Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-08-28

oiAo Al ItoO, u1IST tue COLONIES IaO
gained their independence, both the
Chickasaws and Choctaws made Il
treaty at Hopewell, and We're guara,l-
teed peaceable possession of their
lands. From the date of this treaty
these two tribes Of redmen kept faith
with the federal government. This
government agreed to furnish funds
sufficient to defray the expenses of
the journey and for one years pro
visions after their arrival at thei new
home, the amount thus appropriated to
be refunded from he receipts Of the
sale. The amount received from the
sale of these lands by the Chickasaws
was SS,646, 900, and the tribe decided to
create a perpetual fund from this sum-,
the money to be invested by the United
States, he interest derived therefrom
to be used for national purposes. In
1884 h final treaty in reference to
the cession of the Chickasaw land and
the removal of the tribe was made at
Washington.
The commissioners sent by the
Ch1ckasaW nation to seek a new home
IN the west entered into successful me-
gotiations with h Choctaws for an in
terest in their newly acquired lands be-
You'd the Mississippi. In 1897 a treaty be-
tween the w tribes was ratified near
by which the Chickasaws. in consider
alton of h sum of S530,000. We're
coded a district in the Choctaw coun-
try west of the Choctaw nation proper
The conditions of the sale We're that
the Chickasaws could participate
Jointly with the Choctaws in the tribal
government with equal rights and
privileges, the land also to be held
Jointly by both, neither tribe having
the right Of disposing Of It's interest
without the consent of the other. Each
tribe reserved to itself the right to
control n manage its owns funds
invested in Washington. The lands
known as the Chickasaw district of
the Choctaw nation, and the members
of either tribe were given the privilege
of locating In either the nation or dis
trict proper.
Smallpox Decimates Tribe.
During the emigration Of the Chick
asaws to their new home, smallpox
broke out, carrying off nearly 700 of
the movers. They did not settle in the
Chickasaw district, put man Of them
settled In the Choctaw country proper,
scattered among the members Of the
latter tribe.
AS a body, the Chickasaws did not
advance as rapidly as did the Choc-
taws, their large annuties encouraging
idleness n improvidence: their eff
forts at agriculture were insignificant,
o0SAi VI Go lAaS bSAilS pClAO1luCo Wy
slaves. The first school was not
established until 1851.
The political relations between the
two tribes under the provisions of the
treaty Of 1887 were far from amicable,
as instead Of equal representation, as
they expected. they were allowed only
In proportion to population and were,
therefore, a powerless minority, the
Choctaws outnumbering and, therefore,
%outvoting the Chickasaws and thereby
controlling the national offices and af-
fairs of government. The Latter. feel
ing themselves aggrievAd. appealed to
the president Of the United States and,
obtained by the treaty Of 1855 q po-
litical separation from that tribe and
a complete title to the district In
which they lived. h owners Of the
district then established their own
government and, though closely allied
Choctaws, they maintained an inde-
pendent government and distinct geo.
graphical boundaries.
Became Confederate Soldiers.
The tribe and it's halfbreeds fur
llished several thousand men for the
febel cause and negotiated treaties
with the confederate government. The
two nations suffered considerably by
the war, losing more than one-fourth
of their population. much stock and,
of course, their slaves.
The United States held that in the
part taken by the tribal government
in the war they had forfeited all their
rights, which, however, were restored
under certain conditions and the
treaty of 1866 was made. This treaty,
the provisions of which superseded all
conflicting provisions of previous
treaties, was the basis OF all laws per-
tpfrino IN tho infaroo1JrCa nf tho C1,oo-
taws and Chickasaws with the federal
government.