Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1885-05-07
THE INDIAN NATION.
What Bill Arp Saw in the Territory
Of The Civilized Red Man:

that no white man could occupy
any land in the nation unless he
had license to trade, or had inter-
married with the Indians. He
showed me his own house and
grounds, and when asked him
how he acquired the right, to my
great surprise, he answered: "Why
| married an Indian" ! was aston.
ished, for he did not look like he
had an Indian wife. He had child
ren and grandchildren, and they
impressed me with their fine forms
anG beautiful eyes and hair. My
landlord was an old Georgian, and
his educated Indian wife was fine
specimen of a wife and mother.
The children were well hammered
and smart and handsome.
Another gentleman told me he
was teaching a school at one of the
missions. He was an elderly gen.
tleman, and they called him doctor,
and as he was very communicative l
ventured to ask him if the grand.
children Of these inter. marriages of
whites with Indians were healthy
and vigorous. He smiled at me and
SAID: "Well, yes, | think so-mine
are" Shortly after his wife came
into the store, and | was introduced !.
So l found myself in the cautious
state, and did not press such delio
cate questions. That night the
Rev. DR.. Wright called on me. He
is full blooded Choctaw-a Pres
byterian minister of gentle manners
and fine intelligence. IL | was a
Young man and eoulda't find an
to please me at home
| think | could be easily persuaded
to mate with one of his daughters
if there was a fine area of
splendid land and cattle ranch
close by and she had the title or was
he heir expectant. | like these
adams, and it seems to me there is
'et hope for the race.
We are too apt to judge the race
~ the Commanches and other brut-
II tribes, and from our childhood
We have coupled them with massas
res OF women and children, but |
eckon We would haye done the
anne under similar persecution.
5ut here are the Cherokees, and
Jreeks, and Ohoctaws, and Chicka.
avs in this territory and they all
i've in good, comfortable houses,
md haye schools, and churches, and
many Of them would ornament any
ociety however cultivated. There
ire no distilleries in the nation, no
aloons, no gambling,houses and
when disturber of the peace in
rudes himself there, he is prompt.
y suppressed and expelled. Tney
lave a better government tosday
han any in the states. When a
white man wants to be a trader in
my of their towns he has got to get
recommendation from ten leading
and then his petition goes
% the governor, and if it is ap>
proved by him it is sent to Wash>
ngton City to be approved by the
'ecretary Of the interior. After he
irades awhile and gets established
here he marries an Indian maiden
md can take up as much land as he
,an tend and a mile all around it
Tor grazing purposes. All these
.rading men get rich in a few years,
snd most Of them marry Indians,
Or half,breeds, and are happy.
But, after all, | wouldn't advise
any mar who has passed the merid>
ian of life to break up and move to
Texas, unless his children had NOV,
ed there before him. Folks are like
rabbits, and when the hounds of
trouble get after them they can fly
for while, but they long to twine
their course holneward to the scenes
of their youth. | don't think /
could give up the mountains and
valleys and gushing streams of
north Georgia for even the rich
plains Of Texas. am afraid to
make the venture, like the couna
try and the people and the climate,
but | like old Georgia better. We
are slow, but we are sure. But if
was a young man, without a wife,