Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-12-22
STATUS OF THE FREEDMEN

lated by the Cherokee COMMISSION
the status of the Cherokee freed.
men will doubtless be one of the
principal features. For some years
past both the United States and
the Cherokee nation have been
struggling with the census of the
colored people in the Cherokee
nation who were adopted by the
treaty of 1866.
As TO the rights of these people
to share equally with Cherokees
in the final allotment of land, and
division of the tribal funds there
need be no cavil. Without enter
ing into a discussion of the ques-
tion of whether the treaty of 1866
was fair or unfair to the Cherokees
we have no hesitancy in asserting
that it gives the freedmen who
come under its provisions as full
and complete citizenship in the
Cherokee nation as the Cherokees
by blood enjoy.
The only question that remains
to be settled is the number of them
who are entitled to citizenship un-
der this treaty. An honest roll OF
Cherokee freedmen has never been
made, and possibly never will be.
Some of the most shameless frauds
ever perpetrated upon a people
have been committed in the efforts
that have been made TO get cor
rect roll of these people. Every
effort has been unsuccessful and
now this commission is confronted
with the same difficult problem.
The case is complicated one.
The conditions imposed by the
treaty of 1866 necessarily made it
so. All freedmen who had belong
ed to the Cherokees before obtain
ing their freedom were to be taken
in as Cherokees, under certain
conditions. One Of the conditions
was that those who elected TO avail
themselves of the benefits of this
treaty were to come in within six
months Immediately after ratifca-
tion of the treaty. Many freedmen
came in promptly and were rec
ognized by the Cberokees as citi-
zens. Some did not come within
the six months stipulated in the
treaty, but have come in since, in
fact they have been coming in
ever since. Two years ago when
the Clifton roll was being made
they literally came by thousands,
and many of them were able to
prove by perjured testimony that
they were here within the limit,
and many of them were enrolled.
Hundreds of others are here who
are simply squatters upon Chero-
kee land without-s-Eestige of
right and their names are not up
on any roll, and Of course have no
legal rights in the country, and
ought to be dispossessed.
To make a correct roll of the
freedmen of the Cherokee nation
is tremendous and very difficult
undertaking, and one that the
agreement now about to be made
ought to provide for with the
greatest care, so that those who
are entitled under the treaty could
have their rights established, and
be protected, and so those who are
simply impostors could be reached
and dispossessed. If the Chero.
kee nation is forced to submit to
such a system of rules as was
adopted by the Clifton commits
sion, there is little hope of re-
ducing the number to any great
extent, but rather to increase it.
AS long as one negro is allowed to
swear to another's citizenship for
the fee that is paid him. any and |
all of those who apply will be ad-
The commission, it is
hoped, will be able to reach some |
wise plan whereby honest testi-
mony alone will be admitted. Al
lotment of course cannot proceed
till the question of citizenship Is
settled finally, and in all cases. |
A strict adherence to the treaty of |
1866, and the admission of only |
such testimony as would in the |
nature of things be reasonable,
IL - L.