, 1870-12-28

and G, 600 in the nation.
The general sentiment of the country is in
favor Of echools. Thera WAS dsInand for
Toro echocls during tho past year than the
piieattous como from ali claxsea Of the Chero-
kee people. The Council has several petitions |
before them Written and signed In Cherokee, |
saklng for moro schools. The GonerA Attend- |
anee, y reported BY Spencer 8. Stephens, the
School Superintendent, Is rising ot LOO. Ths |
avsrage attendance Ia nothing like 90 lasge,
Atie.pg from the di.incIination OF parents !!
III enforcing their authority IS they should, |
and the bsa condition of the schoot-houses.
One obstacle also TO rapid progress ariaes |
ing fret to learn English, that being the only
language taught He slid that out Of the.r
school fund the Che1okees pay the expenses
OF the superintendent and teachers, and
books are furnished gratuitouh1y to all who
wish to attend. The present council. proposes
to set apart out Of tho p1oceeds Of The sals Of
l.nda west Of tho 96th meridian, s100,0 600 to
fouEd N orphan asylum, on the plan Of An
industrial school, and also to found home
fer the INDECENT blind, insane, aud aged per-
eopa.
II reply to question BY Mr.. c.mt5sn, hs
lid that the relation e1issirg among the
civilized tribes Of the Indian territory WAS Of
An amicable character. A resolution, lie
remarked. had been adopted at the ftst
meeting OF the general co1nci]. nov In session
at Qkmu}gee, inviting tie wild tribes Of the
plains TO come here and establish. .1nisiona OF
auitT With The civilized tribes. the resolu-
tion. With little tobacco. WAS sent to II! the
wild tribes in the western part of the Terri-
tory. He atated that while thera was q dif1cr-
nccs Of opinion on political subjects, YET there
WAS no bitterness or ili-feeling that has led
tEna far to any acts Of hostility or @iolance.
His impression Eas tk1t these tribes are
gradually improving in ali the arta Of ciSiiiza-
ton.
One Obstacle TO progress, he said, grows ont
OF the nntttt1ed condition of ths questions
relating to tie policy Of the general govcru-
a.n. ~ neon. as t1 .aa aso
iac!udirE the railroad schemes, and thrsatea-
ed legielation interfering with their rights.
This country, ha said, had been eacredly set
apart as the hcne OF the Indians, aud the
guarantees By which they hold 1t should be
tacredly observed By The government, since
The experience a. L generL thing OF the
whole country establishes the fact that
Indians, with some exceptions, have not beeu
allowed to remain in the quist and un!isturb-
ed roseession-o OF their homes within the iuris-
dic:ton Of any State or Territory, surrounded
ty white population. He said tho character
OF the country. reserved to tho Cherokeea
south Of the 96th meridian, had been greatly
over1ated. In regard to the fertility aud re-
sources Of the Indian territory, At leas. two
thirds Of that region is unfit Tor settlement,
III
unfit for cultivation.
Re said Ill the tribes deprecated Congress
sionil interference, Is 1t would be 4 riolatiou
OF the plighted faith Of the government
through lts treaties with the Indians and tho
lsxs Of Congress. The Chesokees, he re-
marked. bare reserved east Of 96 degrees less
than 500 900 acres OF land, and 80 there ia
great mistake in the public mind.
a feeling Of security, he remarked, Was lust
as essential to an Indian to call forth e1er-
tion and tax his energies In order to imnroyo
- it il to merchant or trader In unsettled
The point was raised by Mr. Tarwell. why
! ehonld not the Indians dispose OF the lands
| they do not use and apply the proceeds to
! other purposes that would be immediately
benet1cisl. ME. Rosa answered that ii they
ceded theae lands, and the Indian titla be-
came e1tinguishet, that they would be open
to settlement by the wmtes, and it would then
! be necessary for them 10 have sone form OF
| government, which would DO extended over
| the Indians, who, without exception, are
in favor Of maintaining their
l:slt to eeigoyeln@snt, % and the oe experiment. sns
/, OF keeping Indians on a reduced reservation,
! surrounded BY . white population, had been
!; fully tested in Kansas. A few yeers ago, he
said, that region WAS sacfedly sat apart for tho
Indians, apd their reservation never
became 60 reduced but they were still objects
/
that all the indians hare been removed, or
Eill be removed, beyond the limits OF the
State. and there is reason to anticipate the
eame result may follow the opening Of any OF
the Indian territory.
Mr. Ross. IN rely To- question from Mr.
Lang, ssld TINT tho 1ndlsp l.ada should oe
eotses-a ana slotted, A. to th. quantity -.
should fall to each individual.
He said that By the terms Of the t1eSty Of
1866, the che1okes adopted their freedmen
have incorporated few OF tho Mupsces OF
Kansas; also, the whole Delaware ttiho aud
the ShawEees Of Karess. There still remain
east Of the 8fiseissippi, in North Carolina,
eand Cherokees who have the privilege Of
coming West and settling in tho Cherokee
country.
In answer to Mr.. Campbell Is to whsthas
the CheFokees were on the increase or de-
crease, he stated that before the wa con-
meuced tho Cherokees wers increasing in
population. but that during the war at least
onG-foulth Of them persisted; that nearly the
whole Of them were refugees from their
homes either North or South, and, "a a
consequence, nearly I'll the old people, many
OF tho women And childler, from exposure
and privation, Anl The ,iiseases consc-
quent thereto, perished. Is did, nlao a very
lsrGe number OF men who dica from disease,
: whowere in the army. There waa also con.
siderable mortality among them tho second
and third year after the war, bu. since that
time the population seems to ba on tho In
crease, and there seems to be no material
causes why they should net Increase Is wsl Al
other people.
Mr.. Ross aleo informed the commissioners
that sou1rn Of 'yeaAtion And ptubAhle dif-
ticnlty arises from the number OF United
States MarshAls sent into the Indian couutry
by the United States District. Court 1t Van.
Buren. Tbese officials being dependent on
their fees, come OF them are not sczupulous
in hunting. up cases throughout the
country aud arrestius and taking from
against whom no proceedings are after.
wlrda successfully maintained. There is rea.
son, he said, to believe tLat soIca tcsort tc
very unEcrnpulcus means in order to get uE
cases. He then gare sn account Of the man,
ucr in which he Wac treated.
Last summer. couple Of young Cherokees
got into difficulty on the lignwav. and one
of them WAS killed by the other. The father
Of the Young mAn drat had 3 writ taken out,
and the alleged murderer was arrested
BY tie officers Of the nasion::, Tho father
afterwards went bcfore tle United States
Commissioner Ut Van Buren,, and hAd auo.hol
: wit taken cut for the earne man upon tht
sToupd that the mother Of his son, who was
killed, being white woman, brought the c.ss
within the Jurisdiction Of the United State.
I Deputy Marahal for execution, who tiss
went TO Chief Downing and male dennus
! on lin for the delivery Of the prisoner, bu
the demand was refused.
l. The Marshzl then went to where tie pGa
ener WIS., kept, {and, in tha xbsan-e OF the
sheria, made denand from the guard TO
htn.
:. Tho gu8rd refused to surrender the pris
, orer without zu order FROM the ShsriH- Il
the meautime Mr.. Berge. of Fort G1bson, nn'
: myself (lsoes) redo up in company With tn
Sheriff to where the priEone. was kept. TO
nf
, Is his coursel. The Ma-shat then made ade
maud on tho Sheriff for tile prisoner, which b
i reEustd 10 comply With unless be brought 3
: orier frou, the principal Ct,ef or the Unise'
, States agent, icasuauch as he held him as
: s@c1u officer Of the patton By proper process
. Of Law. and a'so because bosh parties Esr
, Cherckees, and amenable to Cherokee las
ah. Derge and myself took part in tho convel
! cation, and We explained the grounds upo
, rhich the Sheriff acted. bat We offered no re
t Instance pe.eona!ly, Of in az other way. III
I tape went on and WAS tried by the Cheroke
i courts, and tue young man was Aelu tied.
: Sometime Atserxards, Mr.. Barge aud ny
eslf, while IN the discharge OF our duties =
1 Senators iu the Natiopsl Council. vera azrcs
ed bv the MArrEa1 upon nm indictment for r.
a tistipg Cnited SsAtes officer. We wes
1 taken OF to Van Buren, distance Of GO mile:
: Fletcher. of Missouri, who hzppeaed to be
a Talequah 1t the time. After OUT arrival
> Van buren, the United States DISTRICT Attoi
t ney noi1e pressed our cases, and We were d:
/ charged. The pcint Of jurisdiction involved j
i the refusal Of the Sheriff had been decided th
: day before ~ the court in favor Of the Che
: oxeo nation. but OF course Nr. Berge and m,
eelf were left without aaE redress for our Al
/ rest under the circumstances. Tho tEeatmen
: however. 1T Van Bureu, extended TO us Pc
: soua11y. WAS kind and courteous. The Depus
. Marshal who made the arrest was jos peaS,
, formerly Of Barry County. No. HaFing mad
: this statement tie interview between Mr.. Rol
aod the Commissioners closed