Shortly‘ before the adjournment Of the Lilt council Congress by

'ropriate legislation extended the *rib*/ goTernment for the pur.

pose of effecting a final sett. qtent of our

tention and understood purpose of Congress to IMMO** the existence

of the tribal governement as then constituted by retaining in office

those who were then acting in that 04PlaitY, A* an ovi-denos of this

purpose and intention on the Part o f Canal...se, the Preeident was given

authority toVemove from officio the chief executivesfor causes and to

appoint in his place some member of tl-s e tribe. And accordingly the In-

terior Department virtually hold a few days prior to the time for

holding an election that another election was unnecessary,

The lost Congress passed another act ahridging our rights and

further tying our hands in the PartiCipation in the settlement of our

affairs. Under recent legislation of Congress Contained in the so..

called Curtis Bill no resolution or at A/ to valid without

the approval of the President, 1114 art virtual/y denied the right to

any voice in the settlement of our estate* The Interior Department

has acted with much severity towards the Choctaw people, "We can no

regard the present Secretary of the interior as a frJend. He

an arbitrary way usurped autherfty that doe* not and never did

to his office. The most recent and flagrant act of usurft

of authority is the denial of the right of the national treas-

longer

has in

belong

pat ion

...

urer to pay the national warrants issued for legitimate expenses of

the Choctaw government in the payment of salares of officers for

services rendered, Under the arbitrary ruling of the repartment our

courts have been completely suspended on the account of a lack of

funds. Vany criminals that were under arrest cannot be tried be..

cause the courts have no funds to pay witnesses who must be summoned

to testify in criminal proceedings, The net result is that this class

of criminals has been turned lo ose in our midst to again prey upon

society.

The most valuable portion of the Choctaw •estate l the coal lands,

seems to be a toy in the hands otenepartment to be disposed of in

a most haphazard manner * The Secretary of the Interior agreed and

urged upon the last Congress that the Tie partment anti the coal lessees

be allowed to determine the price of these lands and that the coal

lessees be given the preference right of purchae.„ This proposition

became a stench in the n of decent and honest men when it be-

came known, Senator La?oilette denounced it as an outrage and thereby

performed for the Choctaw people a great service, It will be appro.

priate for the council to suggest a plan whereby these land* shall be

sold. The Senate Committee that visits us shortly should he infomed,

• and I suggest a commission be provided for i

last council passed appropriate resolutions along this line detailing

the wishes of the Choctaw people in the matter l and forwarded the same

to the President through the nepartment but for some reason this ex

pression of our views did not reach the chief executive, I suggest

that a similar resolution be forwarded to the President through a

different channel in order that he may know and understand cur wishes.

I think it is desirable that you should bring your deliberations

to a speedy conclusion. Congress has seen fit to limit the sessions

of council to thirty days, It may he best,and I suggest the wisdom of

adjourning as soon as possible in order that we may preserve as much

time after the convening of Congress to the end that we may more

thoroughly protect our interests after the meeting of that body.

CONCLUSION.

It has been my pleasure to serve you in the past as faithfully as

I knew how. Thc end of tribal life is at hand. Let us unitedly make

the last stand in the effort to protect our interests. r firmly be-

lieve in the divine prophecy that no question is ever settled until

it is settled right.

Reaps tfully submitted,

It has been my painful duty,during my present incumbency

TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN GENERAL COUNCIL

ASSEMBLED.

MitiMMT:

to suspend certain county and District officers for failure to per-

form their respective duties as required b the Constitution and

laws of' the Choctaw Nation.

JAT.Durant and R.C.Freeney,sheriff and Judge,respectively,

of Blue County were suspended from exercising the duties of their

offices for their failure to answer any zommunication addressed

to them by the Chief Executive. Durant and Freeney stated their

reasons to be that neither of them recognized your present Chief

,Exacutive as the duly•eleOtdd and quallif ied Chief of the Choctaw

Nation.

Ed Everidge l Judge of the Third Judicial District of the

Choct aw Nation issued an injunction againt'the officers appointed

by your Chief Executive in Blue County,vice Durant and Freeney,

suspended. Said Everidge l Judge t refused to hear testimony as to

the causesit led to the suspension of said Durant and Freeney

and insisted that no amount of proof wa) ld alter or change his opin-

ion in this determination. Your Chief Executive l reaiizing that

Durant and Freeney sought by this action to nulify the will of the

p€Mple as expreis-s-ed at -the ballot' box; ad fully realizine, that the

action of Everidge l Judge,was a furtherance of that design and rev-

olutionary in its tendencies,as well as a judicial usurpation of

authority not warranted under our form of government; deemed it

proper to demand the resignation of Judge Ever•dge,which he finally

tendered,and which was accepted.

Raymond Bryant,County Judge of Wade Cpunty,during the

vacation of his ourtMused to be made certain orders appointing

'condition'Ireasons I

ounty,a4a re:quited by law. For:these and other 4

4

tt J proper :to,•

Daniel; 3- yi ant „pheriff*

)end iaid officer;

de County was dhaz:ged with

P;"

,./TirgIfflt

administrators and,guardians contrary to law,and this too while he

was on a prolonged visit to the Chiclinsaw Nation. Said Judge also-

rertit ed- to or'rder his clerk t,o Eatike a ., report showing. the financial

off ici det. jaiscon'A occast'6 It

ss. derlor oy duct

7p#F4the off ic

t4 ikenry Byi _gtonsDifftriet AttorneA for: the Third Judicial#

t;Tristrict oft the Choctaw iats n failea to perform his duties astyy law. His official-mtsconduct and drunkennessland

other irregularities unbecoming to off iciers twere such that I deemedit proper to suspend him pending an investigation by Council.

I most respectfully urge that your Honorable body enquireinto and take such steps relative to the charges preferred againstthese officers as you may think proper. My sole aim in these mat-ters has been to secure the rigid enforcement of thelaw by the of-ficers chosen by the people for that purpose.

Very respectfully,

lis44411. t Pr6d, • 20tr- t •Drin.CMef 74.1T.

wa

!ta'nd

as, b

suchft ad )wilof 4

ei iittoecate43 larious anedivers1 ,

denee:thA his drunken and dis-4

ly unfitted him.° to perform thev("'

an I spdpen'ded im for that reason.

t

dek

•

11,

tsle\) , t

`*tN V

.104W".