The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-01
.o,,Dc and ambitious Indians

schemes 10 open up the TERRITORY anu N''
.',Io,ha l,,ia are mentioned in his pres
ence He says that he remembers 'u"'e
c,rcot many vears ago, when be was young
The AGENTS of the United states cams
among the Creeks in Alabama anu MUS
fine nromiscs as 20 what the government
would do II the Creeks would agree 20
have their lands allotted. The CFeeNS
did agree, but it was only little Whiio ~" VA,
iii the PROMISES were broken and the triDs
was forced TO emigrate across the ni99'
sippi 10 the lands It holds now. Olu Tsp
he-char SAYS he remembers the MONIES ."
Alabama. and he remembers thaJ nun
dreds of his people persisted on thaD long
pilgrimage OF many years ago 10 the ne"
country in the wilderness. How, ne asks
can he look with confidence upon inns ne"
plan to allot the lands2
Is-pa-he-char's constant companion IA
Washington is Colonel c. w Grayson.
lie. too. is Creek. and he is also here as
delegate representing the tribe IN matters
before congress- and tho departments.
Grayson is tall and straight rs an arrow
lie was in the Confederate army ouHny
tho war. and was in command Of p native
ro,,iment He was 2 dashing and brave
oficer it is said. and the fact that he and
Is-pa-he-char were on opposite SIDES during
the great conflict. does not in the least IN
terfere with their friendship now. Gray
son was educated in the schools at home ln
the territory and i'm Arkansas, and Is one
Of the leading men among the Greeks. lie
* a merchant Mt Muscogoe, while his COM
nanion. Is-pa-he-char, lives out in the coun-
try near that place on biz plantation OK
his own.
One Of the best known Indians from the
territory is l.. g. Bell, OF Niuita. Tie Is
member of the Cherokee legislature, and
Is known at home as "lIooley" Bell lie
Is the Yankee Of his tribe, and is described
by one of his friends rs being smart az o
steel trap" one time q congressional
committee engaged in s0lemnly inyestigat-
ing the Indian problem had Hooley upon
the stand and the chairman asked:
"Afr. Bell. what do You do FOR livingW
Hoolev looked at the amiabie statesman
from Massachusetts, I'm aQuizzical way and
replied
Various things 1practice law q httle
run for Office occasionally farm some, now
and then take "a hand at poker ana never
miss d horse race if can get go &c."
Hooley was born i'm Georgia lie was
educated mt Fowler institute IN Texas
where Congressman Kilgore was student
at the same time. He also took course
I'm Cane Hill college in Arkansas ne
came home from the Confederate army 10
find IT, necessary 90 go to work. The Ohef-
okee Nation had freed all of his forty
slaves. Il is not generally known that the
Cherokeos led OH lin the emancipation
movement In this country. by legal en-
actment that nation declared all negroes
owned bv Cherokces TO be free shortly by
fore President Lincoln issued his famous
proclamation.
Georae Sanders. who used 10 be one Of
the Cherokee delegates here, still visits the
capital occasionally. Tie owns farm ma
the Arkansas vallcy, and - one or tho
members of the Cherokee senate. his in-
dian name is S0ggy. lie reads and writes
his own language, but when 10 comes ia
talking English lac has 10 rely upon an IA
terpreter He is very sensible Indian.
Not long ago the delegates of the j lFeiiF-
ilized Tribes, who were then in Wishing
ton. invited some other Indians 10 their
weekly council The visitors were mostly
Chippewas and Sioux from the northwest.
They went back 10 their old customs and
came 10 the council I'm blankets and feath-
ors and paint. SOggy was disguised. Be
fore any Of his associates knew what no
had I'm mind. he took the floor and began 10
lecture the guests. Soggy weighs about
300 mounds. and be can bee very serious or
very funny, MS he picases. On this occasion
be did not wait for the ceremony of passing
around the pipe and the fire water, but
stepping out In front of the blanketod In
dians he said, with long pauses between
his words
NO more buffalo, no more deer' Then,
pointing to tho garb Of the visitors. ho
shook his head and in tone Of contempt
exclaimed.
Blankets no good-feathers no good
paint Ugh"
he suddenly changed bis manner 10 ono
Of earnest advice, and going through an
elaborate pantomime said
"miuns must work-plOw mise corn
mow-cattle-ge fat-good clothes"
With that S0ggy made "a sweeping gos-
ture which included his companion dele
gates, aud then he laughed till bis great
sides shook the visiting Indians looked
ashamed, thoughtful and amused, all no
the same time, while the delegates gazed
upon Soggy in astonishmenJ. Ii was his
first Grafton In English.
Once while Soggy was in the senate Of
his nation the question arose whether
10000 which had been paid into the Cher
okee treasury should be divided per capita
or set apart for school purposes. Soggy
took the side of the schools, and he said
in his own tongue:
cone day "A white man came 10 my own
house. He said 10 me. Have you any corn
20 sell" Not knowing English could not
understand l thought maybe he was
asking for the next house. pointed the
direction Then he said 10 me, I'm give
You one dollar bushel' Now / had corn
TO sell, and would have been glad 10 get
fifty cents. But ! thought perhaps he
wanted TO know how lar d. was 10 the next
+ house, SO pointed again and said, "A mile
and Il half' So De went off, ! don't want
/ my children 60 grow up like me. unable b.
I sell their corn because they don't know
/ English. | ana in favor az using tina,
/ $4,000 10 build the school,
Many other Indians are beginning "a
share the wise Soggy's views. Most of the
/ Indian delegates who visit the capital ~.
cry session are well educated. and they arc
earnest advocates of the education Of their
young people 40 home. Not "a few of tho
advanced Indians begin 10 talk Of "a terri
! torial government for the five civilized
tribes in The Indian Territory, and they
look ahead 90 asoyercigu siateOf their own
in the future They expect their people