THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 875 



OKLAHOMA. 



Congress Marcli 3> 1885, authorized the President to open negotiations with the 

 Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherohees, for the purpose of opening to settlement, under 

 the homestead laws, the unassigned lands in the Indian Territory ceded by them, 

 respectively, to the United States under the treaties of August 11, 1866, March 21, 

 1866, and July 19, 186C. 



Robert L. Owen, agent at Union Agency, Indian Territory, September 20, 1886, 

 made the following report as to the Indian action on the above : 



When the act of March 3, 1885, was passed by Congress, authorizing the President 

 to open negotiations with the Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherokees for the purpose of 

 opening to settlement, under the homestead laws, the unassigned iDortions of Oklahoma 

 and the Cherokee Strip, an Indian international convention was called by Hon. 

 D. "W. Bushyhead. It met June 15, 1885, at Eufaula, with the following delegates 

 present : 



Choctaws. — Delegates: Ed. McCurtain, chief of Choctaws; A. Carney, Julius Fol- 

 som, Wesley Anderson, Meah-hut-tubbee, J. S. Staudley. 



CMcJcasmvs. — Delegates : Geo. W. Harkins, B. W. Carter. 



Cherolcees.— Delegates: R. Bunch, W. P. Ross, L. B. Bell, Frog Sixkiller, S. H. Benge, 

 Dauiel Redbird, Adam Feelin, John Sevier. 



Creeks. — Delegates: Ward Coachman, G. W. Grayson, Juo. R. Moore, Wm. Mc- 

 Combs, Coweta Micco, Efa Emarthlar. 



Seminoles. — Delegates : John Jumper, James Factor, Thos. McGeisey. 



The object of the convention, after organization, was shown by Mr. Bushyhead's 

 letter, to wit : 



. Tahlequah, June 12, 1885. 



To Messrs. E. Bunch, Wm. P. Boss, L. B. Bell, Frog Sixkiller, S. E. Benge, D. EedUrd, 

 Adam Feelin, and John Sevier: 



Gentlemen: As already advised, you have been appointed to represent the Chero- 

 kee Nation at a conference to be held at Eufaula, Muscogee Nation, I. T., on the 15th 

 instant, between the reiiresentatives of the Muscogee, Seminole, Choctaw, Chickasaw, 

 and Cherokee Nations, concerning matters of importance pertaining to tlieir general 

 interests. 



By the act of Congress approved March 3, 1885, commonly known as the "Indian 

 appropriation bill," it was provided "that the President is hereby authorized to open 

 negotiations with the Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherokees for the purpose of opening 

 to settlement under the homestead laws the unassigned lands in said Indian Territory, 

 ceded by them respectively to the United States by the several treaties of August 11, 

 1886, March 21, 1866, and July 19, 1866." In view of this legislation the chief of the 

 Seminoles invited a meeting of the parties in interest for the purpose of an inter- 

 change of views on the question thus presented, and as the result the conference to 

 which you have been appointed has been called at Eufaula. 



You will readily perceive that the proposal to open to settlement, under the home- 

 stead laws of the United States, the lands set apart by the Creeks and Cherokees for 

 the settlement of friendly Indians presents questions of the gravest import, not only 

 to the Seminoles, Creeks, and Cherokees, but to all Indians now settled within the 

 limits of the Indian Territory, and which calls for their most serious consideration 

 and harmonious action. They involve not only a cession of large tracts of valuable 

 lands, to which, in the case of the Cherokee Nation, the title remains unimpaired, 

 but a thorough, sweeping, and radical change in the ijolitical relations between the 

 Indians and the Government of the United States. 



To the consideration of this subject, and of all points of interest springing there- 

 from, you are expected to give your serious and mature consideration, and endeavor 

 to agree upon some common ground of action upon which the members of the confer- 

 ence can stand united in sentiment and effort to meet the issues to be presented to 



