Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-06-24
THE PASSING OF NATION.

Last week the Dawes commits
sion gravely announced to the
Cberokees that the time was up
for treating with them so far as the
government was concerned and
that they were now abandoned tc
their fate; however, if they con.
cluded to treat, the commission
could be found at its headquarters
at FIT. Gibson up to December lst.
The Che-okees are not frightened
at the announcement; in fact the
fullbloods are rather pleased at the
turn of events and are mole and
more determined to stand their
ground upon the existing treaties.
Everyone must realize that con-
gress will soon take steps that will
wind up the tribal government
and that this country is destined
to become a state at no distant day.
But Notwithstanding all this, there
is a sense of keen and intense sat-
isfaction to the average Indian in
the fact that his government is not
to be a party to the transaction,
and that his people have had the
courage to refuse to be coerced or
driven into measures so obnoxious.
The ultimate result will be sub
stantially the same to the Indian,
whether he agrees with the Dawes
commission or not, and whatever
may come he can never point TO
his own blood as those who have
signed away their nationality and
their birthTigft, as dear to him as
to any people on the face of the
earth. The profound sympathy Of
the worlds being rapidly crystal
lied with the Indians. The un-
yielding tenacity with which he
clings TO his shattered and torn
little sovereignty has touched even
the heart Of his enemies. In view
Of all this it is sure the United
States government will move with
slow and cautious step to the ac-
complishment Of an inexorsble
purpose that has been gradually
closing in for a generation. The
Indian will not fare worse but bet
ter, in the hands Of the American
congress than in any other possible
way tn at the end could be accom-
plished. The American Indian
is doomed, it is true, so far as
tribal government is concerned,
and he is getting ready TO surren-
der this last sacred right with un-
flinching front, and with the same
heroism and fortitude with which
he has surrendered all the others,
including the continent of America,
the home of his blood and his race.
That same stoicism that character
lied him when driven west three
quarters ofa century ago still clings
to him, and he will go down under
the on moving avalanche without
a murmur. The Indian govern
ments will doubtless perish from
the earth in few short years, but
the name Of the American Indian
will live on enshrined in the his.
tory Of his subduers, and immortal
ICED in song aud story. Genera
tions hence in this country no fact
will be better known than that
some Of the grandest characters
and the brightest minds will be
those in whose veins course the
blood Of the Cherokee. His ma.
tional sun will soon have set be.
hind the long horizon Of nations
and his council fire will have
smouldered out on the hillside, but
his is character impressed upon
the world as indelibly as the tint.
ing of the wild rose in his native
forests and as immutable as the
stars. In yielding up his little
government to his conquerors the
Indian does no more than did
Rome in the third and fourth cen,
turies. She yielded TO the inya
sion Of the Goths, the Saracen'
and the Vandals until she finally
went down in anarchy and ruin,
an example on a large scale o.
mutabilifv of hunan Affairs