The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-17
Strange Tale of the Wander
ings OF the DeIawares.
BOOK WRITTEN FOR THEM
To Save Expulsion From Their
Last Abiding Place,

sinai sympathy Is wasted on the woes OF
the Indian by Oklahomans.
There is one tribe, however, which
proves an exception. This is the della
ware tribe, now domiciled with the Chero-
kee nation.
A remarkable book, which embodies a
prayer to the white people and the gov
eminent for justice TO the Delawares has
been written recently and published by
Richard c. Adams, a Delaware Indian.
The reason Oklahomans generally in
dulge in no tears over the plight Of the
red man is the reason common to the
entire west. It is encompassed in the
teiief that before the advent of the white
man, the Indian had a very loose sense
Of realty ownership, that land had little
or nc value in his eyes, except as it was
wanted by the white man. The whole
explanation Of the white mans attitude
towards the Indians calm that he has
been robbed" can be summed up in this
statement made by white man. 1.-THE
Trojan Territory in realty value is worth
more today than the continent Of North
America was worth in 1892, and that value
has been impaired to the land by the
presence of the white man. If left alone
to the red man the continent would have
been as valueless now as then"
But there is a sympathy for the Della
ware tribe, from sense of justice ow-
ing to him, and also from the fact that
this time the Delaware Indian is in dan
ger of losing what he has outright to
another Indian, the Cherokee.
, The misfortunes and the merits of re
Delaware tribe are set out with spirit
and effectiveness by Mr.. Richard c.
Adams.
The Cherokees, according to this de-
ponent are trying to nudge the Della
wares off the face Of the earth, and Nj.
Adams, a his own expense, has bean
down in Washington for some time ry-
ing to stave off the calamity. It occurred
to him that perhaps the fight might &c
won by a literary effort, as Dickens reg
titled tbs abuses Of English schools by
Nicholas Nicl1leby," as Mrs. Stowe heIp-
ed WI the fight against slavery ty
Uncle Toms Cabin"
If the Delaware Indians are saved N
this instance, it can be said that it
was saved by a book, written by an N
dia1 thing entirely unique in American
annals.
Mr. Adams calls his book "A Delaware
Indian Legend" and in bearing out this
idea prints short epic In which in
stanzas, particularly fine for one of In
dian blood, the sad story of the moved
on aborigine is narrated. This is a Sc
we're arraignment Of the white man, but
as a delayed and rather late remedy sug-
gests in its last stanza this:
Let the Indian have some duties treat
him as worthy man;
Give him voice in the elections, give him
title to his land
give him place of trust and honor, let
him feel this is his home;
Let him use his mind and muscle, let his
actions be his own;
pay him what is Justly due him. let your
government be his too,
lie will battle with each problem Just as
faithfully as you.
one who proves himself a warrior and
Of danger knows no fear,
Surely can find ways to master each new
problem that draws near"
While this epic gives the title to the
hook. the real volume finds its bulk and
purpose in a recital Of the wanderings of
the Delaware tribe. which. by the way.
was known as the Lenni Leuape tribe
In the first place. the Delawares have
always been kindly to the white man.
once a powerful tribe, head Of the AL
Eonquin family. their position of friandH
hess was to the first settlers a great ad-
vantage, William Penn in 1850. bought
some of their lands, the Delawares then
claiming ownership from the Hudson
River TO the Potomac. that Is the ground
on which New York Philadelphia and
Washington now stand.
In his famous treaty. concluded on tho
banks Of the Delaware River lust where
philadelphia now stands. Penn treatad
with these reasonable Indians. Penn an
peared in his usual clothes and was dis
1inguiShed only by wearing a sky hlue
SASH or silk net work around his waist.
lie had a roll OF parchment containing
confirmation Of the treaty or purchase
and amity in his hands. The treaty was
'stited with all due solemnity and. ac-
Nordlng to Mr.. Adams. is known 10 this
day as the treaty that never was sworn To /
and never was broken.
me Delaware Indians have ALWAYS |
shown good faith They heroed Wash /
;ngion in the Revolution. They. aided tbe ]
Mon In the Civil war: they guided Cen /
rral Fremont across the Rocky Noun 4
tains. and they often acted as peace /
anaher between the government and other /
bands which were hostile.
Al one time in their forced march west
ward they owned the White River in
Indiana and the place where Indianapo-
3ls now stands This was taken away
from them and they were moved across /
7he mississippi River. with tuo-f,l5 /
Idea. that OF setting rid Of them. and /
with the Delawares across the river q, 1
might be easier TO set the other tribes ~ 4
1910" into that then distant land. /
Asain the Indians picked out n fertile 4
spot part Of the valley Of the Kaw across
rom Lawrence and reaching almost n 4
Nansas City. The squatters. who were /
tAen IN search OF land and were ennro-
priatlng almost anything. soon made 81 1
impossible for the Delawa-es 10 remain
longer there. and they moved into ne /
Indian country. 10 the.Canev VALLEY mn,
Ger an agreement with the Cberolass
which provided for a purchased n.~,i,t-
sation in the affairs of thar tribe r.,
pSages and other tribes made claim, -
this purchased tract ot the De,av-a-,s
and otherwise harasse5 them. @,~rfD,
Them 10 move. They went over ~ ~ /
Cuapaw country. but were finally 7a--
Euaded 70 return Now the Cherokee ma
ton, or the semi-aristocracy which Mr.
Adams charges controls Ii, is not only
Aryins TO repudiate The treaty whereby 4
7he Indians bought their land. but has /
excluded them from a participation in 1