Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-03-07

missioner Of Indian affairs, went
for Agent Owen, with "wordnwith
the bark on. !" in his letter Of the
18Th ult., published in the CHIEF.
TAIN Of last week. it can but be ac-
knowledged that Agent Owen was
wholly consistent with the facts in
the premises, and his duty under
the instructions ofthe commission
er. If remembered Alright, Agent
Owen was directed to notify the
Cherokee authorities, that all such
persons as were admitted to Chero-
kee rights, by the chief justice of
the Cherokee supreme court in
1870, has so been declared by the
interior department, upon an opin-
ion Of the attorney general, that
the Cherokee council had no cons
titutional right or other authority
to set aside any act OF Chief Jus.
tice Vann in the discharge OF any
duty or the exercise Of any power,
required ofhim or in him vested by
the council. If under the authority
to him delegated by the council.
Chief Justice Vann had admitted
certain North Carolina Cherokees
as citizens Of the nation, they were
certainly such without any ques-
ton Of right. Agent Owen un-
doubtedly accepted the logic Of the
situation, but knowing that not a
Watts, nor anyone else had ever
been enrolled as a North Carolina
Cherokee and as n citizen of the
Cherokee nation by Chief Justice
Vann, while he was so authorized
by law, he certainly knew none TO
whom the commissioners order
applied. There is no wonder why
the honorable commissioner ex-
claims that he''is at a loss TO under
stand the action" of Agent Owen,
when the letter of w. ]. Watts
crossed the orbit of his official op-
tics, and he learns that his order
to see the Watts generation pro-
tected in the possession of their
property, is not enforced. His Of
hcial feelings are wounded, because
his authority in the premises is
seemingly questioned by a subor-
dinate or opposed by some resist
ance on part of the nations authori-
ties. If the latter is the cause,
why the instructions have not been
carried out, Agent Owen is directed
to report the facts to the Indian
Office.
A fuss in general way should
be deprecated, but there is no mer-
it in avoiding a fuss when ones
rights are involved or an indignity
offered, or when submission n is
moved by senile prudence or con-
temptible cowafdice. II would
seem rash and foolish for the
Cherokee authorities to resist, by
an enforcement OF the nations
laws, such an order by the COM
missioner Of Indian affairs, but, if
by such means alone a reinvestiga-
ton of the claim OF the Wattses to
Cherokee citizenship can be Sc
cured, let the fuss come, even if
it should cost the nation thousands
Of dollars. A fair and full inves-
tigation Of the rights Of the Watts
es to citizenship need not be fear
ed, and should not be by either
party 20 this trouble. That is all |
the nation wants, and whatever
The result is pr oven to be, after
careful examination of the grounds
Of complaint, there will be no fur
Lher objection to the Wattses be-
ng recognized as Cherokee citizens,
4 found to be so entitled.
Agent Owen is entitled TO the
gratitude of the Cherokee people,
4 his apparent noncompliance to
he order OF the commissioner of
indian affairs, TO apply its benefits
o the Wattses, as North Carolina
Cherokees, and enrolled as eiti.
ems of the Cherokee nation by
chief Justice Vann, will lead to a
einvestigation of the matter. He
ertainly deserves credit for not
arrying out blindly an order that
5 not in the support Of right and
ustico.