Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-09-12


space allowed me in this paper TO
givo you q full statement Of all
the work done for you in this
case. / went TO Washington i'm.
mediately after n,y appointment
by your committee aud | was pres
ent at every session of congress
between that date and the present,
urging your matter for congrcs.
sional action. In the meaBtime l
also made number OF trips 70
your country to get further infor-
nation and evidence and to con-
fer with your committee as to the
proper course to adopt. Your
committee for a time advanced me
a little money for expenses, but
as congressional act on was neces.
sarily slow a great many Of your
people lost faith in the case and
refused TO put up any further
money and / had 10 advance my
personal funds until they became
exhausted, and then had to call
on my friends for assistance to en-
able me TO put the case though for
you. Altogether the amonnt ex-
pended on your behalf was about
$4,000. Assistance had to be
employed by me at Washington,
but no legal assistance whatever
was rendered to me by anyone
from the territory. Believing it
would be but right and proper that
the Cherokees should pay the fec
and expenses incurred for estab-
| fishing your claim for that of
which they had deprived you,
presented to congress a request Of
this kind and finally succeeded after
several months extra labor, and
on the recommendation OF the sec
retary Of the interior, in inducing
congress to allow about one half OF
the fees and expenses in the case
and charge 20 the Cherokees.
After working in the case several
years and finally succeeding, much
| 10 my surprise | find a claim filed
for a portion of the money appro-
I priated by congress for services by
an individual representing him
self as your attorney. This is the
FIRST time in the history of the
case in which he has appeared up
on the scene as your representa-.
tive, or making any pretences OF
representing You. | have search
cd carefully all the record evidence;
| have interviewed hundreds OF
your number, and can find no evil
dence of whatever nature of his
employment by any Of you in con.
nection with this matter, nor can
| find that he has done any work
in the case whatever. His first
and only action seems to be his
+. present claim for a portion of the
fee. | want 10 caution each and
every one Of You to be on your
guard and not allow yourselves to
be entrapped into the signing of
any paper Of whatsoever nature,
T. by which Won will acknowledge
anyone as your attorncr or repre-
sentative except myself | can
and will do all further work for
you which may be necessary in
, this case. Come 10 me and 7 will
give you all the information neees.
sary 10 enable you ta -e..s,5,isct 1.''.- the
money---LLIa-ss--'5c Commissioner an.
Z bOiujed by the secretary Of the in
terror to distribute the fund, has
4 published notices OF the times and
/ places Of holding his court. / will
/ De with him constantly, and will
be glad 10 sec any OF you at alv
time and explain more fully the
case than ! can in newspaper arti-
cles. Twill also explain To any Of
you, If you want 10 know, what
your rights arc under the act Of
/ 1856.
Bear in mind that tho p ossage
Of this act by congress has estab.
lished your status rs being enti-
tied TO all the rights and priyilcg-
es Of native Cherokees. and also
bear in mind that it will be neccs-
sary for you TO appear in the COM
missionor's court and assert and
prove your rights there in order
that you may be entitled not only
TO your share Of the present, but
also any future distribution that
may be made This entities you
70 your interest in all the fChero-
kee lands, amounting to millions
Of acres, also 10 your share of the
great amount OF money held by
the government in trust. But on
ly such Of you will be entitled to
these rights and privileges as ap-
pear In the commissioners court
and establish your identity and
claim. II will be necessary for
you TO present proof 10 establish
your identity. If you do not ap-
pear now you will be forever barr
ed from sharing ir me righ Is
which have finally been conceded
to you after many years of waiting
and struggling.
l am exceedingly gratfied to
know that during ali these years in
which Al attempt was being made
to deprive you OF your rights, that
not at any time did you attempt 70
transgress the law but remained q
quiet and law abiding people con-
fdent in the expectation that you
would finally receive what was
justly due you. / hope and ex-
pcct Of you that you will continue
in this quiet and peaceable course,
remembering that this action on
part ofcongress has not lessened
the rights OF the native Cherokees
and that they still have all the
rights they formerly had, but it
nnmnala lhnIn IN shnrn lLDao ,uiAL