-46-
been read to you, that
large discretionary power is vested in me
in these negotiations. I am simply directed therein to be fair to
the Indians and just to the United States. The
meaning of the words "fair to the Indians"
is to give you a fair and reasonable price for your land and provide
for manner
of payments which will be the most conductive
to your wellfare. The meaning of the words
"Just to the United States" is
not to pay more than the land is worth,
and to have the agreement
such as
will meet the approval of Congress. The word "Justice" also means
protecting
you in your just rights. As I told you heretofore, the people of the
United
States constitute the Government, and you are part of the people of the
United
States.
Now you have the
matter
before you my friends, and you certainly must understand it, because I
have
taken great pains to make it very clear to you.
The lump sun, $960,670, is based upon the number of acres
included in the cession, at the rate of $3.75 per acre.
That makes the definite lump sum stated.
I have already said
that
any of you now located on that tract, who desire to remain there may do
so, and
the price of the number of acres required for allotments for those
electing to
remain will be deducted from the lump sum offered.
It would make that lump sum proportionately less. As a friend of the Indians and having your
best
interests at heart, I would advise all to come within the reduced
reservation. You can only protect
yourselves on the
ceded tract by taking allotments, and if you remain on that portion you
must
take your allotments at once. You
then
become full fledged white men in every sense of the word, and you will
have
white men all around you. The only advantage that you will have over
the white
man is that your allotments will not be taxed for twenty-five years,
during the
trust period.
