Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-06-09
LEGISLATING AGAIN.
TO AID In COLLECTING MONEY,
WITH LAW OR WITHOUT.
An Erroneous Conception of Prov isions
of Cherokee Law Prompts the Fed
eraI Officers to PrOmulgate a Re
markable Manifesto.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

| ReNenue Collector. AOoMtcSCocNtt us
| trict. Cherokee Nation. l. l.
SIR:-Having been legally in
formed of your appointment as
Special Revenue Collector of Coo
weescoowee District of the Chero-
kee Nation, by Hon. d. w. Llpe,
Treasurer of the Cherokee Nation,
bv virtue of Section 81 of the Com
piled Laws of the Cherokee Ma
lion; and you having filled a good
and sufficient bond in the sum of
S5000.00 conditioned for the faith
full performance of your duties as
such Special Revenue Collector for
said district, which said bond has
been approved by the said treas.
urer of the Cherokee Nation, and
by me as United States Indian
Agent for the Union Agency in the
Indian Territory,
Now, therefore, these are TO in
struct and command you to at once
proceed and demand and collect of
all Cherokee citizens who are due
a revenue or tax to the Cherokee
Nation as provided by sections 5l5
to $50, inclusive, of the Compiled
Laws of the Cherokee Nation of
1892, the revenue or tax provided
by those sections (or any amend
ment thereto); and, if anyone re-
fuses to pay the revenue or tax in
compliance with said laws, or to
make a statement 10 you of the
number of cattle subject to such
tax, or the correctness of whose
statement, as to the number of
cattle, you may doubt, you are au-
thorized to enter upon the prem
ises of such persons and round up,
count and ascertain the number
and description of The cattle held
by such person, subject TO such tax.
and report such person, together
with the number of cattle held, to
this Agency, and TO the judge of
the United States Court for the
Northern District of the Indian
Territory.
SEcoND:-You are further in
structed to demand of all citizens
of the United States residing with
in said Cooweescoowee District and
holding live stock therein in vio-
laiion of section 5S1 of the Com
piled Laws of the Cherokee Ma
ton of 1892, the tax due under
said law (or amendment thereto),
and, upon their failure to pay the
tax in compliance with the said
law, that you enter upon their
premises and ascertain the number
Of live stock so held by them in
violation of said law, and report
the same as above directed.
This instruction applies TO all
the claimants TO citizenship in the
Cherokee Nation; and, where you
have reason TO believe that any
non-citizen has made fraudulent or
sham sale or transfer of his live
stock TO a citizen of the Nation to
avoid the payment OF said tax, ard
refuses 10 pay such tax, that you
report the same as above provided.
THIRD:-You are further in
siructed to demand of all non-citi-
zens residing in said district to pro-
cure a permit to reside therein, as
required by law; and all non citi-
zens failing to procure such per-
mits, you will report them as
above provided.
FOURTH: being now the
only person authorized to collect
revenue in said district, you will
require all sheriffs, clerks, or 9TH
er persons who have been hereto
fore collecting revenues to make a
full report 10 you at once of all
revenues collected by them. and
what disposition they have made
of the same, and turn over to you
any and all revenues that they may
have on hand for which you will
give them the proper receipt; aud,
upon their failure to do so, you
will report them as above provid-
ed. And you will notify all such
persons TO cease collecting or at
tempting to collect any revenue
hereafter, as your receipt will be
the only receipt recognized by this
Agency and the United States
Court. And you will report any
person interfering with you as
Special Revenue Collector to this
Agency and to the Court, that he
may be dealt with according 10
law, and, finally, that you make
full and complete reports, month
ly, to this Agency aud to the Uni
ted States Court of your acts and
doings by virtue hereof.
In view of the above order, my
letter of instructions to w. H. Fry,
clerk of Cooweescoowee District,
of May 25th, 1898, is hereby re
voked, as are all other communi-
cations from this office in conflict
herewith, and | make such revo-
cation after conference with the
judges of the L. S. courts, and
have issued this order on the ad-
vice and with the approval Of the
same.
do not presume nor assume to
set myself up in the discharge of
my duties above the Courts, but |
am compelled to act and viii, act
in harmony with them, and da
what | can to aid the Cherokee Ma
ton, through its constituted au-
Athorities, in collecting their rev.
enues under their laws, as inter-
Pteted and enforced through the
Us Courts.
IN The present chaotic condition
y affairs in this Territory, | deem
:. safest Tor me, as an executive of
iicer' 20 enforce the laws as pro-
pounded and ;,.o.,,ro,,1 H.