Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-05-18
THE WHITE MANS RIGHTS.
An Able and Logical Presentation
of this Great Question.

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EDITOR CHIEFTAIN:-1here are
many different opinions in regard
to the rights of the different classes
of citizens in this country. 1t is
the opinion of the writer that every
citizen should be entitled to one
and the same right, and when you
have class legislation you injure
every citizen; you destroy that
brotherly feeling that should exist
between citizens of the same coun-
try. You pull out the pillars of a
republican form Of government and
a destruction of your government
will be the result. l maintain that
every citizen Of this nation has q
right to the common property of
the nation, and any law made to
deprive any part of them of it is
class legislation and is unconsti-
tutional.
A white man, to legally become
a citizen of this nation must, under
oath, give up his own native coun-
try; he then becomes part of the
Cherokee people. Now by this
act of his, he gives mp all claim to
protection from any government
but that Of the Cherokee: treaty
1866, article 10,
The Cherokee gave up his old
home east of the Mississippi, and
for pay he received this, with a
guarantee that it should be his
home forever, not to speculate on
nor sell; that was forbidden, but
as a home in the far west for him
and his children as long as grass
grows and water runs. So you see
he has done no more than the
white man;-they have both given
up their homes for this, and both
have a common right to this coun,
try: the white man by being
adopted as a Cherokee; and to-day
one is a Cherokee by law and the
other by nature. Adopt, as defined
by Webster, is to take into ones
family as a son and heir; to take
and treat as a child, giving a title
to the privileges and rights of a
child; to take and receive as ones
own.
Now the Cherokee government
has adopted the white man, he has
had the right to make improve
ments on the public domain and
has been protected, and has en-
joyed all the rights that any other
citizen has until lately. The right
that has been denied him the last
two payments has been small, bot
it has caused issues TO arise that
are far from being small; and that
| is: if he has no right to the public
moneys has he any right to his
farm or homer These are ques.
tons that to-day look the adopted
citizen in the face, and the sooner
his status is defined the better it is
for him.
The treaty 1916 that was made
for defining the rights and settling
the difficulties of the whole Chero-
kee people has given authority by
law for all or any portion Of the
Cherokee people peaceably to as
semble and petition their own gov
ernment or that Of the United
States for the redress Of grievances
and to discuss their rights; see art.
2, treaty 46. The same treaty says
that the lands now occupied by the
Cherokee nation shall be secured
to the whole Cherokee people for
their common use and benefit.
The white adopted citizen claims
to be, and is, part Of the Chero-
kee people, and has enjoyed the
common use and benefit Of the
lands and money. A portion Of
that common land is sold, and
is about to be distributed among
the people. Shall il be To only a
part Of the people, or to all? Now
these are questions that are being
discussed by the white man to-day
and | claim he has a perfect right
10 do SO, and will meet at Vinita
on the Goth for that purpose, and
also to find out the best way to de-
fine his status as a citizen Of this
country.
Some citizens think he ought
not to do so. / ask why? | claim
the lands and moneys are the com
mon property OF the whole Chero-
kee people, and claim that the
adopted white man is a part Of the
Cherokee people, and as such has
perfect right al least 10 meet and
I talk about il. / will discuss the
question no further now, hoping
TO meet You on the Goth at Vinita.
l am Respectfully yours,
Nv IArRaor