Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-31
The INDIAN TERRITORY.

q aeuorfaI to Congress Adopted by the
Fort smith Conventionsn Relation TO the
Co ,tiition and status OF the More or Ice -
Civilized Denizens of the Indian Terri
t0ry-AIlotmenti In Severalty and Admts-
sion to Statehood Recommended.
FoRr SIXTH. Ark. Jan. %. More than
two hundred delegates were present at
the Indian Territory convention here yes
terday Each of the civilized tribes OF the
Indian Territory was represented. A me-
mortal to Congress was adopted setting
forth that the Indian Territory Is an
anomaly in the United States, and its po-
litical and tribal status Is an obstruction
to civilization and detrimental to the In
dams. rendering their land tenure lnse-
cure and their condition one or SEMI
barbarism. The country is an asylum for
criminals of every kind. whose deeds or
crime and violence make its name by
word and reproach and the Indians are
the victims OF designing whites, carrying
with them the vices without the virtues
of civilization.
No intention is expressed TO deprive the
Indians of their rights, but rather to allot
them their lands by seyeralty and invest
with their full rights under treaty obllga-
tons. The following resolutions were
adopted:
Rasotred First-That the existence OF this
maroon IOr CRIMINALS Is q DloS upon puoAC uAoA-
ais and a disgrace TO our Government and thaS
the political status of the Indian Territory Is q
stay the prosperity and commerce OF the
Southwest, and that its perpetuity Is detri-
mental to the interests of the Indians
Second-That the Indian Territory should be
admitted as a State into the Union; that the
Indians should be made citizens Of the
United States, and that their rights 10 an
lands belonging to them should be protected
and their ownership made absolute either oy
alloting the same in seyeraity or alloting
part and selling the surplus for their beneht.
Thrd-That copy OF this preamble and res
olutions be presented TO Congress as a memo
rial.
Resotrsd, That in justice to the Indians in
habiting the Indian Territory, and in further
ance of a sound policy of promoting civilization
among them, as well as in simple justice and
fairness toward the people OF the States bor-
dering on said Territory, such action should De
taken by the Congress Of the United States as
viii give TO the Indians of the whole Territory
the benefits of the protecuon OF the laws OF
the United States for life, liberty and
property, the same accorded 10 the
inhabitants OF other Territories. and at
the same time give to the citizens OF
the States the same rights and offer
them the same legal remedies accorded by law
to them in other Territories of the United
States: that to that end such court or courts as
are contemplated by the treaties OF 1886, with
the usual jurisdiction of the United States
courts should be at once established and such
Territorial government be provided for said
Territory as may be deemed necessary to effect
the object before recited, and. under the laws
OF Congress. shall be adequate 10 the protection
of person and property, giving to the Indians
the right of election of office given the in
habitants of other Territories.
r s1irsd, That We recommend that Congress
provide by law that any Indian who has
adopted the manners and customs OF civilized
life may be admitted to citizenship by taking
an oath before any United States Court to sup
port the Constitution of the United States and
to faithfully demean himself as citizen there
of: provided, that such Indian shall not. by
reason of becoming a citizen, forfeit
any interest he may have had thereto
fore thereafter acquired in any
land or money of his nation or tribe, and fur
Their, that the United States Court having civil
or criminal jurisdiction over the nation or tribe
OF which such Indian SO becoming a citizen may
be member shall be vested with civil iurisdic-
ton over all cases where the amount involved
shall not exceed 800 wherein one of the parties
shall be citizen Of the United States whether
Indian or white.