Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-30
ORDERS TO VACATE.
Secretary Noble on the Chero-
kee Strip Matter.
VERY PLAIN TALK TO THE INDIANS


Dicser-Mr. 10 Given to Understand
That the Government Is Sovereign and
Others Must Stand Aside.
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct S0.-Secr etary
Noble has addressed long letter TO Gov
ernor Fairchild, chairman of the Cherokee
commission, on the Cherokee strip and the
cattlemeu. He charges the Cherokee Strip
Livestock association with attempting to
thwart the benefcent purposes of the gov
eminent, and reaches the CONCLUSION that the
syndicate proposes to outbid the United
States for these lands, and 10 enter the arena
as citizens contending with the Ma
tional government The secretary insists
that the cattle syndicate falls within the law
prohibiting citizens from making leases with
the Indians; that leases of the Cherokee
outlet are unlawful and Illegal, and that the
president has authority to declare invalid the
agreements or leases for grazing purposes,
and to remove all unauthorized persons from
the reservation whenever their presence 10
believed to bs detrimental to the peace and
wei fare of the Indians.
The Cattle Company Denounced.
In concluding his letter the secretary says:
| at therefore appears that the proposition of
! the United States is not only fair but munifi-
cent, while the title to the use even by the
Cherokees is precarious and liable to be de-
feated utterly; that the cattle syndicate has
| no authority to make lease such as pro-
| posed and by its evident endeavor TO rival
and defeat the government on which it de-
| ponds, It fOrfeits ali claims to in1ulgent
consideration, and can and ought to be ex-
| pelied from the outlet, particularly as its
| offers will not, on their face or on the facts,
! hear comparison with those of the govern
ment.
| The Word with the Bark On
| Il therefore announce to you, in order
| that you may communicate it without de-
| Law to the chief of the Cherokee nation, and
through him to the council and people Of
said nation, that in my opinion those who
propose TO make leases with the Cherokee
nation for grazing upon the Cherokee outlet
do so with the knowledge expressly conveyed
by the secretary OF the interior to them, as
well as to the Cherokee nation, that such
leases are unauthorized ami void
that the interference by offer of what are
| deemed future and eNtrsvagant payments TO
| the Cherokee nation, to be made by certain
persons who have started up with their prop
ositon since the Congress of the United
States determined to negotiate with the
CheroSees, gives occasion for the govern
ment to consider the propriety of laying its
hands upon these citizens acting in defiance
OF law and against the public interests, and
to restrain them from proceeding further in
this direction
The Cattiemen Must Get Out.
And it is now deemed that any such
lessees should lie compelled 70 leave said
outlet with their property on or before the
LIST OF June next, IT being deemed proper not
to fix the time earlier, that they may escape
without injury or suffering to their cattle
and herds that it is deemed, in place of the
future payments of a transient corporation,
to be 10 the best interests of the Cherokee
people, judged by any standard, to receive
at the bands OF the government fund as
the price OF this land, without regard to the
question as TO whether they have a legal
title to il OF not, the interest on which will
give them a steady, reliable, and abundant
amount for their Improvement and further
advancement in civilization
No Claims Made, hut Nothing Waived.
"No calm Is hereby made to authority &c
take these lands at this time BY any title
claimed 10y the United States, but nothing
is waived hereby, and said title, if found tC
exist, as il is believed it does, will be as.
serted if the circumstances OF the American
people require that IT should be; nothing i.
waived hereby as to the right Of the United
States, upon the executive order Of the pres
ident, TO transfer to the Cherokee outlet any
tribes it may be deemed best To settle there
Cherokees VIII Take Notice.
Nothing more Is sought by these state
ments and suggestions than that the Cher.
okees may recogn "a the sovereignty anG
presence Of the United States authority
dealing with them, as with all others with
in its territory, in a spirit Of fairness but
not TO be trified with through the smbit ioT
or designs Of particular individuals ethel
, citizens or Others; that the advance OF tn,
Cherokees, the great number OF white mer
among them tnany Of whom are yet citizens
of the United States, and the ability he
, leved to exist in their council to fully un
derstand the authority OF the United States
as we'll as the rights Of their own nation
will lead the government. in dealing will
them, to indulge in no extraordinary len
isncy, which might be due to some less in
telligent and less powerful body, but accord
ing to the strict letter OF the law, and on
lin OF policy which the United States has
the right TO assert for the benefit Of its or
own people, as well as through consideration
for the peace and prosperity Of the Chero
KEGS themselves
Uncle sam viii Suit Himself
J. If the Cherokses do not wish to sell, the,
are al liberty to keep their lands under tn
broad lurdens resting thereon in favor c
the United States, unless the United State
sees fit hereafter to assert i;s right by So
| perior title; and that the Chsroksss shall re
| ceive, under any circumstance, the sam
indulgence and generous treatment at th
hands of the government and its officers tina
they have heretofore and so long en- joyed