Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-11-10
RnsoLuTIoNs 4 AND s.
A Retraotion Demanded or "a
Broadside Promised.

Mr.. EDIToR;-In continuing the
discussion Of the Vinita resolu.
tions, | propose TO put ex-senator
Bell on the dissecting table as the
subject of my next article unless
he comes out in your next issue
with an ample apology for calling
the authors of those resolutions
traitors; we demand retraction OF
the language in his Claremore
speech, and unless this is forth
coming we shall turn our battery
loose on him in your next issue.
As the ex-senator is lawyer and
understands the force and power
of language we presume that he
meant what he said and said what
he meant If not, then an apology
is in order. We had always rather
say something good Of a man than
anything bad; soft words turn away
wrath. We pass to the consider
alton of the 4th and 5th resolutions
of the Vinita series:
We are in the most anomalous
condition of any nation on earth
We are now paying about $24O, 900
taxes to the general government
without having word TO say
about its disposition. We are
taxed without our consent; we have
paid in the last twenty years not
less than $500, 900 to the United
States government, to say nothing
of the taxes TO our own govern
ment But whose fault is it2 All
our own 1t is not the fault Of
the United States government; il
is not the fault Of our forefalhers
for they provided by treaty sipu
lation for your representation on
the floor of congress. The United
States have wooed and beseeched
you for lilty-seven years to take
your place in the American con
gress in order that your rights
might be better protected, but you
have spurned your rights and re-
jected the teachings Of your fore.
fathers, and have suffered your.
selves to be taxed without repre-
sentation and have spent millions
OF dollars to keep from doing what
your forefathors provided you
should do, by sacred treaty stipu-
lations. Your Rosses, your Adairs,
your Boudinots, your Benges,
would have adorned a seat in the
halls of legislation, but you have
recklessly thrown away your OPP
and sold your birth
right for mess of pottage 1t is
said that "the mills Of the gods
grind slowly but they grind ex-
ceeding fine" and "Whom the
gods would destroy they first make
mad " Let us then arouse from
our lethergy and avert the male
dlction of high heaven for failing
to take advantage Of our opportun-
tiles; let us not be taxed without
representation. There are other
interests outside your own that
demand it; there are more white
people in the territe.ry than In
dians; their interest demands it;
our interest demands it, and il we
do not move in that direction they
will This territory cannot exist
in the very heart Of the United !
States-in the very gateway Of
commerce. with a population Of |
over 800, 600 with all their multi
piled interests-without represen
tation in congress. We must have |
1t; we cannot get along without it.
Our judicial system is an outrage;
we are denied the right of trial by !
a jury Of the Vicinage; in criminal |
our citizens are transported |
beyond our jurisdiction and tried !
by juries Of our neighboring states
for alleged ofienses; these things
ought not to be. 1t is a reflection
upon our Intelligence and advance
ment in civilization that it is so.
More anon,
NED BuNTLIN.