Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-05
1T DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR THE
CHICKAsAw FREEDMEN.
FREEDMEN ARE NOT CITIZENS.
SPEEDY AGREEMENT WITH OTHER
TRIBES EXPECTED.
Fewer Difficulties to he Surmounted
in Treating With the CherOkees,
Creeks and Seminoles Than
With .Choctaws and
Chickasaws.

Washington, May 4-(Special) Certain
senators are objeeting to the ratification OF
the Ghoctaw and Chickasaw treaty with
the Dawes commission on the ground that
no provision is made for taking care of the
Chickasaw freedmen, who number over
1000. They are not citizens of the nation.
In 1866 it was provided by congress
that the Chickasaws and Choctaws
could either adopt their freedmen
or be relieved of them by the United
States. the government to remove
them from the lands of the two nations
and to pay them $1,000 apiece. to be taken
from the funds of the Choctaws and Chick
asaws. Neither the Choctaws nor the Chick
asaws saw fit at that time to adopt the
colored men, nor did the United States carry
out its proposition. Things ran along until
1852, when the Choctaws took their freed
men under their protecting wing. 1t seems
that certain freedmen committed depreda-
tions on the property of the Choctaws, and
when they were caught would claim the
protection of the United States, on the
ground of citizenship. AS a result, they
had to be taken to Fort Smith for trial. 1t
became a great source of expense and
general nuisance to the Choctaws. So, in
1882, they asked the United States govern
ment to put in force again the treaty of
1866, which was done, and under its pro-
main object in SO doing being to obtain
jurisdiction over them. The Chickasaws
never have taken such a step.
In the treaty between the Dawes commits
sion and the Choctaws and Chickasaws
recently signed. the Choctaw freedmen, be-
ing wards of the Choctaw nation, are al
lowed forty acres of land each out of the
gross amount of lands which the Choctaws
will receive in the partition of the lands
r1ybin ha lraC ha16 in
common,
II was the opinion of all parties to the
treaty that any arrangement whicn the
United States might desire to be effected
| as regards the ChickaSaw freedmen would
| have no place in the treaty between the
7 Choctaws, Chickasaws and the Dawes COM
mission, but would be subject for nego-
| tiation between the United States and the
| Chickasaws direct, as the Choctaws could
| in no way be interested in any provision
| which the Chicksaws might make for their
freedmen.
1t is the general opinion here that the
agreement made by the Dawes commits
| tews will, If ratified by the senate, hasten
the settlement of the whole Indian Terri
| tory question, as no difficulty is appre-
| hended in making terms with the rest of
| the five civilized tribes. The reason is that
the questions which will come up in the
negotiations with the Cherokees, Semi
| complicated than those which We're in
volved in the negotiations with the Choc-
taws and Chickasaws. Under the. pro-
visions of the Indian appropriation bill, the
| other tribes will be obliged to enter into
| agreement with the Dawes commission be-
| fore January next or else their tribal re.
| lations will be dissolved. AS the Choctaw
| and Chickasaw agreement provides for the
| continuance of tribal relations for eight
years and permits the allotment of land
! under less Objectionable conditions than
| would be the case under the law of con-
| gress, the Cherokees. Creeks and Semi
noles may be expected to effect an UNDER
standing with the commission without de-
| Law.