876 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



them. What that ground shall be is left to your wisdom to determine ; but I am 

 convinced that the sentiment and conviction of the people will regard any movement 

 looking to a cession of our lands for the purpose authorized by Congress, or the dis- 

 turbance of the integrity of the Indian Territory, or the surrender of any rights of 

 soil or self-government now enjoyed under the guarantees of their treaties with the 

 United States, with disapproval and opposition. 



I suggest, therefore, that your efforts in the conference be addressed directly to ob- 

 taining such action as may seem best calculated to preserve our rights of soil and 

 self-government under our treaties, to strengthen the guarantees of our Indian broth- 

 ers, to perpetuate the existence of the Indian Territory unimpaired under the laws 

 and treaties of the United States, and to unite more intimately the relations now ex- 

 isting between the Indian people, so as to secure more united aud harmonious councils 

 in the advancement of their common interests and the more efficient enforcement of 

 law. 



I need hardly add that any measure adopted or policy agreed upon by the confer- 

 ence will require to be reported in full to this department for its approval and refer- 

 ence to the national council for final action. 



Very respectfully, 



D. W. BUSHYHEAD, 



Principal Chief. 



The next day, after consultation, the following resolutions, with one dissenting 

 voice, were adopted, to wit : 



" Whereas by an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1885, the President of the 

 United States is 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 the Indian Territory ceded by them, respectively, to the United 

 States under the treaties of August 11, 1866, March 21, 1866, and July 19, 1866; and 



" Whereas said lands were specially set apart under the authority of the act of Con- 

 gress of March 30, 1830, for settlement of Indians to be removed from the limits of 

 the then existing States and Territories, and have been patented under said act of 

 March 30, 1830, and the provisions of treaties entered into in conformity therewith 

 by the said Creek and Cherokee Nations ; and 



" Whereas the said Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee Nations have agreed, in the 

 treaties before named, that portions of the country patented to them might be used 

 for the settlement of friendly Indians, and for no other purpose ; and 



II Whereas Congress has declared that no Indian should hereafter be settled on said 

 lands without its consent thereto previously given, thus virtually annulling the 

 agreement and abandoning the right to make such settlement of friendly Indians ; 

 and 



" Whereas the opening of said lands to homestead settlement would be in conflict 

 with the uniform policy of the Government in reference to the Indians of this Terri- 

 tory, and its solemn pledges that the lands of the Indian Territory shall not, in all 

 time to come, be included within the limits of any State or Territory without their 

 consent; and 



"Whereas the opening of said lands would necessarily involve the establishment 

 of a Territory of the United States within the limits of the Indian Territory in viola- 

 tion of said treaties: Therefore, be it 



11 Resolved by the representatives of the Creeks, Seminoles, Cherokees, Choctaws, and 

 Chickasaws in convention assembled, That in their opinion the negotiations authorized 

 by the act of Congress of March 3, 1885, are incompatible with the rights, interests, 

 and future security of the people of the Indian Territory, and should not be entered 

 into ; and to secure the integrity of the Territory as Indian country, and the interest 

 of the several tribes therein, we hereby pledge ourselves and our respective govern- 

 ments." 



