Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-12-30
ENDED, LIKE ALL THINGS HUMAN.
Before another issue of tn

Before another issue of TIL
CHIEFTAIN, a change will have
taken place in the political history
of the tribe as great, in so far as the
Cherokees are concerned, as was
the Protestant Reformation to thu
nations and peoples involved, OF
as was the French revolution to
Europe. For four hundred years
at least, and mayhap that many
thousand, the Cherokees have been
a ''nation" and governed them
selves in some fashion. The tribe
emerged from the recesses of an
tiquity with a government, which
it has kept along down through
the centuries, and clung to as ten
aciously as any people in any age
of the world. Next Saturday its
principal pillar will be removed
and it will be as incomplete and as
utterly helpless and useless as
would be a bridge with its chief
abutment gone. When the judici-
ary is taken away the whole fabric
of government must fall Human
governments like human lives, all
tend toward the ultimate and the
memorable finish. 1t is a great
truth in nature as relentless as
time itself that all things must
come to an end. The time will
COMEDIES come, in the history
OF all men and Of all nations, when
it can be writtens'this in the end"
1t is idle to speculate upon what
might have been the destiny of the
Cherokees under more favorable
circumstances. La mythology we
read of the fable of the Sphinx who
sat by the roadside propounding
her riddle to travellers, which if
they could not answer she de-
stroyed them. Ah, how much truth
in these old fables. Such Sphinx
has been the history of civilization
to the Indian. She has said to the
American Indian, "do," and the
Indian has struggled along in his
blind efforts to comply and at last
has had to give up and be devoured
by this Sphinx called civilization.
There may be little satisfaction in
the fact, though fact it must be,
that the United States has other
and graver questions than we to
answer this same Sphinx. Can
she read the riddle of destiny2
Nations just like individuals mis-
take transitory semblance for eter-
nal fact, and go astray continually.
Again quoting another fable, Mi
das longed for gold and insulted
the Olympians. He got gold, and
whatsoever be touched became
gold. But with his wish for gold
the gods gave him pair OF long
ears, go that all his gold was use-
less. So the government of the
United States in dealing with the
Indians, if it covet other than JUS
tice, if it vary in the least, may if
the scale do turn in the estimation
of hair, ''it will. suffer correspond
ingly and reap the reward of its |
sin. Carlyle says: "The great
soul of the world is justice. In
this Gods-world, with its wide |
whirling eddies and mad foaming
oceans, where men and nations
perish as if without law, and judg-
ment is sternly delayed, dost thou
think therefore that there is no
ustice? 1t is what the fool hath
saved in his heart. 1t is what the /
wise, in all times, were wise be-
cause they denied, and knew for
ever not TO be. / tell thee again
here is nothing else but justice.
One strong thing l find here be-
low: the just thing, the true thing.
My friend, if thou hadst all the ar
allery of Woolwich .trundling at
by back in support of an unjust
hing; and infinite bopfires visibly |
ahead of thee, to blaze GEN.
uries long for thy victory on be-
lalf of i'll would advise thee to
all halt, to fling down thy baton.
nd say, sin Gods name, mol"
The Indian Territory bill will
De completed or determined upon
" the committee on the 5th of
anuary, so it is reported. So far
contains nothing in relation to