that the swift, inevitable end must be
the destruction of their national governments, the Cherokee began
once more to consider the question of removal from the United States.
Thescheme is outlined in a letter written by a brother of the principal
chief of the Cherokee Nation under date of May 31. 1895, from which
we quote.
After prefacing that the government of the United State- seems
determined to break up the tribal autonomy of the five civilized
tribes and to divide their lands, thus bringing about conditions
under which the Cherokee could not exist, he continues:
Then for a remedy that will lead us nut of it, away from it. and one that pr isea
niir preservation as a distinct race of people in the enjoyment of customs, social ami
political, that have been handed down to us from remoteIndians and vested in a Government commission;
the lands of the five tribes have been surveyed and seetionized by
Government surveyors: and by the sweeping provisions of the Curtis
act of June 28, L898, "for the protection of the people of the Indian
Territory." the entire control of tribal revenues is taken from the five
Indian tribes and vested with a resident supervising inspector, the
tribal courts are abolished, allotments are made compulsory, and
authority is given to incorporate white men's towns in the Indian
tribes. 8 By this act the five civilized tribes are reduced to the
condition of ordinary reservation tribes under government agents
with white communities planted in their midst. In the meantime the
Dawes commission, continued up to the present, has by unremitting
effort broken down the opposition of the Choctaw and Chickasaw,
who have consented to