Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-08-18

virtue OF his rellglon; he was q
minister of the gospel. To which
denomination he belonged it is
deemed unnecessary here, and
now, to declare; indeed it might
prove to be, under the circum-
stances, not little ungracious to
do so; for while there are few
churches that have not, at one
time or another, and in divers
ways, made themselves helpful in
originating these Indian treaties,
it is to be presumed that there are
now still fewer, (since the same
treaties have proved to be the
source of so much wrong to the
Indians and SO much disgrace to
the government,) that would feel
themselves complimented by any
mention of their names in connec-
ton with these Indian negotiations.
Again, the peculiar sacredness
in the nature of the diplomacy
employed by the government in
dealing with the Indians, was
finely calculated to complete their
delusion, and to give the sting of
their final disappointment an un-
usual keenness. 1t was not an
international diplomacy - that
tricky, caveat emptOr, kind of me-
gotiation in which each party is
expecred, i. he can, to cheat the
other, and in case he is beaten
to take his defeat without any
hope of redress. = 1t was that,
rather, which partakes of the ma
ture of sentimental solicitation,
not much unakin TO thet by which
love wins the hand of The fair one
which he pretends to worship; a
kind of trading which renders any
violation of the contract by the
stronger party exceedingly dishon-
orable and reprehensible. In fact,
it was the dealings Of father with
his children.
The Cherokees were courted by
the soft words OF these commits
sioners into the happy belief that
the president of the United States,
that great central embodyment Of
all executive power, was, and in
tended to be for the future, to
them all that could be expected OF
bene6cent father; Understanding
themselves in his great paternal
bosom, they would never more
have any use for the bloody impli-
ments of war, nor any occasion at
all for the exercise OF military
vigilance against the inroads of an
enemy; that once settled upon
their inheritance west OF the Mis-
sissippi, there nothing should
ever betide to disturb their para
disiacal peace as long as grass grew
and water flowed; that is to say,
as long as the laws OF the material
universe should stand unrepealed.
In morals, the binding force OF
an agreement is not necessarily
equal between the contracting
parties. There is somethingin an
unbiased conscience which declares
that the one that made himself the
most instrumental in bringing
about the bargain should be the
last to find fault with the terms OF
to advocate an arbitrary abroga
tion.
There is no one, We venture tC
say, who is not selfshly interest
ed, and who is, at the same time
familiar with the internal history
of these Cherokee treaties, bu
what would assent readily to tn,
proposition that, in reference Il
them, the "better way" woult
have been to observe them ant
carry them out in accordance will
the understanding of the parties q
the time they were made; TO d.
otherwise would be, to a degree a
least. self-conviction of moral obi
guilty. In abrogating them, as j
done by the Curtis law, the con
gress of the United States has com
mitted itself directly, and indirect
ly the seventy i've millions o
American people whom 1t repre-
sents, to the shocking proposition
that there is nothing in individua
character, nothing in high officia
position, nothing in sacred reli
gion, nothing in morality, nothin
in law, nothing in national honor
nothing in all the bright establish
ment of occidental civilization thu
an Indian tribe, in dealing wit
the white uation, can safely rel
upon as an adequate pledge for tn
observance of good faith.
In congress the existence of thi
horrible truth is frankly admitted
and the national conscience ther
Z