Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-28

tlOnai cgOusm, as inducements
held out or opportunities offered to
bring about such state of affairs
must have originated in conditions
not common to all the tribes-in
that of liberality, advancement in
the acts of civilization, common
wealth, possible advantages or the
social grade of the tribe itself.
The object Of this paper is not a
discussion of this matter, but what
is an adopted citizen without
reference TO rights or privileges.
The word adoption" and other
derivatives of option, used in the
sense as it is in relation to our
citizens, not nature, means the
giving of title to the privileges
and rights of a child. This is ex.
pressly so in reference to our
colored citizens to whom were
given the "rights and privileges Of
native Cherokees," and is a clear
case of adoption, and may be said
to be the only one in the nation.
The manner in which white people
become citizens is not by agree
ment with some other authority, as
in case Of the colored people, but
a compliance to the demands of
civilization and the social relations
of the world. The very peculiar
manner in which we hold our
lands, being that in the likeness of
an estate or an inheritance, neces-
sarily requires law to legalized in
termarriage and to make it simply
a privilege extended by the nation
without any outside consent.
Therefore whites become citizens
of our nation by the grace of
privilege extended in compliance to
the social relations and demands of
the day. The colored people be-
came citizens by reason OF former
residence in the country as slaves,
and as residents-Nere liberated in
our midst, not as citizens, nor as
intrnders, but as claimants by
reason of their former condition to
the rights Of citizenship. Hence
their adoption as citizen having
the rights and privileges of native
Cherokees.
The difference between these two
classes of citizens is this: The |
white man can forfeit his rights as
a citizen in the country by desert
ing his wife without cause, or in
case Of her death he can do the |
same by marrying white woman.
This is not the case with the
colored citizen. The white citizen
surTenders his rights in the country
voluntarily; the colored cannot be-
deprived ofhis rights as citizen by
any power the nation may possess or
attempt to exercise because he is a
citizen by reason of an agreement
with another power, and not as a
white man by reason of marriage
with an Indian woman, under a law
Of privilege, incompetence to the
social demands of the times. The
words "adopted citizens" by COM
mon use and consent, apply to both
classes, although evidently there is
! difference as set forth in our laws.
The Shawnees and Delawares are
Tot adopted citizens according to
he strict meaning of the term.
Adoption carries with it a meaning
'f admission to certain rights and
privileges without consideration
The rights and privileges Of these
people as citizens of the Cherokee
lation is a matter Of purchase, and
lot of option by reason of inter-
marriage, as refers to the white
nan, nor of force or circumstances,
IS refers 20 the colored. BY
mutual agreement, made possible
" treaty with a higher power than {
ither, between them and the
)herokee nation they legally be-
anne the possessors of all the rights
nd privileges of citizenship in the
ountry by the right of purchase.
therefore the descriptive words,
adopted citizens" cannot con- /
istently apply TO them, unless ]
doption in their case can be con-
ldered as a matter of merchandise. .
heir position in the country as Z
ltizens is more that of member @
hip in a corporation, purchased !
'r a certain amount of money,
lan any other legal conclusion. I
hey are virtually Cherokees every v
ne of them, by reason Of the pur- Il
base money paid by them and ac- I
spted as a consideration by the y
herokee nation. q
At the time the agreement was ]
ltered into between them and the d