Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-08-18

iDIt ~ hUOuiO DC AoWtOt w hohiO'c
any intruder from the Indian Ter
ritory who went there subsequent
to 1856 he should be paid for all of
his Improvements by the Cherokee
Nation before the removal took
place.
1t seems to me there can be no
very great wrong done these in
truders when they are protected by
such law. There is no crying
demand that l can see why an in
vestigation should be made into
the circumstances under which
these people have gone there
when they can not be removed un-
less they are there in violation of
right, aud when they will be paid
the full value of their improve.
nents, TO be assessed by three ap-
praisers to be appointed by the
President of the United States, be-
fore they can be put out of the
Cherokee Nation.
As | said moment ago, | know
nothing about the pending resolu-
tion, and | do not know that |
care anything about it; but l
think it is due to the Senate that
the facts should be understood as
TO how it is proposed in the report
made by the Committee on Indian
Affairs that the intruders shall be
treated. Just before the Senator
from Connecticut [Mr. Platt1 left
the Senate he made a report which
seems to me to be elaborate and
full upon this very question of the
ratification of the Cherokee agree
ment, and recommends that it be
ratified with certain amendments
which are proposed, the one ]
have stated among others.
Mr.. Perkins. Will the Senator
from Arkansas permit question ?
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas. Certain
ly.
Mr.. Perkins. | should like to
ask the Senator il the Cherokees,
or the representatives OF the Cher
okees who are here, have not said
to the committee, and said public
ly, that if the amendment to the
agreement suggested by the Sena.
tor from Arkansas was made they
would not accept the bill ?
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas. | have
no doubt the Cherokees have made
such statements. My observation
is that they are shrewd traders, and
If they can increase the price to be
paid to them by the Government
by making a show of resistance to
its ratification l have no doubt
they will do it but at the same
time, am perfectly satisfied that
they will agree to the change
proposed by the Senate.
Mr.. Butler. Mr.. President, per-
haps it Is proper that | should
make a statement in view of what
has already been said by gentle
men on both sides OF this question.
At the last session Of Congress
the committee, of which l had the
honor to be chairman, were in
structed to proceed TO the Indian
Territory and investigate quite a
number Of subjects which were re-
garded at that time as, extremely
important to the Indians and to
the Government. | found it i'm
possible to procure the assistance
OF he committee and therefore had
to abandon il. But | wish to say
in connection with this matter that
this is one of the subjects which
that committee intended to inquire
into. 1t has been a matter of dis
pute and controversy and anxiety
between the Indians and the Gov
ernment for a number of years, the
Indians on the one hand claiming
that these people are intruders, and
they on the other claiming that
they are there by invitation and
because they have acquired the
right of citizenship, etc.
l think the Senate will find that
when we come to ratify the agree
ment between the Cherokee In.
dians and the government this very
matter will be a serious stumbling
block. After conversation with
the delegates of the Cherokees in
Washington | know that they are
not content at all with having the
agreement modified as suggested
by the Senator from Arkansas. !
think it is due TO the Cherokee In
dians and due to the Government,
under the obligation which the
Government has assumed, that
these people should be dealt with
fairly and equitably and honestly
There can be no doubt in my
mind, after a very thorough inves-
tigation, that the intruders ought
to be expelled from that territory
| am not prepared TO agree with
the Senator from Arkansas that il
ought TO be done at the price he
states. However, that is a ques-
tion which it is now unnecessary
to raise but | do insist that this
is one Of the most important ques-
tions for investigation and the
procurement Of evidence in order
that the Senate may act intelli'
gently when we come to pass upon
the agreement.
therefore hope that the resolu-
tion will pass without regard "a
who goes on the committee OF
who does not.
The resolution was finally agreed
to and Senators Perkins, Butler,
and Higgins, the latter of New
Jersey, were appointed as the com
mittee.