Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-08-26

not only in our laws, but in Com
Tufts and the United
States court at Fort Smith.
-
THE CHEROKEE LANDS.
EDITOR CHEFTAIN:-It is con-
sidered bad policy to champion a
course which has the odor of un-
popularity about it, and to advo-
cate measures repugnant to
the prejudices of the people. My
views ON our landed interest have
not been popular, because they are
not understood, and they disturb
an organized faction who try to
hold the people in darkness for the
sole purpose Of self aggrandizement
and pecuniary gain. The faction
has ever applied to that argument
of brute force. Such argument
never convinces, but, like the
boomerang, thrown by unskillful
hands, flies back to the injury Of
those who use it.
Prescription is the branding iron,
heated with the fire Of prejudice
and when applied to anyone who
is antagonistic TO the league, al
though such sentiments have dis
graced all periods of the world,
follows a man to his grave. See
the cup of poison forced to the
lips Of Socrates; see the Son of
Man in his last great agony on
Calvary; see Galileo imprisoned;
but it has never smothered a sin
gle great truth, nor extinguished a
single sound principle. IF my
views are founded upon truth and
good sense, why not let them
prevail2
Now, what are these views:
First, a limitation act giving each
man, woman and child 100 acres,
which will stop a monopoly;
curse which is over-shadowing
the country by a few men. The
best of our land is passing into
their hands, which will in the near
future imply great privation TO
those who have selected their
homes in the poorest part of the
nation. The time has come for
our government to limit the amount
of accumulation Of property.
Some one cries out, unconstitu-
tional; then the constitution will
have to be changed until such
equalization is allowed. But we
claim that the treaty of 1866, settles
the 100 acre part; because, that
was the number of acres provided
for under the treaty for the south
ern Cherokees and freedmen.
Otherwise the work of absorption
will 60 on, and the large fishes will
eat up the small ones, commencing
with the shad swallowing the min
nows, and the porpoise swallowing
the shad, etc. Has not a good
government right to say that a
few men shall not gorge themselves
on the comforts and health and life
of generations? How shall we desig-
nate such a ring? Can we say you
are brazen-faced and iron fingered,
vulture-hearted? Examine the
lithographic picture of William
Thompson, and you will see the
sharp fingers, pointed with gold,
sinking deep into the heart Of our
nationality. Lo, prostrated with the
NJ. X. q T. railroad on one side and
the Frisco on the other.
The grasping hand of an agent
in excess of all reasonable charges
Tor services. The work of fencing
up all Of the best land, implies an
infinite acreage Of Indebtedness.
Must we close our eyes, and allow
our tongues to cleaye to the roof
Of our mouths2 Who are the per-
sons who are the loudest in de-
of men, because Of their
political opinions? The stirrers-up
Of strife, the hypocritical pretend
ers Of patriotism, the caluminators
of private character, and a low
order OF men, who would not be
tolerated in decent society any
Why not look at these
things as they exist, rather than as
we would wish them to he. We
claim that such legislation is inn
portant. First, limitation; estab-
lishment of United States court
at Fort Gibson; a resident agent in
Washington which should save the
Cherokees alone over $4,000 a
year now paid out to useless
agents and delegations; the ques-
ion of who are the citizens of our
country would be forever settled.
We laugh at the idea of "Indian
Sovereignty" when we see every
lay the most conclusive relutation
lf their theories. We have seen
)ur most distinguished fellow
,itizens arrested by the United
States deputy marshals, while in
Lhe discharge OF important official
duties and taken 10 Arkansas 10 be
tried for alleged offences against
Lhe United States, committed in the |
Cherokee nation. Again, though
white man may become "A citizen of
.he Cherokee nation by marriage /
Dr adoption, the Cherokee courts
have no jurisdiction over him in a
case. viii you censure
me, il | should say, that we are
nearly without single attribute
that marks a sovereign and inde-
pendent nation or people? Judge
Caldwell holds that the United
States have ercluaiva notvar ofl