not doubt
The eighth article of the Choctaw anil
Chickasaw treaty of1s66, the tenth article
Of the Creek treaty. and the twelfth article
Of the Cherokee treaty and the seventh
article Of the Seminole treaty. all OF the
same year, provide for general council
Of delegates from each Of these nations
to be convened once year, and " pos
sess certain legislative powers.
These articles Of the treaties make II
the duty Of the Secretary Of the Interior
and the Superintendent Of Indian Affairs
for the Southern Superintendency to ap,
point important officials in this new gov,
eminent and take particular supervision
and direction Of the same. The delegates
to this general council are already elect.
ed and are ready to meet whenever called
together by the Superintendent the Sec
! ond section of the act In question 10 ef
feet superseded the Superintendent Of
Indian Affairs and substitutes" for him
an officer of the army-thst IL to say, the
act authorizes the Secretary Of War not
only to perform duties specially assigned
by Ave treaties to the Secretary Of the In,
terror, bat authorities him 10 designate
an officer of the army to do what such
treaties say shall be done BY tbs Super
intendent of Indian Affairs f es'F
!, We respectfully protest, then, in behalf
Of all the Indians against tho act to 70,
store the Bureau Of Indian Affairs TO the
Department Of War for the reasons above
mentioned. but more especially in the
name of the FIVE civilized nations before
named, because said act is not in con,
. formity with the treaties with those ma
tons Respectfully, your obcdicnt sery-
ants. R
!, CREEK DELEGATES. l3
! CaERoKEE DELEGATES.
CHocrAw Drlsa97Es. a
Senator Pomeroy, in the Senate, and
, Mr.. Clarke, OF Kansas, in the House, win
introduce next Tuesday or Wednesday 5
bill to incorporate the s}
J CENTRAL INDIAN RAILROAD COMPANY IN
TUE INDIAN TERRITORY. R2s ass
) This company is TO consist Of mem,
bers from the five civilized tribes inhab.
ting the Indian Territory, viz Cicero
KEGS, Chicka.aws, Creeks, Choctaws and
: Seminoles. This railroad is the link con
Meeting the Leavenworth, Lawrence and
Galveston Railroad and tho Missouri
River, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad, the
Central Indian Railroad to begin At the
, northern boundary ofthe Indian Terrific
ry, extending through the same a distance
OF 800 miles to Preston, on the Red river.
The Indians ask no subsidies OF the gov.
; ernment, but build the road themselves.
Section three provides " that the Secre-
tary Of the Interior, for aud in behalf OF
said nations, is hereby authorized to sub
scribe to the stock Of said road after said
nations shall signify, through acts Of their
several national councils or legislatures.
their assent and desire for the same, %,
I much as the said nations respectively
may deem proper of the funds now held
or which may hereafter be held by the
government Of the United States for their
use and benefit. New, for the purpose
Of enabling said nations to pay subscrip
tons they may be willing 10 make to said
road, the Secretary Of the Interior is
, hereby authorized and required to pay
over the amounts Of said subscriptions.
as they may fall due. to the officers Of
said railroad company authorized to re-
ccive the same"
The names of the incorporators Of tho
company arc thus given in tho first Sec
ton Of the bill: Lewis Downing, William
p Ross. Stand Waite. Arch Scooper, j,
p. Davis, Houston Denge, William r.
Adair, Clement N. Vaun, Samuel Smith.
J. A. Scales, William r. Boudinot Jas.
vaun, Il, C. Boudinot, j. W. Washhourns
Chas. E. Waite, Rich Fields, John vaan,,
Daniel II. Ross. Thos. b. Wolfe, John B.
Jones, Of the Cherokee nation, and D. NJ
Mcintosh, Samuel Chicots, Geo. Stidham,
Sands, Sanford pennyman. Coryeta Mico.
James Smith. Timothy Barnstte. ,wAsh
Greyson and Pleasant Porter, OF the
Creek natieu John Jumper, John BroSn'
, and John Chupco, OF the Seminole ~
ton; Sampson Fulsom, Samuel Garland,
Israel Folsom. d. C. Harkins. Peter Fol-,
som, Allen Wright, Forbes Lenore and
Tandy Walker, IT the Choctaw nation;
and Holmes Colbert and Douglass II:
Cooper. of the Chlctassw nation, and oil
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