The herald., 1897-12-12

known as the Cherokee Outlet" COM
prising about 6,000,000 acres of land ir
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 thel,
country, and the commission, on the part
of the government of the United
States, verbally and in writing. assured
the Cherokee people in the strongesi
terms that II they would part with this
valuable strip Of land, one-half Of the
entire possession, that they would insert
| in their agreement as one of the princi-
pal considerations a provision which
would effect removal Of all unauthor-
ized persons from within the limits OF
their country Induced by these assur-
ances, an agreement was entered into
and ratified by congress by an act ap-
proved March 80, 1898, to the effect that
all intruders who settled upon the land
of the Cherokee nation prior to August
18th, 1886. should remove from within
the limits of the Cherokee nation. but
should be paid for the improvements
that they had previously made. The
Cherokee nation was required to set
aside the sum Of $3.50, 900 for the payment
Of any such improvements.
Subsequent legislation delayed the
enforcement of this decision and on
January last Secretary of the Interior
Francis issued an order which he caused
the agent Of the Ave civilized tribes to
promulgate. This order was to the ef-
feet that the intruders remove from
within the limits Of the Cherokee ma
ton by February G, 1897. Not single
intruder removed. No attention has been
paid whatever to this order, other than a
reorganization Of this marauding band
has been perfected. These whites defy
the Cherokee nation and hold in con-
tempt the orders OF the government Of
the United States.
The statement that the white man
brings his capital into the Cherokee ma
tion and invests 1t to the benefit Of the
nation has no truth in it excepting only
in a very few cases-Just enough to
prove the contrary. Ninety-nine out of
a hundred who come into the Cherokee
nation bring not a dollar with them.
They remain four or five years and find
what they cannot get in the states from
which they oome-a good living and the
chance to lay up some money. What
would these same white men do if it
were not for the Indian country? Who
or what has caused their wanderings
and drifting around in covered wagons
homeless and poverty stricken? They
are your Tennesseeans, Georgians, Ca
rolinians, that the worn-out lands OF
these states have set adrift: they are
pure Americans for generations back,
who have been crowded west by more
frugal and Industrious emigration.
Our country affords them for a while
an asylum a haven of rest In the house
Of a Samaritan. and yet they revolt at
the idea of an Indian landlord. This
very disposition to consider the Indian
lower than the American citizen is what
makes the Indian 30 tenacious OF his
lands and his separate government. He
breads the day OF an association with the
whites where his blood will be 6espised
and himself oppressed because he is an
civilization until all Of the finer sensibil-
tiles of honor and right are as quick
Indian. We have been educated in your
among US as any Of your enlightened
pose of and take part of our lands and
subsequently convert them to private
use, we search in vain for any similar
action towards patentee in the United
States.
The representatives appointed under
an act OF congress, dated March s. 1893.
known as the Dawes commission. have
visited US, attempting to induce the
Cherokee people to make certain
changes looking to ultimate statehood,
and using as an inducement and argu-
ment the final and complete removal of
intruders from our country. We hold
our lands and money in common. and In
the light of past experience 1t would
be criminal on our part to enter into fur
ther negotiations until we are prepared
to definitely determine for ourselves the
heirs OF our estate and be placed in full
possession. Otherwise, endless litiga-
tion would be the result and the out
come easily foretold. The full-blood
Cherokees, as a class, would be reduced
to destitution and heggary. Leave us
our homes and let them be free from the
white intruder who brings nothing but
misery, poverty and crime in his train.
1t Is little enough that we ask Of the
great nation Of white mon.
S. H. MATES,
Principal Chief. Cherokee Nation.
w. w. HASTINGS,
G. w. BENGE,
Cherokee Delegates.