The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-13

The Cherokee nation has persistently
insisted for quite a number of years
upon the removal from their domain
of white intruders. While our nation
were residing east of the Mississippi
river, many white men entered our
boundaries and squatted upon our
lands. In order to rid ourselves OF
these trespassers we, the Cherokee peo-
ple. were induced to leave the country
east of the Mississippi and remove
West, finally settling where we now
live But the white man has followed
us hither and we seek to be relieved
of his unwelcome presence. We do not
complain of the residence among US
of useful farmers, mechanics. and
teachers for the instruction Of Indians
according to treaty stipulations. By
an Intruder" we mean one not recog-
nized citizen of the Cherokee nation,
who comes into our country illegally
and squats upon the public domain
and claims the rights of citizenship,
which have been denied him. Not all
nOn-citiZens are treSpaSSGrS or lntru-
ders, for many of them come in here
under the provisions of our law and
are useful farmers and are tenants for
the citizens of the Cherokee nation;
come are useful mechanics, while others
follow various Vocations permitted by
the laws Of the Cherokee nation. The
laws of the Cherokee nation, however,
do not permit a white man to move
into the country, settle upon vacant
part of the public domain, make fields,
build houses and call it his home. This
is the class of persons of whom COM
plant is made.
A few years prior to the making of
the treaty of July 10, 1866, white men
began to move into the Cherokee nation
and settle. Requests were made for
their removal, but no means were plac-
ed at the presidents disposal to effect
their eviction. The Cherollees appeal
ed to the supreme court of the United
States and the court decided in the
most emphatic and positive terms that
the interlopers must get out. By or
der of the secretary of the interior the
Indian agent on Aug. II, 1886, promul-
gated an order to the effect that all
intruders who had settled upon the
public domain of the Cherokee nation
without their consent, must dispose of
their improvements within a limited
time and remove within six months
out of the limits of the Cherokee ma
ton. This order was treated with con-
tempt. No one removed, but on the
other hand, stimulated by their long
residence, these trespassers induced
many others to flock in and settle upon
the fairest portions of our land.
Repeated appeals were subsequently
made by the authorities of the Chero-
kee nation requesting their removal,
peremptory orders were usually given
by the Indian agent and were as often
treated with contempt by these tres
passers The Cherokee nation despair
ed of success. 1t did not believe that
the government of the United States
ever intended to keep it's promise, or
that these people would be evicted.
In 1SS9-90 commissions were sent to
negotiate with the Cherokee nation to
treat for the REIMBURSEMENT of what
is known as the Cherokee Outlet,
comprising about 100000 acres of land
in the northern part of Oklahoma. The
Cherokee nation was reluctant to cede
this land to the government of the
United States, but their home govern
ment was threatened, these trespaSSerS
continued to flock in and overrun their
country and the commission on the
part of the government of the United
States verbally and in writing, assured
the Cherokee people in the strongest
terms, that if they would part with this
valuable strip of land, one-half of the
entire possession, that they would in
Sert in their agreement as one Of the
principal considerations, a provision,
which would effect removal of all I'M
authorized persons from without the
limits of their country. Induced by
these assurances, an agreement was
entered into and "a tifisd by cong1 ess by
an act approved March 8, 1898, to the
effect that all intruders who settled
upon the land of the Cherokee nation
prior to Aug. II, 1886, should remove
from without the limits Of the Chero-
llee nation. but should be paid for the
Improvements that they had previously
made. The Cherokee nation was re-
quired to set aside the sum of $3.50, O0O