Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-02-20

IN the way OF civilization, and like
the vineyard in the scriptures, we
had to take II whether the owners
consented or not.
Mr.. president, more than half a
century ago the Cherokee nation
surrendered an empire in Georgia,
Alabama, and Mississippi, where
they were rightfully established,
and were located beyond the Miss
issippi liz a region as remote as
Alaska is to-day from New York,
under the solemn pledge and
promise Of the United States, with
every sanction that could be at
tached, that they should be pro.
tected and defended in that posses
sion SO long as grass should grow
and water run and time should en-
dure.
Not only did they hold that res
eryation by ordinary treaty stipu-
lation, but the United States gov
ernment gave them a parchment
title to it. 1t was written out, so
many acres of land, by such and
such metes and bounds, upon parch-
ment, and there were attached to
it the seal and sign manual
of the executive officers of the
government. tits a title that is as
sacred, guaranty that is as bind
ing as that by which any man in
this body holds the title to his
home or to his homestead. There,
sir, fifteen or twenty thousand peo-
pie have since that time lived in
the pursuit of the arts OF peace and
in the enjoyment Of the institu-
tons Of civilized life. They are
not sayages and barbarians; they
have a system oflaws Of their own;
they have literature oftheir own;
they have an alphabet and Ian
guage of their own; they publish
newspapers in their own language;
they educate the young Of both
sexes IN schools and colleges of
the highest grade. Chosen youths
from these institutions are annual
ly sent to receive the benefits of
the highest education in the col.
leges Of New England and the
east.
Mr.. President, when those peo-
pie under that guaranty from the
government of the United States
thus occupying that land haye
solved The problem Of civilization,
with their own laws and jurisdic- /
hon, with their own literature,
with their own civil and education
al institutions. are we to be told |
that because we are 81, 900, 900 and |
they are $1,000 or 10000, we have
a right to take possession of their
property because white men want
y? ] say not. Mr.. President;
BAY not. They have established
spme claim to recognition ms a de.
bondent civilized nation to whom
We are under the most solemn OBJ
legations of plighted faith They
ire not dependent upon the gov
,rnment OF the United States.
They are not blanketed and roam
ng tribes. They have millions of
money in our treasury upon which
We are paying them annually the
interest that belongs to them. We
make no appropriations for their
upport. They are capable Of
elt-government. They pay more
per capita out of their
iwn resources for the education of {
heir young Of both sexes than is
aid sir by the people Of your state I
Mr.. Hale in the chair] or of mine.
Yet we are told in this highest
tribunal that represents the con- !
cience and the convictions of the !
american people, that because |
here is q clamor for more land ,
re have a right to say to these
eople, we need your territory 4
nd you have got to sell it to us for q
'hateyer we see fit to give you
has been said so here. The
snator from Massachusetts, TMr. =
Iawes asks me who says that. g
has been repeatedly intimated p
this debate to-day that the title &
these Indians has got to be re- |
and they might as we'll
lderstand it now as at any time; n
Id when any man stands here b
: elsewhere and demands justice Ii
r these people we ere tainted h
lth the idea that behind us stalks O
e cattle baron or the monopoly p
the ring, and that there is some n
mister, culpable. and corrupt de- c,
sn that protects these people in ei
e enjoyment oftheir rights. HI
/ protest against it, Mr.. Presi- fu
mt. 1t is the enunciation of a ca
'ctrine which shocks the moral 70
nse of mankind, that when OF
, have been endeavoring here for st
o centuries and a half to settle ar
e Indian question, when we &
We been instructed that the th