Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-01-07
"wHo IS TO BLAME

NN Nfftf n
10 settle the qesiion in so far /
| the failure Of the national oounc
Il concerned, in not confirming
delegation TO represent the Che
okce enation at Washington City
a horn.
"pap,n with his inimitable hab
Of "slraddlingn both sides of
question, in the first, second, tnird
and fourth paragraphs, exoneratC
both sides, but beginning with IN
ilh paragraph, and from that OF
he looses his wonted forkednes,
and proceeds to saddle all the blam
upon the senate. He says that MI
Blackstone was rejected for caus
and that the others were not. /
this statementtrue? The facts in th
case can best answer the question
Early in the session, the senate b
resolution directed its president {
appoint a committee OF four, tw
from each party, to investigate AM
report upon the position Of tn
government of the United States il
the matter Of the $4,000 appro
priated by the act OF congress 0
March 3, 1888. The conclusion
of the committee are before tn,
people in a majority report, signet
by Messrs, Mayes, Lipe and Rogers
and which was adopted by the sen
ate, and in a minority report signet
by Mr.. Sanders.
From the testimony taken, am
it is unimpeachable, the majority
of the committee concluded that il
so far as they could, the delegation
of 1888, composed Of R. B. Ross
and Richard NJ. Wolf, by the ad
vice of William A. Phillips, specia
agent and counsel, without author.
ity, disposed of all the lands of tho
Cherokee people west ofthc Arkan.
sas river, and through a fraudulent
Misrepresentation of the facts By
their public servants, the national
council had been duped into receiy-
ing the advance purchase money,
and further, the majority Of the
committee concluded that the soon
er this question of pretended pur-
chase hy the government, and this
unauthorized, not to say treacher-
Gus attempt on the part Of the ma
TONS trusted servants to sell the
peoples birth-right for a mess Of
potage was settled, tho better for
the Cherokee people, and to that
end recommended that the delcga-
ton be instructed to take such
steps as would set to rest the ques-
ton forever.
The other fact is that Mr.. Black
stone was an ayowcd Phillips man,
and it was for that reason that he
was rejected by a majority of the
senate, and Mr., Schrimsher would
have been rejected also if he had
been OF the same stripe. OF the
others rejected, it is sufficient to
say that they were the friends of
Lhis man Phillips, and opposed to
my investigation of his acts, and
.he questions Of the resolution.
Did the senate vote without rea-
son when it rejected these men
who, had either ono of them been
confirmed, would have used his
1est endeavors to perpetuate what
t had voted a fraud and a swindle2
L is Of no avail to say that these
nen did not believe the charges
igainst the delegation and Phillips.
The same agency that gives them
heir conscience and judgement in
his matter, aecords like privilege
0 the majority of the senate who
elected them.
In the fullness Of his wisdom the
writer proceeds to show 'just where
he error was committed. He
writes: "No objection was laid by
his senate to the nomination Of
lr. Smith" "He has already
eryed one or two terms as a dele
ate and has filled various other
offices. - "This fact
lstified the chief in nominating
i'm" The same fact justified the |
enate in rejecting him, the opin-
)n Of the Advocate writer TO the |
ontrary notwithstanding, for it /
-as on account Of Mr.. Smiths rec |
I'd, made while filling another
Office, that he was re-
scted.
In the concluding paragraph of
he article the writer is grotesque
not funny as he airs himself as the
reat ex-pounder Of the constitu-
on, and the keeper ofthe conscien-
IS Of the senate as well. Hear
i'm: I" 1t may be held by some
lat the senate is vested with au-
loriiy to reject a nomination with
/ withou. reason, and that q vote
} reject is evidence Of reason it. /
III. Such is not and cannot be
practical method Of exercising
le rights of confirming or reject
& az explained above. The OBJ
ctions, II any, must be stated. .
ID If not stated the presumption
that The senate has none worth I
-escntaiion
The principal chief shall rec
nmend. and by The advice and
nseni 0f the nsiional committee I
lpoint and commission such
sleeaies OF public agents accord i
ely. ."-Consiiiution, section g.
tiole 6.
This extract from tie constitu-
on is the alth0riiy through which
.lcEates are provided tgr as wen
terminated by ths sprncipal chief
li c1ffnfl 81 ihs senate. Be-
md stllctllr some enc Ct TIE