Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-03-18
THE FIVE NATIONS.
Impossible For the presest Conditions TO
Continue-An Important Address.

Impossible Fer the Presest Conditions to
Continue-An Important Address.
Nc ALEsrER, ]. r., March 15.--Somc
days ago Washington dispatch re.
ferred to circular letter addressed to
the five civilized tribes by the delegates
lately convened in Washington. This
letter, or u copy of it, is now in the
hands each OF the principal chiefs of
the five tribes and will soon be made
public This is the letter:
Hon. C. j. Harris, Principal Chief OF the Chero.
kee nation; Hon. william Jones, Principal
Chief OF the Choctaw nation; Hon Legus c.
Perryman, Principal Chief OF the Muskogeo
nation; Hon. John Il. Brown. Principal Chief
of the Seminole nation; Hon Jonas Wolf,
Governor OF the Chickasaw naton
WASHINGTON, Feb. % l--Gentlcmen:
We, the undersigned delegates and citizens by
blood OF the nations you represent. and other
Indian people domcied In the milan territory,
after repeated conferences and organized meet.
ings, wherein full discussions were held. have
by an unanimous vote resolved that IL was our
solemn and sacred duty 10 advise you, the
principal chiefs and heads OF governments,
and through you our people, OF grave dangers
now threatening our political and property
rights. Heretofore we have been threatened
with bills In congress, violative OF our treaties
and 1t was only necessary 10 prove the conflict
with treaty rights
Now we find new condition In that oui
treaty rights are admitted, but being acknowl'
edged, we ore told on every hand. even from
men who have always been our friends, and
who are yet our friends, that the congress oil
the United States has tho legal right to take
away our political rights Us Indian nations:
that the supreme court OF the United States
has decided that political rights granted by
treaties may be repealed by IN act OF congress
They do not contend that congress may interfere
with our property rights and even declare thai
congress will not deprive US OF dollar
in property, but rs we know that our property
rights depend In q great measure on our polt
ical rights under our system OF laws any inter-
ruption or destruction OF these political rights a.
Indian nations by federal legislation will cause
the most serious disturbance and possibly the
greatest injury 10 the property rights OF our
people The reasons alleged in congress for this
great and sudden change OF sentiment here Is
stated by the senate committee on Indian NJ
fairs in u unanimous report on the Cherokee
strip agreement tO.wit:
THE anomalous condition OF the five separate
independent Indian governments within the
government OF the United States must soon. In
the nature OF things, cease. When these gov
crn ments were established and guaranteed 10
the extent that they were guaranteed by the
United States, they were in remote section OF
the country. far removed from other settle
ments, with modern means OF travel and COM
muncation unknown, and without the slightest
anticipation Of the condition OF things
which now exists To-day they IRE surrounded
by settled states and territories: white
citizens, by the permission OF the Indians
themselves, have been admitted Into their ter
ritory, until now the white people domicilcd
~ hos of ha civilized tribes
outnamber the members Of the tribes and are
rapidly increasing, and the general idea con
tinually advanced that the conditions Under
which the treaties were made. and the cond''
tions they were 10 meet, BY the United States
and the Indian nations no longer exist that
then the Indians were unedueate and unified
for civilized life: that now they are educated
and prepared for American citizenship.
The details will no doubt be furnished by tho
delegations now IN the city In their respective
parts, but the secretary OF this convention OF
representative Indians has been instructed to
send you marked copies Of the principal rec
ords, reports and other documents showing the
facts so briefly alluded TO. We have not deemed
| IL wise To recommend any method by which TO
meet the danger that threatens, leaving the
question OF remedy and defense to your wis
dom and that OF our people
ROBERT l. OWEN,
Chairman
The address Is also signed by w. W. Hast
ings and NJ V Beng OF the Cherokee delega'
ton: r. T. Porter and A. r. Mckellop, Creek
delegates. Overton Love, Chickasaw delegates:
] = STANDBY, II. c. Harris, d. w. Hedges and
Green Curtain. Choctaw delegates: j. b. Jack
son. Of the Choctaw nation: L. {. Boudinot,
Leo W. Beng. Gideon Morgan. j. W. Duncan,
| j. W. Jordan, J. L. Baugh and John Wad
worth Peoria Delegates