Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-07-17
\ CHARACTERISTIC LETTER.
Green Brier Joe Writes OF the 4th
and of Other Things.

over our nation and the people
of Martins valley join in the
howl, "Hooraw for the 4th Of
July" Now my friends, this 4th
of July business shows US Indians
in a way that cannot be mistaken,
that the white man has cut his
blame dog loose and we as a ma
ton are afraid TO tangle with him.
The Attn of July was celebrated in
the valley with a vengeance.
There were no speeches of any
kind delivered; not that we lacked
the orators-they were here by
the wagon load-but we did not
care to lose the time in listening
to speeches over i hundred years
old; how the fathers fought, bled
and died to set up the stars and
stripes that our tall sycamore,
Judge Tom Burlington, a full
blood Cherokee Indian, was Sc
lected to pack at the 4th Of July
celebration at Vinita. We Indians
know what took place when the
thirteen colonies became inde-
pendent and we know what has
been taking place ever since, and
just what is happening at the
present moment, for the whites
will roll on with their 4ths until
Poor L0 is no more.
We met at an early hour on the
west bank of Grand river, in the
grand old Green Brier bottom and
commenced at once to celebrate.
The music was fine, the stand be-
ing just at the edge of the noble
old river, and as the music rolled
out Of the instruments and fell up
on the waters it became more soft
and mellow and as the sound
would die away in the distance It
would make you feel like you was
on the road to heaven, and If |
ever 60 there l want to 90 by way
of Grand river and take Green
Brier bottom along with me. The
dancing was just splendid, and
every lady was dressed for God
sake. We celebrated until y
O'Clock and then we spread down
on the bosom of our good old
mamma and went to self-baiting.
We laid out roast beef, roast NUT
ton, roast pork, fried squirrel,
fried chicken and good old Grand
river fried fish. We baited for an
hour and l thought in my soul
that some Of them would not be
able pack the bait around so live
| ly on the dancing floor, for they
baited so lively, don't you see,
but when the music pealed forth,
the bait was toated around all the
same. The celebration moved
steadily on until night threw her
mantle over the grand old bottom,
the birds went to sleep, the fish
enveloped themselves in the deep,
and the celebrators moved out in
to the valley to the house of Mr..
Lamm, where they once more
flashed the fantastic toe hard
against the floor until the "wee
sma' hours"
Now my Cherokee friends, don't
you see that the dog is cut loose,
and that we as a nation are afraid
to tangle with him? Now what is
best for the nation to do? / an
swer for myself, let us claim part
in the dog; allot our lands and
then we can hoop up our dog and
run boldly in the big pack. open
mouthed and unmuzzled, yelping
as keenly as any Of them. If
there is any other way to save our
country. please tell it to me. /
read Assistant Chief Sam Smiths
address at the big meeting on
Fourteen Mile creek. He hinged
on the compact; BE held TO it as a
\ drowning man would hold to a
snag; he was awfully afraid Mayes
and the balance of mankind would
forget the compact; he lost sight
of everything but the compact; he
said he stood pat on the compact.
and according to my way Of think
ing that is about all he viii do
he will be left, he and his COM
pact-but then you know he will
be standing on the thing. He said
but few words touching our land;
he said in ten years we would
need every foot of our land.
That's just what I say and say
the way to have it when we need
it is 70 take it now, for if we wait
ten years we viii then find that
we will have no share in the big
dog that is now cut loose and that
we are afraid to tangle Up with,
for fear we viii be badly worried.
/ IL We were not afraid To fannla nm