Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-07-07
ADMISSION OF THE GOVERNMENTS
BAD FAITH WITH THE
CHEROKEES.
Only One Ean i'm the United States
Senate TO stand Up and Declare
Against the Great Wrong Being
Perpetrated.

OF organization; no sacredness o
official function; no weight of re
sponsihility; no species of environ
ment; no possible arrangement
among men, that can be implicitly
relied upon as an absolute safe
guard against the Vaccinations o
selfiShness. For one to die fol
another NAV be god-like, but il
certainly is not man like. Every
man, when subjected to the final
test, generally prefers himself 10
all others Right, in this world
without the power of self defense.
or the means of enforcing its own
claims, is only food for wrong TO
feed on.
Such were the thoughts that
sprsng up spontaneously and DOM
mated our faculties as We sat 4
few days since in the gallery oi
the United States senate and gazed
down upon the drama that was be-
ing played off on the floor below
US. The Curtis bill was under con
sideralion. This was a measure
which had originated in the lower
house, and, having been conlriyed
Gas alleged) by Mr.. Curtis of Kan
sas, it had been very appropriate
ly christened the "Curiis bill;" il
was a proposition asking for the
enactment of a law repudiating the
treaties which had been negotiated
with the FIVE nations of the indian
Territory.
The government of the United
States had been, from the begin
ming of its existence, in the habit
of negotiating With these nations,
from time TO time, amicable ar.
rangements which generally re-
quired of them the immediate sur
render of very valuable considera-
tions-usually an exorhitant ces-
sion of territory, and that some
times attended with an obligation
on part of the people 10 leave
their native ground and emigrate
to some distant and uncongenial
place of abode; while that which
came to them in return consisted.
for the most part, of mere guaran-
tees on paper, whose value lay ex-
clusively in the faithfulness of
their fulfillment. These stipula-
tions, however, were seldom, (al-
most never carried out; when the
object for which the deal had been
Instituted was attained, they were
allowed to drop at once into hope
less oblivion and sleep the long
years away as dead matter in the
archives of the government; while.
in the meantime, generation after
generation of the Indians came and
went without ever enjoying the
least Imaginable benefit from their
bargain. There was nothing that
could ever induce the government
to bestow upon these sacred obli-
cations the least attention what
ever, except when, in the course
of time, their existence came to be
a matter of dread, as a legal OBJ
struction in the way of some new
departure in the ever shifting cur
rent of public policy; and even
then the consideration accorded to
them had reference more to their
abatement as nuisances, than to
their fulfillment as real engage
nents. These old unfulfilled
promises. however, were known to
be standing as perpetual menace,
10 the good name of all Americans
future history; they were besides
IN the habit of making themselves
lot little noisy in their continu-
ous, though unavailing, outcry
against this unwarranted neglect OF
hem on part of the government
Hence as a preliminary step in
he execution of any new design
lpon the Indians, it was generally
ieemed to be expedient that all
'ormer unfulfiled agreements of ev-
,ry description should be cleared
,ut of the way, giving the past,
Up to date. fair and unexception-
Ible standing on the historic page. |
This precautionary work was US
tally accomplished in one, or the |
'ther, of two ways; either by full |
illment, or amicable recision. The |
after method. when practicable,
vas usually adopted; otherwise the
ormer came in play as last re
ort. AT such times, in order to
meet the emergency, and, at the
anne time, to inspire the Indians
With the needful Willingness to
reat and trust, the overtures for
be new deal were generally ac-
ompanied with renewed promises,
5 additional considerations, for |
he early fulfillment of the old, |
outstanding guarantees. |
But no sooner had the new treaty |
,een concluded, than it was over
AIKEN by the same untoward fate |
which had befallen all of its kind |
hat had gone before if; and the
lew pledges also went into the |
anne grave where mouldered the
emaihs of the old promises them
selves for the fulfllment OF which /
hey had been so hopefully made 1
At length, under the teaching of 4
common sense began |
o assert its legitimate sway over /
he Indian mind. Conviction re- |
,el,ed against the authority Of |
and the red men found /
themselves no longer able, when |
hey would have done so, to repose |
n the words of the government |
hat measure of confidence which |
vas essential to the process of
negotiation.
In this state of mind the Chero- /
L al