The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-06
Freedmen's RIGHTS.

Hon. j. Milton Turner, ex-minister
to Liberia and agent to the freedmen
in the Indian Territory, is in receipt
of letter from his clients requesting
him to go to Washington and present
the claims of the freedmen before the
congressional committee. Mr.. Turner
says he is an authorized agent of the
freedmen in Indian Territory, where
as Phillips, who drew $3.50 bonus
for sale of Cherokee lands, had no
legal right to act as agent, the United
States statutes requiring that before
white man can contract for the Indians
he must have permit from the secre-
tary of the interior and the Judge of
the nearest United States court. When
the Cherokees received $1,000 tor
the sale of their lands beyond the Goth
meridian they divided it pro rata
among the native-blood Cherokees.
and refused to give the freedmen of
the nation, who were entitled, under
the treaty of 1866, to the same rights
as the full-bloods, cent in the divide.
The freedmen are now asking that
they be paid out of this sum, the same
as the Indians. The sum claimed Is
somewhere in the neighborhood of |
$4,000 or $4,000. Last summer
Senator Dawes commission were ex-
pected to visit the Indian Territory
and investigate this and other ques-
tons in dispute, but they failed to go
on account of the presidential election.
Mr.. Turner thinks that the questions
can be explained to the committee SO
as to save them from the necessity of
visiting the Indian Territory. Under
the the treaty of 1866, it was provided
that the western portion of the terri
tory be retroceded to the United II
states for the purpose of placing I
thereon other Indians and freedmen. {
BY subsequent act of congress it was
provided that other Indians be placed 9
IN this territory, and under the treaty '
he freedmen could be the only occu- G
'ants. 1t has been held by the people l
4 the territory and the courts that the
reedmen alluded to in the treaty in o
luded only the former slaves of the h
indians in the five civilized nations. q
1r. Turner takes the ground that s,
ccording to the meaning of the treaty
nat provision embraces any freedman CT
| the United States outside the Indian Sc
erritory, for the reason that provis- 70
ms are made in the treaties for giving tn
ne freedmen in the several Indian
ations tho same rights and privileges pr
J the native Indians. 1t is therefore M
included that, as the former slaves o.
nong the Indian tribes are provided ai'
r, the treaty does not mean them, ~
1t "other freedmen outside the terri ~
ry, the same as it applies to other Ne
dams" I've
Judge Parker held the former view cei
relation to the Interpretation of !
treaty. but now. according to Mr.. for
'rner, the judge agrees with him, Ca,
d in subsequent decision the treaty a9l
Is construed by him as meaning sIo
'edmen outside the boundaries Of uni
dian Territory. Under this inter z
citation, Mr.. Turner claims he has a I'm
rfect right to go into the territory so pa,
apart ''for the Indians and freed IN
n" He said that the so-called the
klahoma colonists" were excluded vol
der the treaty, but he informed lars
pit. Payne how he could get in there lea,
not be legally liable to expulsion a
an intruder, but Capt. Payne was and
innate, and could not see in that OFF, OFF,
ut. The plan was this: Mr.. Tur- him
proposed that II Capt. Payne eide
uld furnish the means, he (Turner) one
lld take colony of negroes into mer
Oklahoma tract, in which case they ried
aid not be disturbed by the mill SELF
7. Then, after they had effected a he f
cement, Capt. Payne, with his fol-
ers, would come in, effect joint .
cement with the negroes, and MI
lld they (the whites) be disturbed Mul'
threatened with removal by the and
tary forces, they could legally, CT
er the constitutional amendment, ernn
N the same rights as the negroes, N. Y
these rights were reciprocal, and temp
power could legally remove them, supe
the courts would so decide, should ouiic
'sue under such circumstances be At
G. and
le theory, to say the least, il an Bach
NOUS one.-&. Louis Republican. year
ward
General Grants Peril. to rel