Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-09-09
THE CHIEFTAIN'S POSITION.


THE CHIEFTAIN'S POSITION.
From the tone of some of our
exchanges it is judged they do not
understand THE CHIEFTAIN's po-
sition in the matter of treating
with the Dawes commission. and
the reasons why this paper op-
poses the continuation of that
commission. THE CHIEFTAIN's
knowledge of the Dawes commits
sion and its methods is based upon
the attitude of the commission to-
ward the Cherokees, and particu-
larly its quasi acknowledgment
of the validity of certain claims
against said nation. The Delaware
claim is sufficient within itself,
when properly presented to the
interior department, to insure the
dismissal of the entire commission.
The interior department has with
out doubt been misled by the
Dawes commission, in the recoe-
milton of that claim. The Della
wares themselves generally admit
that the claim is unjust and pre-
posterous, and those of them who
signed the contract with certain
parties for putting the claim
through agreed to give thirty
acres of each individual claim OF
the registered Delawares in case
the claim was allowed. A great
many Delawares refused to sign
that-iron-clad contract, but it has
been stated that al of them signed
it. The agreement with the Del
awares should be carefully read in
order to July understand the atti-
tude of the Dawes commission.
Through the. influence of the COM
mission the interior department
was induced to stop and listen to
one Richard Adams, who claimed
to represent the entire Delaware
tribe. The claim is an unjust one,
and none know it better than the
Dawes commission. The title of
the lands of the Cherokee nation
is held in common, and has ever
been so held. When the Della
wares bought into the Cherokee
nation, they purchased for them
selves an amount of land, 100
acres each in case of allotment,
and for their descendants full and
equal rights. Those OF the origin
al number yet living are entitled
to that amount of land and no
more, and those born since are to
be same as Cherokees.
The refusal of the commission
to settle definitely the railroad
claim is evidence that the railroad
was to have the assistance of the
commission in forcing the Chero-
KEGS to give up a large portion of
their land in liquidation of grant
made solely by the United States
government.
Again, it is not part of the duty
of the Dawes commission to es-
tablish townsite at Ft. Gibson or
elsewhere. 1t was not sent here
for that purpose. When the CON-
mission denies any connection
with that scheme, it does so against
the repeated assertions of members
of the commission. In a nutshell,
the Dawes commission has gone
outside of the line of its duties
and entered into the gravest spec
ulation, and has failed to reach
an agreement with the Cherokees
solely because they were not will
ing to deal fairly with them. The
only alternative left the Indians
was TO refuse TO treat in order to
save themselves from being un-
mercifully plundered. Next con-
gress will have an opportunity TO
investigate the doings of the
Dawes commission and it will find
it rotten to the core.
In the consideration of this sub.
ject it is earnestly hoped that con.
gress will stop long enough to ask
itself why the Dawes commission
has failed to negotiate an agree.
ment with the five tribes in this
territory. In the case of the Cher.
okees the question is easily an
swered. The Cherokees were
asked to agree to propositions that
were unjust, and of which the
whole American government
should be ashamed. The commits.
sion stayed in Washington during
the session of congress and be,