Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-06-08
CATOOSA WARNS MR.. DEAN.
The Constitution and Laws He
Would Uphold.

EDITOR CHIEFTAIN:-Henry Clay
Dean reminds one OF an old, often
told story of an old man and his
wife who got into a dispute over
the gender of. a certain fowl that
came waddling through the yard.
The old man said it was duck I;
the old woman said it was a drake.
The old man proceeded 10 immerse
the old lady in a pond near by.
Every time the old lady's head
came up out of the water she
would say "drake." Finally the
old man held her under so long
that she could not speak a word
but was able to raise her arm and
crook her index finger. So is it
with Mr.. Dean; when he is over
whelmed with authenticated facts
he raises his feeble arm and crooks
his finger.
He fails to show where an act of
a legislative body was eyer superior
to a constitutional provision. What,
he asks, has the white man given
for this land and money? The
answer is, he has given all that
was required OF him. Who steps
up to the counter and pays more
for an erticle than is asked for it2
1t is safe to assert that Mr.. Dean
is not one of them, judging from
his liberality CD towards the white
man.
Now Mr.. Dean, please tell us
what you paid for the land and
money that you are so anxious to
get more than your share of? If
your answer is "by blood" by be.
ing one OF the original owners of
the soil, please tell US then by
what rule of inheritance do you
come into a share of the original
estate? You are not a full.blood, q,
not even a half-breed. 1t is usual
for full brothers and sisters to in.
herit the estate. In only two states
in the United States can the half
brother inherit-even there you
would be left when you are so anx.
ious to leave the white citizen. As
it is so easy to tell you, and you
do not seem to know how you in
herit equally with the full-blood,
here il is:
By being incorporated into a
body polite called the Cherokee
nation you become a full brother
to the "full-blood" who originally
owned the land and monies, and
to the full-blood white man who
pays a small fee and the freedman
who pays nothing, like yourself.
1t is by the liberality of the full.
blood alone, who was the original
owner OF the soil that gives you,
probably only a forty-second
cousin, equal rights Of citizenship,
which means equal rights in the
common property.
1t has been decided time anc
again that the right Of citizenship
and the right of property canno
be taken away by legislative &C
tion. Suppose the time shoulC
come when the adopted element o
this country should have a major
ity in council; would Mr.. Dean CRY
vor populi, cor del and for a small
consideration join them in defining
the treaties so as TO rob them 0
their share of the common prop
erty? That might be a little NOR
ungrateful, but not one whit NOR
unlawful.
The white man has probabl,
paid more for the girl OF his choic
than he is aware Of. He has ex
changed undisputed citizenship il
the United States for disputed cit
izenship in the Cherokee nation
he was a prince, now he is plebe
he was a guardian, now he is
ward. He now has the right h
breathe the wind and live on hi
wife's bounty.
Catoosa has evidently dropped
bomb near old RIP for he ha