Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-07-12
The Indian Territory.


ferocious resolution with which the In
dian clings to this territory, one of the
very last of his strongholds. His race
and his history are soon to be inextrica-
bly, mingled with that of the white men,
whom he still considers as intruders !;
and while he recognizes the inevitable
fate attending him and his possessions,
he fercely repulses any attempt to a
compromise. He now stands firm in
his right; for the treaties made in 1887
by the Government of the United States
with the various tribes east of the Mis-
sissippi, giving them the '1pdian Ter
ritory," on condition that they should
move into and occupy it, were compre-
hensive and binding. The Osages had
been the virtual owners of these i'm
mense tracts of land until the advent of
the white man, but to-day have almost
entirely disappeared. To the Chero-
KEGS, in 1887 a patent in fee-simple
was given, while the other tribes held
their lands under treaty stipulations.
From 1887 to 1916 the task of removing
the various tribes from their homes
east of the Mississippi went on, and out
of the unwillingness of the Seminoles
to migrate came the Florida war. In
the treaties it was provided that the five
distinctive tribes, the Cherokees, Choc-
taws, Chickasaws, Greeks, and Semi
noles, should. hold the lands of the
Territory as homes forever. They, in
their turn, have allowed smaller tribes
to make homes among them. In 1866,
the Delawares and Shawnees of Kansas
agreed to live thereafter in the Chero-
kee Nation, and to give up their own
nationality, adding the funds resulting
from the sale of their Kansas lands to
the annuities of the Cherokees. #
The Cherokees have naturally made
the greatest advances in civilization,
and are at present the most powerful of
all the tribes in the Territory. They
have ruling voice in matters that con-
cern the general poity Of the nations,
and their manners and customs are bet
ter known to the outside world than
are those of any other tribe. Their
general status is not very far below that
of some of the white frontiersmen. They
are industrious and capable agricul-
turists, and understand the care of
stock better than any other people in
the southwest. They live remote from
each other-on farms which, it is true,
they all hold in common, yet to which
there is an individual and perpetual
right occupancy. All the land is vested
in the State a man may sell his i'm
provements and buildings-but not the
land. The Indians throughout the Ter
ritory are not, as a rule, farmers in any
general sense: they simply raise what
they need but that is because there is
no incentive to the marketing of pro-
duce. The government originally sup
piled them with capital they do not
realize the benefcence of gain, they
simply desire to "make a living" J"
Throughout the various nations there
is an utter disregard of internal improve
ments. An Indian highway is as diff
cult as the Vesuvian ascent, and none
of the magnificent rivers were bridged
before the advent of the railway. The
''Indian Agents" who are appointed
directly by the President, and who, re-
siding among the different tribes, are
properly the Interpreters of all the
treaties, have charge or the annuities,
and make the annual reports-usually
have much influence with the Indian
chiefs, and at their suggestions some
few improvements have of late years,
been introduced. The person of an
agent is always respected, and as a rule
his word is law. ... -
The government of the Cherokees, as
well as those of the other principal ma
tions in the Territory, corresponds in
large degree to those of the States.
The Cherokees elect principal" and
second chief for four years. They also
have an upper and lower house of the
legislature, the former continuing in
power four, the latter two years. Bills
or acts are regularly introduced, and
passed through the various readings to
be engrossed, as in other assemblies
There is a supreme court, with three
judges and sheriffs. At Tahlequah,
the capital, the annual sessions of the
Legislature are held in the council-house,
beginning in November, and lasting
thirty days. The legislators are paid
out of the annuities of the nation.
Tahlequan is an average town of the
southwest, with nothing especially de-
noting its Indian origin. The Choctaws
and Greeks have the same general form
of government. The Seminoles have
vested their executive authorityin twen-
| ty-four band-chiefs, all of whom are
controlled and directed by "princi-
pal, who is an absolute autocrat, hav-
ing an irrefragable veto-power. All the
tribes or nations join in a general coun-
Gil, provided for by the treaty of 1866,
and it is presided over by the Superin-
tendent of Indian Affairs for the South
ern Superintendency. AT this council
only such matters as are of comfy be-
tween the nations are legislated upon
the rendition of criminals, the joint
action in regard to land, etc.
This superb country, unquestionably
one of the most fertile on the globe, is
a constant source of torment to the
white men of the border, in whom the
spirit of speculation is very strong.
The hardy citizen of the southwest bears
no ill-will towards the various Indian
tribes, but it irritates him to see such
vast tracts of land lying idle. He aches
to be admitted to the Territory with the
same privileges granted Indian citizens
viz, the right to occupy and possess
all the land they may fence in, and tc
claim all that remains unfenced within
a quarter of mile on either side ot
their fenced lots. He is crazed with
visions of the far-spreading, fower-be.
spangled prairies, the fertile foothills
the rich quarries, mines and valley.
lands He burns to course at free viii
over the grazing regions where ever
the Indians raise such fine stock. And
now that the railroad has entered pre-