Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-11-04


dollarwithout consulting or speak
ing Of the interests of the latter,
the words ere sung and rung out,
without thought as TO either only
to estop argument and thought on
the question. Undoubtedly our pro-
genitors were compelled to act
wisely, but did they of their own
will2 A small moiety saw into the
future, knew their destiny, accept
ed the facts and circumstances as
they then existed and made a treaty
and emigrated west, with their own
free will and heart, knowing and
feeling that il was best for them
and their posterity to take this
then uninhabited wilderness in ex-
change for the Rocky mountains
and sterile dales of the old nation,
which was then barren in every
thing that satisfied a Cherokee's
mind or heart except the graves of
his honored forefathers. Another
large proportion would not see it.
did not see it and never consented
to any exchange, but stood stolid at
the facts before them, regarding
nothing-reason, common sense,
welfare of posterity or anything
except the council and advice OF
demagogucs, who held them un-
until they were hunted like wolves,
with soldiers and dogs and chained
like the latter in twos and marched
to this rich, abundant, fertile, but
uninhabited then Wilderness. Pos
terity and patriots who counseled
this move were shot and cruelty
murdered by the opponents of
this exchange. This term "fore-
fathers" can be divided; some were
wrong and some were right and so
it will be to the end Of time. Let
us reason a while. Is it any cred
it to our forefathers that we now
have lands west of ninety six? ] say
it is simply an accident and hap
py circumstance. They came into
our possession, not SO much from
the wisdom and foresight, as a Sc
quence to a combination of circum-
stances over which they had no
control and had they, we would
have no question of the kind be-
fore us. Another reason that we
have this thing to canvass is this
and it does not reflect largely to the
honesty or wisdom of the anteced-
ent: Up to this time the land west
of ninety-six has been surrounded
by millions of acres that were bet
ter in quality, nearer to market
and in every way more suitable to
the emigrant than this great gift of
our dads. When the Cherokee
came home from the war he found
house, home and vineyard, herds
and flocks destroyed. Thousands
of dollars had been sequestered
and wasted by those in authority.
What did we do? Went to work
and changed chaos and destruction
to plenty and peace, etc. ssThey
did not do it at the expense of pos
terity which they could have done
by selling land at forty to sixty-six
and two-thirds cents per acre.
They could have relieved them
selves from poverty by stroke Of
the pen. But they did not do it.
No. All said "No." The treaty
of 1866 was forced upon us and we
let as few acres 60 as possible. In.
stead of looking back into the dark
ages for patriots you will find them
right here in your ranks, voting, /
thinking, active factors in to-day's |
work. These old antecedents were |
patriots because the government |
at point of the bayonet forced them |
to be so and TO hold these large, |
long acres for posterity because |
there was no market, there being /
millions of better lands then on the |
market, discloses no patriotism.
Let us sing praises to these latter |
day saints. These men need not |
have suffered long or much. 1t is
true they sold to Joy a rich parcel |
of land, fixed up some pressing
matters and stole a few thousand |
dollars, honest and self-sacrificing
as they were. i only ask you to
take a look at our forefathers and |
draw a comparison between the
old and the new grand dad. One
made us rich and gave us an in
heritance because it was forced up
on him and the other guarded and
protected ii at expense of ease and
comfort. Another word posterity.
Ten or twenty years ago this term
included the descendants of those
who lived here at that time. Pos
terity now means the descendants
of those who Low occupy and re-
side here. Let us postpone the
matter another term of ten or
twenty years and then it will
mean the descendants of those in
possession. Do you rot think you
will be watering and diluting and
encompassing but little Cherokee
blood? How much praise will
these late citizens who have be-
come members of the tribe by
bribery and perjury, give US old
patriots for holding to this estate?
DO you not know that it is being
lost every hour and day by procras-
tination; irredeemably, hopelessly
gone? How the bribe givers and
bribe takers will praise our acts.
Hold, think, reason, you men
md voters who have TO decide the
fate of this nation. / am not one
who feels like going back to our
iorefathers to offer praise and
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