Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-03-09
THE OTHER SIDE.
A Georgia Cherokee Gives his
Views.

CArALks 4. IL hhrch 4, 1875.
Mr. EDIToR;-Will you give one
of the unfortunate Cherokee in
truders from Georgia space in your
valuable paper to reply to a few
daclarations made in n connnni.
cation signed by j. w. Adair, who
comes out in a written document
to all whom it may concern, to-wit:
That all Cherokees who became
citizens of Georgia, Tennessee,
Alabama and North Carolina, un.
der the treaty of 1885, are intrud.
ers and not entitled to lands or
money; that is, we have no inter
est here, and refers to the 18th
article of the treaty of 1885 to
prove his assertion; he also stated
that we drew out everything due
us here or elsewhere, calling us
reserves. Now, l say this is not
true and will prove my assertion
by the records. The supplement
tary treaty of 1886, article 1st,
says that no reservation shall be
allowed, and was taken out and
cancelled. This settles the matter
so far as reservations are concern
ed, also lands or moneys. What
did we get? We were paid for our
improvements, removal and sub
sistence; SO was Mr.. Adair's grand
father and all other Cherokees got
the same. Now l propose to tost
Mr.. Adair' s title and my title. He
got his by birth; so did |; his faith
er and myself owned a common in.
terest in the land known as the old
nation east of the Mississippi which
land was sold and the present
Cherokee domain bought with one
common property. | paid as much
of the purchase money as Mr..
Adair did; therefore my title is as
good as his. This fact | prove by
his grandfather, George W Adair.
He says in the fourth article of the
treaty of 1916, that the present
Cherokee land is the common
property of the whole Cherokee
people and further says in the
tenth article of the above treaty
that it is expressly agreed that
nothing contained in the foregoing
treaty shall be so construed as in
any manner to take or abridge any
right OF claim which the Chero.
KEGS now residing in states east
of the Mississippi had or may have
under the treaty Of 1885, and the
supplement thereto records all the
best testimony known in law.
George w. Adair signed said
treaty of 1916. Here we see that
Mr.. j. w. Adair and his grand.
father differ; let them settle the
question of veracity. Now for the
poor Indian that has been robbed
and defrauded until he is home
less at home by the corruption OF
our public men and the unconstitu.
tional laws enacted by them, and
upheld by their fraudulent courts.
This certainly is a bad condition
TO be in. but friend Adair ought TO
know, as he acted with the party
that has brought about this state OF
affairs. Thank God the eastern
Cherokees are innocent; they had
no hand in the matter. Ii has
been the boast of a great many
Cherokee writers and speakers
that orr forafafhara noada xviaa
provisions for those OF our people
that were TO come after them. But
the rich inheritance has been sad.
ly squandered. inasmuch as the
father Of one Of that noble band ol
men is denied a right TO occupy a
home in the lands he helped 10
buy and pay for, and is stigma
tized as an intruder. We come
now TO his prophecy that there ID
TO be the biggest steal Of all upon