The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-09-12
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
D. II. johnson. the NewIy-Eleeted Gov
ernor. Outlines His Views and POm-
cies-ChIckassws Should Treat.

/ representatives VI tiIS N1llChdSttN
Legislature assembled in joint ses-
sion-Gentlemen: Having been
elected to the high and honorable
position of governor of the Chick
asaw nation, l wish to acknowl-
edge my appreciation of the conf
dence and honor the people have
conferred upon me. 1t is with a
deep sense of the responsibility con-
ferred that l enter upon the duties
of chief executive and / trust |
shall have your hearty co-opera-
ton in legislating for the best in
terests of our people.
1t becomes my duty, as your
chief executive, to make certain
suggestions and recommendations
for the interest and welfare of our
nation to be considered and dispos-
ed of by you as You deem best.
There never was a time in our
history, in my opinion, when more
careful and prudent legislation is
needed than at the present.
By recent acts of the congress of
the United States our identity as a
nation has been limited. Laws
have been enacted seriously affect
ing our local government. Under
the Atoka agreement and the Curtis
bill our money is withheld and our
government financially embarrass-
ed, our schools almost imperative.
Therefore l would suggest that
you memorialize congress to open
up some channel by which the inter
est fund due us, known as the July
payment, together with our arrears
of interest may be turned over to
US, which will enable us to liqui-
date our Indebtedness, maintain
appealed citizenship cases and
pay out annuity to our peO-
pie; and l believe that the interest
of our trust fund, which is due
semi-annually, together with our
other resources will amply main
tain our schools and support our
government.
AS yet l am unable to furnish
You any information in regard to
the outstanding Indebtedness from
the fact that the different officers of
the outgoing administration have
not made their reports, but | ex-
pect later on to furnish you such
information.
Another very interesting matter
TO Us is the question of ChickaSaw
freedmen. For your information
and that OF the Chickasaw people
at large l will quote the section of
the Atoka agreement showing the
status of the negro under the agree
ment, laws and treaties with the
United States government at the
present time:
That the commission to the five
civilized tribes shall make a correct
roll of Chickasaw freedmen entitl-
ed to any of the rights or benefits
under the treaty made in 1866 be-
tween the United States and the
Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes and
their descendants born to them
since the date of said treaty, and
forty acres of land including their
present residences and improve
ments shall be allotted to each to
be selected, held and used by them
until their rights under said treaty
shall be determined in such man
ner as shall hereafter be provided
by congress.
For your futher information on
the subject l will also quote to you
extracts from the opinion of the
assistant attorney general of the
United States government, Hon.
Willis Vandeventer, in regard to
the right of the Choctaw and
Chickasaw freedmen to vote on the
ratification or reflections of the
Atoka agreement at the election
held for that purpose on the 18th