Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-05-03
Nh. wlrTs LaLIE TALKS.
lie Relies Mainly Upon the Action or Judge Vans
aud the Department.

Mr.. WATTS AGAIN TALKS.
NV "''''' AA"'I opVs '"e A''O" " '"us' 'aA"
NV DePN'''
MuLDuow, CnKnoKEE NATION, April 10, 1sss.
DEAR CnfgTTAfH:-As You have go kindly
opened the columns Of your paper for an ex &.
change Of views In the eitIEenship question,
by such means you say we and the nation Will
better undcrstand each other, and will
show by what right We are here
In discussing this question will oonnne
myself strictly to tho facts in the case and
most respectfully ask Of you to do the Sans,
remembering at all times that the mass or
Cherokee people will not accept more asser-
tion. for facts. Now. to answer your lrst
question-by what right we are here's
First.-Iecause we are Cherokee Indians
by blood and descent. end We have proven
II by a demonstration, satisfactory TO all un-
biased persons and 10 the satisfaction OF the
supreme court Of the Cherokee nation. For
proof refer you 10 the records on nle in the
honorable commissioners ofiee;At Washington
and 10 the Certificate OF Judge J. 8. vAnn.
chief Justice Of the supreme court At that time
in whose truth and integrity every honorable
Cherokee Indian In this nation had the ut
most confidence. srd we are here by treaty
rights. Ah.-Ws have complied with the de
eision Of the supreme court OF tho United
States long before the decision was rendered
by coming to,this nation and Identifying our
selves. Ofcourse some will say, "By whom
did we establish this fact P' The same re-
cords In the case as above referred to will an
swer this question. 5th.-Wo are held here
BY an order Of the Interior department and
protected from any violation whatever BY the
Cherokee authority. The same records refer
red to will establish this fact. Gth.-I will
further add that the power exercised by the
several citizenship courts since ls72 and the
rulings that have been practieed and tried to
be enforced .ay the Cherokee authorities are
without precedent, in-so-mueh that tho mass
OF the thinking people In this nation and the
Interior department have lost confidence in the
competency to try and determine the rights OF
this class OF persons. For proof Of this fact !
will only refer you TO the history and records
ofthe different eourts'on citizenship. But now
TO The history oftho Watts case: II isa con-
eeded fact by ono and all that we are Indians,
but one will say, not Cherokee Indians. Well.
Will only refer you TO the proof In the case.
which is most conclusive and we'll connected
with the Watts generation, whose names ar-
pear on the different rolls and reports since
l'Sl. Reference the peace treaty OF 1871 and
lsOa, report or General Wool. 1873, and the
rolls OF lSH' In which nine or ten ofthe watts
Warriors' names can be found, and 10 IL an evil
dent fact that the whole Watts family runs
back to the full blood Cherokee family. We
moved Into this nation In lS7l. How did we
come one viii ask9 We went directly 90
Iahlequah there made ourselves known 10
Lewis Downing, then principal chief and
Hon. Robert Daniels assistant chief, and 9TH
er leading men OF this nation at that time,
where we were received cordially and were
made to feel At home. With this assurance
and the deuiaion ofths supreme court In our
favor we certainly felt as though we were Ai
nome among our own people. We then pur-
chased Improvements OF other citizens,
paid Tor and enlarged them, expendlng thou
sands OF dollars In htting mp comfortable
homes for ourselves and families, and lol Il
was then discovered that there was n very
large family Of US aud TO give rs all homes
was too much, although We were Cherokees
Then the cry OF Intrusion was raised, whicl
has never ceased yet, and repeated Efforts hAv
been made since that time TO have th
Wattses removed by the United states govern
mont, and their homes oondseated. Had Il NO
been for the strong arm OF the United state
government Justly enforced by the officers q
the interior department. no doubt the Watt
family and hundreds OF others would have
been kicked out OF this nation and some BIZ
Injin theap)-would to-day be enjoying th
benefits OF our hard earnings. But back :
our subject. After quoting the decision Q
the supreme court OF tho United States In th
ault ofthe North Carolina Cherokees Agains
this nation, which ls familiar 20 every sehoo
boy. you say the Cherokees did have q right 4
determine who were lite citizens. You furthei
Say that the honorable commissioner OF lRdiA
Affairs surrendered the right as far as Chero
kee blood is concerned. While that is true
will refer you 10 the positive instruction
given to Judge wyly, ID. W. Bushyhssd an
Agent owen by tho honorable commission Il
communication some time last spring, d
regard to applicants who were rejected by TN
Cherokee courts. Besides, another deeiaion
Will refer yen TO the notice served on Mr.
Bushyhead by tho secretary OF interior som
time last April, which reads like thisi IA
tsrm,n.,ion q, ,s,si,,s ,,,e a. a.. 80. saa," a
not see that any action Is necessary on IN