Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-02-24

a law OF the United States the result
will be the destruction of the Indian
policy of the government and of In.
dian nationalities. 1t Will he glori.
GUS time for the spectators to see oul
National Government eXtinguished.-
Under our present system of govern.
ment we are rapidly increasing in
wealth, population aud civilization,
which cannot be said of airy other In
dian Government on this continent.
Ali over this broad continent the his
tory of the Indiafis, for two centuries,
has been a history of barbarity, with
the exception of the Indian Terriro-
ry. The tribes in the Indian Terrific
ry ask nothing from the people and
authority of the United States. We
desire no change for the purpose of ex-
pertinent in the U. S. Governments
dealing towards our people. We have
no fault to find with the policy as
provided for by our treaties. All that
We ask is Simple. honest administra-
ton. We are charged with opposi-
ton to Improvement. but in refuta-
ton of the charge we confidently APP
peal to our houses, our farms, our
stocks of horses and cattle, our schools,
our churches. and our regularly or
ganiZed Government. We are not OPP
posed to prOgres; we are not opposed
to improvement :; We are not opposed
to civilization We are not opposed to
christian religion :; On the contrary we
acknowledge the conviction to rest
upon our minds that our highest in
terest and self-preservation itself, de-
ponds upon progress and improve
ment. There may be some white peo-
pie who believe that our people are
not naturally inferior to the white race,
but are capable of making and obeying
just laws, of high degree of civiliza-
ton and proficiency in the arts and
sciences.
Political and PERSONAL freedom are as
indispensable to the Indian as the
light and the air. We never needed
to he trained to free institutions. for
we always had them. As the Indian
races, hike the people of the u. s. we
are created by the same God and are
accountable to Him for our acts. The
Red people, like the Caucasian, are
proud men, they love their country
and their own Institutions. Thefr
abiding love of liberty, their Getermi-
nation to be free, their devotion TO
their homes and the scehes of child
hood, their respect for their aged. their
love Of kindred and people, their strict
personal integrity, and their native
el6quence and generosity, challenge
the admiration of all men; and in the
minds of honest peoples generous de-
sire for their welfare and determine
ton TO do them justice, and suffering
for their wrongs. 1t is true justice and
right only, make real superiority, and
in these controversies people in our
Territory have done no wrong, denied
no right, violated no obligation, done
nothing of which to be ashamed before
the Government of the United States.
whenever strong nations violate the
Interests of the small nations, the
weak nation cannot do anything, they
cannot resist the strong, nor vindicate
their rights by arms, they loose all
when they beg for favors and acts of
grace instead of insisting upon them
as right. But they always have the
right of appeal to the public opinion,
and that Is at last supreme over all
government. We have certain inesti-
that are now endangered, the right of
self-government, the right of seIf-pre-
servatiOn, our individuality as dis
tinct people, our right to our lands and
exclusive possession of the country
that our fathers bought and paid for.
Such a bill as the Congress of the
United States has for its consideration
is startling and alarming, for it invites.
the government of the United States
10 become brigand, and shamelessly
to violate the most solemn pledges
and guarantees of national faith
The bill is prompted and its adoption
urged by combination of white spec
ulators, who hope at the expense of
the broken faith and lost honor of the
y: 5. to possess themselves for nomi-
nal consideration of immense quanli-
ties of fertile lands owned by the Che
rOkee, Choctaw, Creeks or Muskokee,
Chic.<asaw; and Seminoles. 1t propo-
SEES the 66ld wi6kedness of violating,
and utterly Holding for naught, with
out provOcatfon, or Justification, the
solemn stipulation dnd guarantees of
right estate and Immunity. and of the
privileges of self-gOvernment made
and given, not gratuitously nor out of
grace and favor. but valuable and am
rle consideration by the assurances
and pledges by the Chief Magistrate of
the United States, by acts of Congress
and by treaties sol niiify made, and
as solemnly ratified by the Senate of
the United States. The land GRADERS
and and home gobtlers from the In
dian lands are a ten-fold greater curse
than the hostile Indians. The white
spectators had very poor excuse 20
charge against our people THAT we
were making no progress in civ
iliZatiOn and that we were staifd-
ing in the way of civilization
The comparatives statistics do not show
that We are standing in the way of civ
iliZation. 1t has been shown from the
comparison, that Indian Territory, in
population, numbers of acres cultiva-
ted products, wealth, valuation and
scnool statistics, is equal to any or
ganized Territory of the United States,
and FIR ahead of most Of them. Our
Territory has a smaller area than any
other, aid larger population than
any other except Utah and New Mex
leo. The Territorial measures pend
ing before Congress, are ruinous to
our people; and our National Govern
ment and a violation of the honor of
this great republican government,
pledged 10 our people in the most sa-
cred manner known to civilized ma
tons. When Congress passes the
Territorial Bill, and establish Is a new
government in our country, Il disrup-
ton of the pence and quiet of the In
dian Territory will be opened, and
ROBBERY of its inhabitants in
the interest of white spectators, who
will neither improve the soil, foster
general education, cherish religious
interest and civilization, nor crefcise
q common humanity tOt61rd the I,lIi-
dh, but selfish and soulless as such Spec
ulatOrs are. they will retard the very
in whose name they Hope
falsely to gain strength, in Which to
vi61ate justice and the nations honor,
f0t their personal aggfandiBement, in
the r0bbing of Indians for homestead
and pfemptloft, purposes: Congress
may force the Bill, and pass the law TO
the new Government in our
country, but they cannot urge our peo-
pie to give their consent as long as we