Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-11-07
two clerks and two interpreters.
n THE MESSAGE.

.
. ofthe Unltsd states and even ofhciais Of hlgl
alanding 10 take from the Cherohees. land
that we have Justly owned 40 long. We mus
aeknowiedse that The God Of The white man Il
eur ood and has. IN iils mercy. been on th'
side of the Indian that He In Ills wisdom hal
not only protected NJ A. a nation OF people Il
the ownership of our lands and In the right o
self government. but lie has caused u 10 rail-
upon our land, and II has brought forth
bountlfni harycsta for the subsistence " oui
psopele.
sYou are doubtless aware of The fact that m,
unlted states government has made q formal
proposition 20 the Cherotrea TO buy all their
landa lying west OF the Arkansas river at the
price Of ai as per acre. consisting OF somethina 4
ever q. .ooo. 900 acres. herewith submit their
proposition and my answer 10 them on ths
subject.
In The original requirement Of all our lands
veN ~ the Misslsalpri and In their removal
from their anclent homes east OF that river,
the Chsrokess were very particular In frttIng
. bona nde title 10 thsIr newly acqnlred eoun-
try. when tns United states government
proposed 20 the Cherohses their removal west
they replied that II would be useless 10 20
thersi that n would be bat . short time before
The white msn wouid be there demanding g
their new homss. "Eo. :" was The reply from
the EoternnUnt, In the pcstiesl iAnEusgs Of
that great hero. Andrew jackson. "Yoa shall
have II a. long a. grace grows and water
runs" An agreement was catered ints by
treaty stipulation that ratsnt 10 the lAnd-a
white mans tltle-shouid bo given TO the
Cherohees. The United states congress en-.
acted law In lass, ordering the president 10
Issue this patent 20 tho Cheroksea for these
Iands Accordingly Mr.. Van buren did issue
the patent which you will hnd In The vaults Of
the treasury department, which conveys these
tracts OF country-thc : 200, eco acres which lie
east Of what was then termed the ''ou,let, :"
and the outlet itself aud 90, 900 acres Known
a. the neutral lands, which the Chsrokses
paid tor After the original purchase. The two
nrst sracu amounted TO u, ,s5t. las n acres.
After psrfeetlns this title to this csuutry.
experience had taught the Cherokess that
there was an ever approaching danger among
their own people In mailing Unlawful disposl-
tlon OF their lands. or that suoh . thing was
liable TO be done, and In order TO pat stay 10
this dangerous Evil, the tenure of our lauds
was Fixed by the organic law Of the Cherokee
government--lts oonstitution-whish places n
In the hands Of the Cherokee people, where u
emphatlcaiiy aays IL shall remAin, entirely
out OF the immediate control Of the iegislatnre
40 far ~ the ahle of land is concerned. This
Ia. no doubt. a sAfs and wise policy. In my
opinion there IA bat one way BY which the
Chorokees could entertain . proposition TO
eede any portion of our countTy for the settle.
mont Of United states eitiEens. n the eonstl'
tuition Of the Cherokee nation means anythlnE
at all, II certainly means what u says about
the tenure and ownership Of our land when u
a Al. nT h.
kes people and sAys ~ shall remain 90. This
article of the consultation was changed TO
comply with the treaty OF ls60, when IL gives
tho Cherokess the right TO sllot their lands
when they see IT, But, mark you, II this
change OF tenure should be made, n stili
places the lands In the hands Of the people.
Therefore, a change In the eeaatitutlon must
be effected before the Cherokee nation could
entertain tho proposition to buy our lands
wes, OF the Arkansas river Any action on
yeur part, outside Of this fundamental pTlnei-
pie Of your government would be revolution,
which would no, only involve the safety OF
your govsrnment but your lands also. In the
formation Of tho Cherokee government every
prlneiple goes TO show that the Cherokee ma.
ten nevsr lntsn sndsd TO par, with this country.
but that it should remain the common prop
eeivs that u will be hard matter to sell Aay
portion OF our country 20 the United states
government. u NO chose 10 do 90. for the set
Element of her citizens,
Thia proposition Of the government Of the
United states TO the Cherokrcs to re-eede TO
the government this coantry ls entirely q new
one. IL proposes In part TO AbrogAte the 18th
article OF the treaty Of IseS-the right TO settle
fsiendiy Indians on these lands. amer lapse
of ever twenty ysars, aud amer the govern
ment rstreaisd nom thls privilege BY making
this proposition through an act Of congress 10
buy this country Tor other purposes. II
should certainly bs abandoned. There has
been much sAl1 about the Appraisement Of
thrss lands By the United states government
q, a.. .ls eents per acre. There IL no article In
said treaty that suthoritss an aPrralssmsnt Of
the lands In y body The arpraissment WAS
made contrary 10 treaty supulation. The
treaty provides for the Chcrokees to sell por-
tions Of tina land and give fee simple titles TO
rrisRdiy Indians that the goTsTnmsht may
SETTLE thereon. the price thereof 10 be ntsd By
the CheTokces aud Ihe indiAns 10 BE- 90 settled. |
and should the parties In Interest fail TO agree
on the price. the president of the United |
states 10 to be the umpire Aad m the price
THIS price extends only TO sueh lARds as are
sold and transferred by the chsrokees and oe- |
euplsd by friendly Indians In compact bodies, |
not 10 exceed iao acres 70 each lndiAn. aud the !
meets ard bounds definitely described. The !
same article Of treaty piAinly spsciass that all
OF aAtd lands not sold aud occupied by friend |
ly Indians shall remain In the posseasian Of
ana under the inrisdiytlon Of the Chsrokss ma
uon. To-day there IL no more restriction on
the q, ,ooo, 90 aerea OF the Cherokee laudG west
of the ArksnsAs river than there 10 on thelY
lands occupied by them cast of that river,
aimee the whole is embraced In one and the
same patent aud all belongs 60 tia Cherokss 4
people, except that which has beeh sold And
transferred TO friendly indians and for which
docds have beeR executed BY the Cherokee M. |
tiOn 10 the united stAtvs In tEnst for the
friendiy Indians. The United states govern
msnt caA take The lands Of the Cherskeea sast
81 the Arkansas river for thc.settlemsni Of her
eltiIsns, with as much property as n can take
their lands west Of that river
This is the lAsi show the Cherok ses have In |
side ef ths arisdietiun OF the United states. |
Amer the Chsroi ecs having. from time to
time, parted with over n 900 coo acrrs %
land 10 the colonies aud the United Slslsg
government since the year i5si, and where
aoN stand the proud stAtss Of the CaroliRAs,
Virginia, Georgia. Kentucky, Tennessee aud
AlAhAms, ihis remnent portlon of our once
powerful tribe certainly ahsuid be permitted
To ress on AsPot VI earth where u con have
permsnsat he'r protected from the danger VI
land pirates aud boomers who knOw no Law
except that u might Besides all this every
rlght, immuAiiy and inteFcst In this soil be- |
long 10 The thsrokse people They sho cid |
neFsr ihiak ones Of parting with it withoui |
realizing ~ fail vaius There isA elamor Of /
an uniitincipled aud Inscriptions elasa Of /
neoile who aAy shat The government wiis take |
u ifyee do not sell 10. Now l have faith Ia /
that rrend aud honora6le goVsmmcnt. tho 1
uaiied states, with zach . noble and good /
man a. heioamin Harrison AZ its head. shat |
she eannot ssoop 10 such los act a. 70 rob I