Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-05-25
wHIrn ApoPrnp oIr1znNs.
Their Status as Defined in the Don.
stitution.-Henry CLAY Dean
Answered.

CH1EFTAIN or the general public
who Henry Clay Dean" is or who
Catoosa" Is, only that one repre-
sents class of our citizens who
profess to believe that an act of
council is Of more force than an
amendment to the constitution,
while the other represents another
class of citizens who are firmly of
the opinion that the Cherokee con-
stitution gives to all citizens alike
equal rights and privileges in ev-
cry respect.
Why have a constitution at all
if an act of council can amend it2
The constitution itself provides
how it may be altered or amended.
If the council in 1875 had a right
to pass acts and make laws con-
trary to the plain letter OF the con-
stitution it has it yet. If it has,
the white adopted citizen may Just
as well clay down the shovel and
the hoe, and hang up the fiddle
and the bow" for there's nothing
for these old white men 10 do but
to-go.
Henry Clay Dean does not even
make an effort to prove what he
asserts. The people want proof
these days. They don't want sim
pie assertions. The lack Of proof
has lost many suit and it will
lose this one of his.
Ever since the days Of the old
Patriarchs it has been the rule in
all civilized countries for the father
to be the head of the family. 1t
has been left till now for Henry
Clay Dean to reverse it, and put
him at the tail;-not only at the
tail but to make him a serf or a
slave. No wonder a correspond
ent in last weeks CHIEFTAIN says
that if these things are true that
the white adopted citizen Of all
men is the most miserable.
No one need be in doubt any
longer as to who Henry Clay Dean
is. He is the rip Van Winkle''
of the Cherokee nation. He has
been asleep the last twenty years.
Listen at him; he says: awe
have been cropping in Egyptian
Darkness" and that "it is very re.
markable that this question was
never raised before" In this he
gives "Catoosa" credit for a thing
that he cannot claim, though he
has all the assumption character.
istic of his race" And Henry
Clay Dean acknowledges to a de.
gree of ignorance that "Catoosa''
would not dare to accuse him.
The right of the white adopted
citizen in law and in justice is alb.
solutely indisputable. "The right
Of citizenship cannot be forfeited
by legislative act directly or indi.
rectly no more than can be the
right Of property" so says Attor.
ney. General Garland in an opinion
given the Interior department Jan
23rd, 1889.
An extract from Chief Bushy-
heads message to the Cherokee
council on May 18th, 1888: "To
the payment of the money per cap
ita | do not object, but to the part
Of the bill which confines that pay
ment to a certain class of our citi-
zens exclusive of other citizens |
do object, as calculated to defeat
the object of the bill because con-
trary to our constitution and our
treaties"
1t is true and indispIteble that
the Cherokees by blood who were
once the sole owners of the eastern
country and this, were competent
and qualified to share their COM
mon interest with whomsoever
they might choose. There are two
methods Of disposing of the ma
tional right to this country. One
is a sale Of lands by national au-
thority; the other is by incorpo.
rating ourselves and investing with
them the rights and privileges OF
the native Cherokees without quail
ification.
What | now affirm is that the
Cherokee nation of Indians had the
right as property holders to either
sell their common property to, or
share it with, others, if they saw
fit, for large or little consideration,
by agreement, contract or treaty
by their own motion and VIII.
What then are the rights of
Cherokee citizenship? / refer you
10 section 2, article / of the consti-
luton: 1.-The lands Of the nation
are the common property of the
nation" Who composes the ma
ion? What other answer is posi-
Die to the question, except: "the
;itizens of the nation compose the !
nation? The lands Of this nation |
being the common prop
,riy Of the nation are the common |
of whomever are made |
.itizens by the constitution.
If the lands OF the nation were
.hu are common property OF cltl-
ems then no citizen can be de-
,riyed of his or her right and in
crest in the common property |
without suffering an injustice and
Without a violation Of the consti-
ution, which we are equally bound
o observe and defend,
While the lands remain common
all citizens have an equal
ight in the use Of it. When any
f the land is sold under provis.
ons Of treaty all citizens have an
quail right to the proceeds Of their
oint property, whether divided
'er capita or invested. Senators,
uch IS the treaty, such is the con-
titulion.
Where was Henry Clay Dean
en- years ago while all this was