Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-02-22
DAWES AT OHEOoTAa.
Speech to the International Coun-
Gil of the Five Tribes.

Senator Dawes speech was nota-
ble for its earnestness and candor.
The old statesman opened the eyes
of the doubling Thomases to the
fact that the government is in dead
earnest and means to disrupt the
tribal relations and unite all the
Indians of this territory under one
common government.
Senator Dawes said in part: cit
was very wise, indeed, to call to-
gether in council representatives
of oil your nations on this occasion.
for the matter which has called
you together is of more vital i'm.
portance to you than any other
question that has been submitted
to you in a long time. 1t deals al
together with your future, and the
conclusion to which you come in
this conference will be a turning
point in your future life as nations.
1t has nothing to do with your
past.
awe have been sent down here
to make 10 complaint against you
for what you have done, or for the
condition OF things that exist. 1t
is the present condition of your
people with which you and we
alone are concerned. As Presi.
dent Cleveland once said in regard
to another thing, 1T is a condition
aud not a theory that confronls
you We do not desire to contra
dict that you have treaties with
the United States.
The question for you to con-
slider to-day is, in your present
condition, what must be your fu.
ture? There are two ways and
openings before you in the future,
and it depends upon you your
selves which of these you will
take. When the United States en-.
tered into those treaties with you
they intended faithfully to keep
them, and they believed that it
was in their power to keep your
five nations in your mode of life
for all coming time and that there
should never be any territorial or
other government put over you
But suppose thai the United States
themselves had bound themselves
that Niagara never should stop 60.
ing over the falls.
CROWDED OUT BY THE WHITES.
"The people from the states
have crowded in on you in spite of
anything the United States could
do. Kansas, on the north, be-
longed to the Indians themselves,
and your Cherokees were occupy
ing Arkansas on the east, and
Texas belonged to Mexico. Since
that time the white men have
taken possession of that vast do
main on the four sides OF you, and
have flowed over your borders just
as a freshet over a dam, and the
question that comes TO you to-day
is whether you think that when
all the rest Of the world is rushing
on can you sit still in the middle
of il?
This commission appreciates as
much as any man how you have
your homes, your ways, your meth
ods, and how you would prefer TO
live as your fathers lived. They
understand all that. They don't
undertake to say that this is un-
reasonable or wrong on your part.
I'VE have come here TO say that
however much you may prefer TO
live this life you have lived in the
past, the conditions around you
are such that make 1t impossible
for you TO continue as you are
Seventy million white people have
succeeded in crowding the Indian
off almost every foot Of his land
and they are bent on having every
foot Of yours il they can get IL.
They have a congress in Washing.
ton that reflects their views. They
have been told by the supreme
court Of the United States that the
treaties the United States have
with you are not in the way; that
congress can repeal treaty like
any other statute and they are de.
termined they shall be repealed.
"We have not come down here
70 add to your troubles, but we