The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-04-26
|THE INDIANS
LOST MILLIONS
Mhy the Creeks and CherOkees
Will Not Vote the Repub-
lican Ticket.

The price that the Creek Indians
must pay for having joined the. Con-
Iedracy in the civil war is twelve mil
ion dollars worth Of land. This page
M Indian history is brought to mind
" the rapid sale OF land by the Creek
freedmen to the whites 1t is an in
kident, too, In Indian history that
.sill have its bearing on the future
Voting Of the Indians.
In the early days Of the civil war
both the Greek and the Cherokee gov
srnments made alliances with the Con-
sederacy. For natural reasons, the
indians were Southern sympathizers.
Irhey were Shareholders.
When the war closed, the United
BATES government declared the old
reaties abrogated by reason Of the
confederate alliance, and new treaties
Mere made. This was in 1866. One
Inc Of the provisions Of this treaty
has that the ex-slayes of the Indians
|hould share equally with their ex-
.nasters IN the tribal lands and annui-
4 les. This was bitterly opposed by
majority Of the Indians, but they
ere forced to 1t by a few Of their
baders, who signed the treaty with
he treaty commission.
In this treaty the negro interpreter
E.ayed an important part, and had it
|, st been for him it is probable that
be treaty would never have been
g9de. They represented to the COM
|lissioners that the Indians were will
bg to agree to matters pertaining to
ie negroes, always to the benefit Of
he latter, and on the other hand rep
sented to the Indians that certain
|royisi0ns were not 80 rigid as they
|iterward proved To BE-, and thus the
|reaty was signed.
lThe treaty has given 100 acres Of
Ind 70 each freedman, and there are
600 Of them, making total Of s00,-
OO acres OF land, worth II million
|olIars. This land was taken from
he Indians. They opposed 1t then
nd oppose il now. In politics they
lin oppose the negro, and the party
bat receives the negro vote will lose
bat Of the Indian. The fact that the
keedman secured the best land is still
|nfrritatlng subject to the Indian.
h the ante-bellum days great planta-
ions were scattered all over the Creek
|ountry. They we're owned by edu-
hted halfbreeds, who were wealthy
bad owned many slaves. They went
|ltn the Confederacy, and in the four
|ears Of war their plantations were
|iined and their houses burned. This
|ould not have deferred the auto
|ratic landlords, but when they found
|hC.rex-slayes settled on the old plan
htluns. claiming ownership and der
banding equal rights and recognition,
was too much. They refused to ac-
|nowledge equality, and in nearly
very instance left their old planta-
|tns and went into new country and
Iegan over again. The negroes re-
|nained. and as thair homes were on
|hese rich and cultivated lands, they
|laimed and received allotments there.
I'he stidhams, McIntoshes. Marshalls,
lamwells, Graysons and Porters and
|undreds Of other Indian families lost
Eagniiicent land holdings in that way.
DE Cherokee freedmen received their
ghts in the same way. and this, too
h spite Of the fact that at the begin
ling Of the war they had declared
reedom for their slaves. Kansas City
|ournal.