Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-29
Meet in Tulsa Oct. 2 to Re-
gain $4,000, 900 in Lands
Taken by U. S.
GIVEN TO SLAVES
Indian Leaders Declare the
Treaty of 1866 Was I'm
Just to Land Owners.

selected by the vari-
II Gus tribes and clans of the Cher
okee nation throughout northeastern
Oklahoma will gather in Tulsa Octo-
Der to general convention for the
purpose of taking some action in re-
questing and urging the government
to reimburse the members of the ma
ton for money and lands taken by
the government for negroes, their for
mer slaves, according to an announce
ment made by leaders of the nation.
The lands involved represent at least
$50, 1000. The lands were taken by
n treaty Of 1866.
Decision in the matter was made by
the leaders in the fieht at meeting
on the 24th day of August The fol-
lowing action was taken at that time:
Whereas the Cherokee Indian peo-
pie have always resented and protested
the ninth article of the treaty of 1866,
whereby the negrOes-their former
slaves-were granted certain alleged
rights in the Cherokee nation: this
treaty being made and forced on the
Cherokee people right after the raw
ages of the Civil war, under threats
| by the agents of the government that
|
| lands and property would be confis-
Gated and taken from them; and,
| Whereas, we affirm the treaty of
1885, that these lands were sold to
| the Cherokee Indian people, not their
slaves, and for which the Cherokee
people ceded untold millions of dol
dars' worth of lands, their old homes
! in North Carolina, Georgia and Ten
nessee and portions of other states for
4
Oklahoma, which they were forced to
move to in 1898, and a paltry $4,000,
600, which was grossly inadequate for
the vast country ceded to the govern
ment; and,
whereas, the Cherokee Indian peo-
pie, after coming west of the Missis-
sippi river, made this wilderness bios
som as the rose; and,
Whereas, the government had nc
moral or legal right to exact equal al
iotments of our lands for our Negro
slaves, any more than 1t could have
had to compel all the slave-holding
states their lands with their former
slaves: but il did so exact an equa
division of Cherokee lands with theii
former slaves and their descendants
when II allotted the Cherokee lands
and,
Whereas, the Cherokee people
| SnOuIu not ne lHdue 10 Sulltl hhi'
great and gorgeous wrong, which
robbed them Of a great portion o
their heritage; and,
Whereas, we resent the imputatioi
made by some people that any Off
cial of the Cherokee nation did b!
any act, officially or othrwise, agre'
to bind the Cherokee people to an!
act confirming the allotment of Cher
okee lands to freed men and thei
descendants, but protested this actor
of the government as unjust and un
fair: for 1t is we'll known principl
of law that property held lawful
cannot be confiscated or diverte
from its legal channel; and ever
treaty between the United States gov
ernment and Cherokee people con
firmed the title of these lands to tn
Cherokee Indian people, not to thei
slaves: now,
Therefore. we, the undersigned
being parties interested, and in be
half of the Cherokee people, do hereb
issue a call to the Indians and citi
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