New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04
SUIT OF THE DELAWARES.
INTERESTING CONTEST BETWEEN THEM
AND THE CHEROKEE NATION.


brought by the Delaware Indians against the
Cherokee Nation is pending in the Court Of Claims
Washington.
The Curtis bill is the last step Of the Indian
legislation having for its general object the apoh
! ton Of the tribal system and the division OF the
lands and funds OF the various tribes among the
members. according the papers In the case. pre-
pared by Walter S. Logan, Of New-York, who has
brought the suit in behalf OF the Deawares. The
bill was passed June Is last and went into effect
July l. Its title Is. An Act for the Protection Of
the People of the Indian Territory. and for other
Purposes" 1t might have been entitled IAN
+ Act for the Abolition of Tribal Relations Among
the Indians" Some people have gone further and
called II IAN Act for the Abolition of the Indian
The effect Of IT Is 10 make the Indian simply
citizen Of the United States. with all the rights
and all the responsibilities OF citizenship. Here
! tofore they have been considered the warls Of
/ the Nation. Now they become It's ful-hedged
! citizens.
J What is known the Cherokee Nation
constituted by several treaties between the United
States and the Cherokee Indians. resulting in the
Governments deciding TO the CherOkees a large
trao, OF lanI--abou half the size Of tie State Of
/ NewY ork-n Indian Territory. and granting them
/ the privilege OF institutng and carrying
/ government of their own, subject only 10 the
general authority OF. ana paramount allegiance
The last Cherokee treaty involved in the suit
was made in 1866. and It provided that the United
! With the Cherokces and adjacent tribes, within
! the Cherokee country-which had been heretof9re
/ granted by the Government TO the Cherokee Ma
/ tion-upon such terms and conditions as the Chero-
KEGS should agree to.
cluded treaty with the Delaware Indians
/ EvENTFUL HISTORY OF THE DELAWAREs
! The Dclawares-thelr Indian name is the Lenn
! Lenape-have had a peculiar and eventful history
! It was the Delawares who met william Penn upon
4 his arrival In this country and with whom he
! negotiated his famous treaty. 1t the Della
wares who stood solid wall between the
European settlers on the east and the hostile and
! ferocious Indian tribes the The Della
wares were known as the peaceful Indians ever
b attacked; but never provoking troube or inaKinB
. an attack themselves. 1t Is doubtful whether the
early English settlements in this country could
have been maintained at all If it had been for
the friendship Of he Lennl Lenape for the white
tribe of the Delawares-who was known through
out early America as Tho friend Of the WHO
/ the white needed that friendship when, If
there had been enmity instead OF frendship thsre
tale ls' "''' '''" 10 ''',' man. '''
European settlement and colonization drove the
Indians westward from Pennsylvania into Ohio
and then into Indiana. and finally into kansas
treaty of the United States with the Delawares
heretofore referred TO. was made in 1850. 800
soldiers Of the tnitod states were taking ny their
l9-acre tracts Of land and pushing eiyinizatlon
westward. The white man wanted the Delaware
country hut II had been solemniy guaranteed 10 the
! Delawares By the United States and the faith
Again the Dclawarcs proved themselves the
friend Of the white man Fertile as was their
new-found home. much a. they had become at
tached Il. they consented 20 make another treaty
Win the unted Sln'"s ny wSh ~ thfy c as made
/ This treaty provided thar he United stats
should GaIae to be cfdeg 10 h IN b cbero
country equal 10 at least 100 acres for each man,
country and hat he tinted States should guar
antee to the Delawarcs peaceful possession OF
INK INK NV b omg IN int Of the Hed states the
Delawares gave up their homes in Kansas.
SEEKING FRESH CAMPING-CROUNDs.
In accordance With this Delaware treaty. an
agreement was made between the Cherokees and
/ the Delawares- United States standing sponsor
for both partes-datcd April S. 1864 whereby the
| Deawares bought and paid for two separate
/ things.
First-Thcy bought l57.oc) acres OF the Cherokee
lands-iG) acres for each one Of the 80 reslsere9
t to be srlect4d BY WV the e. Dslawarcs.
paid also IN edition no ,n' md
consideration Of this last payment they W." Sre
granted and guaranteed all the rights and priv
lie s5s o 9T1yTfg disron of the cherokee
national funds and the Cherokee national lands
land. They knew what they were about ana
In the Indian Territory. on this land they nave
, Tu,t i"s ond nnssesscd T. ever since
Cherokee nation and subject to the political
eregnty OF nat nation 'it theT ahqs Tf bSuet
these lands from the Cherokee Nation. paid COR
statement. The only Limitation upon me owner
ship was the peculiar laws OF the Cherokee Nation
that dd not permit the alienation Of landed prop
eriy to any one not a Cherokee citizen.
The Curtis bill has brought All thes" things 70 an
end The Cherokee Nation T. no more cherokee
laws are repealed ana the law of the United Sta[es
prevails now over all the Cherokee country. lnQer
the law OF the United States any man not under
disability who owns piece OF lnnd mas !, Of r Kim
e sell II 10 ANYHOW ne me- longer indians but
liens OF the United States-caim all the rights ana
privileges Of United States citizens including me
right to sell their possessions when they choose
CLAIMS OF THE DELAWAREs.
In the sui, now pending in the Court Of Claims.
the Delaware Indians claim
FIrst-The absolute title TO the Is 500 acres OF
land which they bought from the Cherokees ana
paid for and selected in accordance with the
terms Of the contract. To the untutored indlah
mind the fact th-t they bought and paid for the
I land seems - be a sufficient reason why 'h'S
lzcns In the community lands OF the Cher0ke"
Matchmaker these l57.ooo acres which the Dela-
xii directs 10 he segregated. have been taken
thercfrom Their share OF the Cherokee national
| bought would amount to about 1900 acres more
They also claim their share In the distribution or
ynSfeKyS Of the curtis b THIS share Will
amount to something more than s2S0@w ,.u.
kee citizenship roll. They assert that the Chero-
kce National Council has wantony. II not cor
rlptly attempted 70 grant the privilege OF cit
izenshlp TO those VINO were not entitled 10 snare
lille Tn cherokee citizenship be- allowed 10 snare
in the distribution OF the Cherokee funds. ,
! Fourth-Thcy assert that the Cherokee Natonhi
Council has attempted TO ALLEVIATE certain national
property and dsspate certain nationa, iSnas anu
! they demand 4 strict accounting ana thal eVtlh
dollar that belongs TO the Cherokee treasury shah
| be recovered for 1t, II recovery IL possible