Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-02-28
DELEGATES PROTEST
Against a Suspension of the In.
truder Provision.

truder Provision.
The following protest addressed
to the senate of the United States.
signed by the Cherokee, Creek,
Choctaw and Chickasaw delegates,
was issued on the Sth inst:
We, the undersigned, delegates
and representatives of the Cher
okee nation of Indians, beg leave
to call your attention to the amend
ment on page 72 to II. r. S470,
making appropriation for the In
dian service, &C., which directs
the secretary of the interior to
suspend action under the provi-
sions of the act of congress, APP
proved March 3, 1898 (27 Statutes,
page 641,) which relates to the
removal of intruders from our
territory. We must say that we
were very much surprised to see
the amendment referred to. We
have had no notice whatever of
such intended amendment, and
had no knowledge whatever in re-
gard to it until we read it in the
reported bill. When the Chero.
kee people agreed to sell to the
United States that vast territory
OF country, containing over six
million acres of land, known as
the Cherokee Outlet, it was spe-
cially and specifically agreed, to-
wit:
ARTICLE III.
"For and in consideration of the
above cession and REIMBURSEMENT,
the United States agrees:
"First, That all persons now
resident, or who may hereafter be.
come residents, in the Cherokee
nation, and who are not recognized
as citizens of the Cherokee nation
by the constituted authorities
thereof, and who are not in the
employment of the Cherokee ma
tion, or in the employment of cit
liens of the Cherokee nation, in
conformity with the laws thereof,
or in the employment of the
United States government, and all
citizens of the United States who
are not resident in the Cherokee
nation under the provisions of
treaty or acts of congress, shall be
deemed and held to be intrudsrs
and unauthorized persons within
the intent and meaning OF section
six of the treaty of 1885, and sec
tions twenty.six and twenty.seven
of the treaty of July 10, 1866, and
shall, together with their personal
effects, be removed without delay
from the limits of said nation by
the United States, as trespassers,
upon the demand of the principal
chief of the Cherokee nation. In
such removal no houses, barns,
outbuildings, fences, orchards,
growing crops, or other chattels
real, being attached to the soil and
belonging to the Cherokee nation,
the owner of the land, shall be re-
moved, damaged or destroyed,
unless it shall become necessary
in order 20 effect the removal Of
such trespasser: Prorided alwdys,
That nothing in this section shall
be so construed as to affect in any
manner the rights of any persons
in the Cherokee nation under the
ninth article of the treaty Of July
10, 1866"
This part Of the agreement Of the
sale was a material part OF the con-
sideration and one OF the strong
inducements that induced the
Cherokee nation to sell and part
with this vast and valuable do
main. When congress ratified
this agreement, which was ap.
proved March 3, 1893, as above re-
ferred to, Congress modified the
agreement in this regard by requir.
ing the Cherokee nation to pay the
intruders the value OF their inn
provements as a condition for their
removal. Notwithstanding our
people thought this a hard require
ment, after these intruders had oc.
cupied and used our lands for
many years free of rent, yet. in Or
der to comply with the wishes of
the United States, they, in regular
council, accepted and ratified the
amendment. Since then a COM
mission was duly appointed by the
United States TO make an appraise-
ment Of the improvements of the
intruders, which appraisements
have been completed, and the
Cherokee nation has set apart and
held in readiness two hundred and
fifty thousand (s250, ,000) dollars to
make full payment to all persons
whose Improvements have been
appraised. We have fully com
piled with our part OF the agree
ment and insist that the United
States carry out in good faith its
part OF the agreement, and that
the senate strike out the amend
ment referred to. Any failure to
execute this important agreement
will greatly discourage our people
and cauNe them TO doubt the good
faith OF the United States In any
proposition hereafter made.