The Russellville Democrat., 1889-01-31
THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

Memorial to Congress Adopted by the
 Fort smith Conventions in Relation to the
 Condition and status Of the More or Less
 Civilized Denizens of the Indian Terri-
 tory-Allotment in Severalty and Admis-
 sion to Statehood Recommended.
 FoRT SMITH, Ark, Jan. 25.--More than two hundred delegates were present at the Indian Territory convention here yes- terdax. Each of the civilized tribes of the Indian Territory was represented. me- morial 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 h. dians, rendering their land tenure inse- cure and their condition one of semi barbarism. The country is an asylum for criminals of every kind, whose deeds of 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 severalty and invest with their full rights under treaty obliga- tions. The following resolutions were adopted:
 Rss0iufd, First-That the existence of this harbor for criminals is blot upon public nor als and n disgrace to our Government, and that the political status of the Indian Territory is q stay to the prosperity and commerce of the Southwest, and that it's perpetuity is detri- mental to the interests of the Indians.
 Seeond-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 to all lands belonging to them should be protected and their ownership made absolute, either by alloting the same in seyeralty or alloting part and selling the surplus for their benefit.
 Third-That a copy Of this preamble and res olutions be presented to Congress as memo rial
 Resotged, That in justice to the Indians in habiting the Indian Territory, and in further ance of q sound policy of promoting civilization among them, as we'll as in simple justice and fairness toward the people of the States bor- dering on said Territory, such action should be taken by the Congress of the United States as will give to the Indians of the whole Territory the benefits of the protection of the laws Of the United States Tor life, liberty and property, the same as 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 cf'NNN 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 oblect before recited and, under the laws of Congress, shall be adequate to the protection Of person and property giving to the Indians the right of election of office as IS given the in habitants Of other Territories.
 R S0iUsd, 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 or; provided that such Indian shall not by reason of so becoming a citizen, forfeit any interest he may have had thereto fore or thereafter acquired in any land or money Of his nation or tribe, and fur ther that the United States Court having civil osse54yuinti jurisdiction over the nation or tribe { ss < hiea sfseAi tAaifqE sfisj9Sky b0h fnndbeF Shall ts yese4 " 7clyii jy5 sd lt ton over Ill cases where sflfA 4n161n S5fat64ved shall not exceed st0o wherein one ofthe parties shall be citizen Of the United States whether indian or white.